The city of Cape Coral’s Youth Council. GO FUND ME PAGE

The Cape Coral Youth Council is inching closer to its goal to send all of its members to Washington, D.C. for the National League of Cities Youth Leadership Council.

They are still $3,000 short and they hope to raise these remaining funds by the first week of January.

Cape Coral City Councilmember Jennifer Nelson-Lastra said this is the first time the Youth Council will travel to D.C. for the conference. She said when she took over as the liaison, she asked the members if they wanted to go.

“They all jumped in and said yes,” Nelson-Lastra said. “We had a very successful kickoff, so people could come and meet the Youth Council and hear what they are doing. (We also) kicked off the fundraiser.”

The trip will allow the 10 members to go to different seminars and learn what other Youth Councils are doing around the country, as well as getting more involved in their community and politics.

The Kiwanis Club of Cape Coral is among the organizations to donate.

Richard Leon said the civic group kicked in $3,000.

“It has to do with children. We want to focus on that. We want to step up in the community. We thought it was a good cause to get involved with,” he said.

The Youth Council will travel to D.C. in March.

“I don’t want to take it out of the budget,” Nelson-Lastra said of the $3,000 still needed as the panel will also travel to Tallahassee next year.

“We are down to the last bit — the homestretch. I am trying really hard to raise that last $3,000.”

Nelson-Lastra said so far they have raised enough money to bring 10 members at a cost of about $2,000 per youth.

“I need the last $3,000 to bring the last two kiddos,” she said.

Nelson-Lastra is hoping to reach the goal by the first week of January, so the flight and hotel rooms can be booked.

“The longer we wait the more expensive it will get,” she said. “If we raise more than $3,000, that money will be used for dinners and also trying to get on the tours to go see some of the sites.”

Donations can be made at: gofundme.com.

To reach MEGHAN BRADBURY, please email news@breezenewspapers.com