by De’Shon Jenkins

FRANKLIN

The Youth Group, formerly known as Kids Kab, will host the annual Kids of the Year Celebration in less than a month. The event has been moved to on Aug. 18,  and will still be held at Main Event in Franklin from 5 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $25 and include dinner and dessert. Obici Healthcare Foundation is the title sponsor of the celebration. The event will be catered by Fred’s Restaurant.

Three Kids of the Year will be selected: one from elementary school, one from middle school and one from high school. Each of the winners will be awarded a $250 back-to-school scholarship for the 2018-19 school year.

Throughout the evening, door prizes and other gifts will be given out. A silent auction will also be held. Sponsors include 2Give Management, Peanut Patch, and Taylor Made Fitness. Additional sponsors will be announced at a later date. Kids can apply for consideration of scholarship at www.theyouthgroup.org. There is no fee to submit. Nominees are free to attend the dinner. Parents and family must purchase a ticket.

The guest speaker for the night will be Robby Cutchins. Robby, a native of the Southampton/Franklin area, is married to Amy Cutchins, and they have two daughters, Skiler and Katelynn Cutchins, president and CEO of Bobby’s Tire and Auto Care, was named one of Hampton Roads’ top “40 under 40” entrepreneurs of 2017. Known as “Coach Cut” by student athletes, he has coached for the Franklin High School Broncos for over 15 years.

He is currently the head coach of the Broncos’ varsity basketball team and also serves as an assistant coach for the Broncos’ varsity football program.

Cutchins is known for his volunteer work with local youth through The Youth Group, James L. Camp YMCA, Smart Beginnings of Western Tidewater, the Cypress Cove Country Club, Cover 3 Foundation, The STEP Program and the Franklin-Southampton United Way.

Cutchins had this to say when asked about the event, “I think the banquet is a great thing. It’s great anytime you give kids recognition and honor them for the positive things they’re doing; it’s second to none.”

The night will consist of scholarships, special awards, dinner, dessert, door prizes, silent auction and words from Mobile Mentors participants. Sponsorship for the event is still available. Dinner Sponsor is available for $3000, Entertainment Sponsor, $500; Scholarship Sponsor, $1,000 or sponsor a family to attend and celebrate their nominee, $250 each. Organizations and businesses may also purchase a table of eight for $200. Individual tickets are $25.

All proceeds from the event will go toward the Mobile Mentors Program. Since 2015, The Youth Group has provided mentoring for over 200 children, impacted over 400 families, and provided over 5,000 Mobile Mentors rides throughout Franklin, Southampton and Suffolk.

The Youth Group’s founder, C.C Cooper, was very adamant about his passion for the children.

“I believe the kids have all the tools within to be and do whatever it is they want to be and do. We have to do a better job of uplifting and encouraging the kids to push and work hard,”  Cooper said.

When asked about the change in name from Kids Kab to The Youth Group, Cooper said, “The Youth Group is just a branding change. The organization still holds all the same values as Kids Kab, and we plan to work even harder inspiring and empowering our youth.”

He is also excited to have Cutchins as the guest speaker for the event.

“I’ve known Cut for a long time,” he said. “His positivity and energy has always been great, and he’s always been a solid guy. Working with him in supporting youth has been a pleasure and I’m more than happy to have him as our speaker, knowing he will have a great message for the kids.”

The Youth Group is a non-profit organization with a mission to support, empower and cultivate youth by providing safe, inspirational and educational activities and transportation for school-age children.

The Youth Group was founded in late 2015 by local community leader and mentor, C.C. Cooper.

In addition to recreational basketball, the organization has several programs that impact the community in a positive and hands-on way.

The Mobile Mentors program provides mentoring to children while transporting them to and from their educational and enrichment activities. Currently, the organization has 175 children enrolled in this program.

This fall, The Youth Group will sponsor the SoCo Youth Football League which will bring little league tackle football, flag football and cheer back to the county on Saturdays.

You can learn more about the SoCo Youth Football League, by visiting www.socoyfl.org. To become a sponsor of the Kids of the Year Annual Fundraiser, or purchase a ticket to the event, visit www.youthgroup.com or call C.C. Cooper at 653-6239.

De’Shon Jenkins is with 2Give Management LLC. He can be reached at 652-5641 or djenkins@2give

management.com.