Some local youngsters and their families have been teaching us all about the importance of giving back to the community.

Recently, two young boys and their families have raised and donated money to worthy causes.

Jill Bryar and her son Manny, 2, spearheaded ‘Manny’s Mission’ with the goal of raising $1,000 for research into hemophilia, a rare bleeding disorder in which the blood doesn’t clot normally. Manny was diagnosed with hemophilia when he was just a baby.

The fundraiser took place over the month of April and Jill had lined up a number of raffle prizes. Supporters were encouraged to purchase raffle tickets during the campaign.

In the end, Jill and Manny blew away expectations of raising $1,000 when the grand total reached $12,475.

It’s amazing how a two-year-old boy and his mother raised thousands of dollars for this cause and especially since hemophilia is not well known.

We praise Jill for taking the initiative to launch the fundraiser and not only raise money but to raise awareness about this rare disorder.

The community really rallied around the cause and of course it was hard to say no to Manny’s sweet face.

Then there is six-year-old Carson McRobbie. He recently participated in the 2013 Hospice Hike with his family and friends. And he raised $3,910 for the Red Deer Hospice Society.

Carson has a special connection to the Red Deer Hospice. Right before he was born, his grandmother Linda Blackwood, was a resident there before she passed. Blackwood, who had breast cancer, was the very first resident at the Red Deer Hospice when they first opened in 2005. She was at the Hospice for about six months before she passed away. She was 49.

Carson was born a month later.

As Carson has gotten older and learned about his grandmother and the work that the Hospice does, he has had an increased interest and has wanted to help the residents there by reading stories to them or taking them flowers just to brighten their day.

What a great characteristic to see in such a young person. We can all learn from both of these boys and their families.

It’s also an encouragement to parents to instill this kind of awareness into their children into an early age. The desire to give back can start at a young age and become engrained in their personality.

If we all do our part to give back like Jill, Manny and Carson did, imagine what our community would be like.