My name is Caleb Manson and I am a 12 year old Junior Leading Knight of a youth group called the Young Bucks. We operate out of the St. Mary's County Elks Lodge #2092 in California, MD.  Our youth group is based on a “Pay It Forward” motto promoting Random Acts of Kindness.  We hold monthly meetings, charity fundraisers, community events and volunteer at various St. Mary's County Elks Lodge #2092 events.  Currently we are 36 members strong and our group ranges in age from 2 to 19 years old.

     I'm writing to you in preparation of our Second Annual Charity Ball that is scheduled to be held this May 13, 2017.  Last year our group recognized the need to address hunger in our community by bringing awareness to the Snack Sak Program. We raised needed funding throughout the year and donated those funds at our 1st ever Charity Ball.

  With the success of last year our group once again wanted to bring needed awareness affecting so many individuals in our community. We are working tirelessly on behalf of the St. Mary's County Special Olympics.  All proceeds from our annual fundraising efforts will be donated to the St. Mary's County Special Olympics. The mission of the Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in various Olympic style sports. It is offered to both children and adults of any age that have a developmental disability. The Special Olympics main goal is to help bring all persons with a developmental disability into the larger society under conditions whereby they are accepted and respected.

  As Young Bucks, we support that motto under all circumstances which is why we are such a diverse group of young individuals wanting to address the needs of individual's right in our own community. We feel everyone should be provided the necessary tools to be as successful and as happy as they can be. Our raised funds will provide much needed equipment and newly developed programs to give those tools to all of the athletes involved with the St. Mary's County Special Olympics.