On behalf of LDCMF we would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that has been involved in our events, organizations, &interest in remembering Leon Carr over the past 5 years. We originally began our fundraising in the summer of 2008 w/ the 1st Leons Day including the Annual Leon Carr Classic disc golf tournament because of Leon's love of the sport. We aimed these fundraising efforts for the 1st Leons Day primarily at acquiring a Head Stone for Leon due to his accident&unexpected passing. We continued on w/ organizing events that grew to include our Annual Redbone Winter Classic soup fest which is a friendly competition that pays tribute to Leon's superior soup making skills he displayed for years while working at the Village Inn. 

LDCMF continuing to host these 2 major events annually for Leon's community&all the times we have gotten together over the past half-decade has created benevolent fundraising for many positive causes. Our community's efforts has created 8semesters worth of $500 E.C.C. Scholarships at the last scholastic institution Leon graduated from. We donated $3000+ to UNYTS out of respect for Leon's organ donation that incredibly aided strangers who desperately needed the help. We also donated $4000+ from our events fundraising to Grand Island Conservation interests&to help the Miracle League help set up a baseball diamond on Grand Island for regional handicapped kids to have a place to play:)

Leon's community's donations through all of these events has also seen $2000+ go to another half dozen local organizations that have positive interests for WNY including local farming interests as well as Buffalo bike riding communities. All of these efforts&benevolent results couldn't have happened w/out so many great peoples coming to our community building events that commemorate Leon Carr's positive effect he had on so many friends, family, & strangers. We gather for these events to pay respects to Leon's generously loving character by staying in contact w/ each other while we get together even if its only a few times a year. 

Not everyone knows this but the annual summer event was actually Leon's idea originally. In September of 2007 Leon&I plus Karen, Monaco& Nicole went to go throw discs @Beaver Island in Leon's last time out for disc golf. Walking from Hole #1 to Hole #2 Leon was talking&stopped me as he pointed to the Pavillion that has been the central location to multiple Leon's Day summer events. He asked "Look at this. Why can't we get all the people we know down here? Get all the people from the Village, card games, & all our friends in the area. We should get everyone together down here once a year for a big gathering&grilling out, would be amazing.." That thought later became the basis for what has become our Annual Leon's Day events that commemorate Leon w/ the gathering of his community plus many more people atleast once a year to get out&have a nice day in the summer together:)

Moving forward were still going to have the annual summer&winter events. The winter wont change but the summer is going to become less orientated at raising funds. The original goal of being able to purchase a headstone for Leon was accomplished&that was paramount. Though many members involved in the LDCMF organization have recently run into many more life responsibilities&wont be able to put the work&time into raising so many funds. This would probably include not being able to provide food, beer, &the raffle for fundraising sales possibly. The event will therefore move to a byob&food outing w/ there being bands only if people wanted to play w/out the usual perks we would have for them. Were still going to have the disc golf trny&the Leon's Day event itself, but will most likely not be able to provide everything there for the day of purchases. As we move to this format our organization will be primarily focused on only continuing the E.C.C. semester scholarships. The major goal of the headstone for Leon was initially accomplished&then so much more! For this LDCMF would like to sincerely Thank Absolutely Everyone thats been involved on all the levels of this organization&Events throughout the past 5 years as we continue to remember Leon Carr 0:)