The Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation will stage its 22nd annual Profiles of Courage dinner gala and auction, honoring the children they serve and supporters of the foundation, at Bellagio at 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21. All proceeds benefit NCCF’s Project ARK (Aids & Resources for Kids), as well as NCCF’s adult services program, the Caring Place, providing healing arts and wellness programs for adults touched by cancer. The foundation will honor singer Britney Spears, in partnership with Zappos.com and Tony Hsieh, for their continued support and donations to fund a future building site. Tickets for are $250 per person. For more information, call the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation at 702-735-8434 or visit nvccf.org.
Bank backs financial education
As part of Nevada State Bank’s commitment to providing financial education to the communities it serves, the bank recently partnered with both Olive Crest and the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority to provide financial training for local teens and adults. Nevada State Bank’s volunteers will work with Olive Crest to teach students 15-18 the basics of banking and credit management, in addition to counseling them on making smart choices about money in their future. Nevada State Bank also implemented its Train the Trainer program for the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority this past September. The goal of this program is to teach key staff within the organization how to educate their clients through onsite counselors and teachers.
Literacy garden opens at school
City National Bank took part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Helen Jydstrup Elementary School recently to officially open the school’s new literacy garden that the bank helped fund with a $2,250 donation. The school plans to hold classes in the garden area to teach students about reading, math, science, nutrition and other learning skills. City National will also use the garden area to teach its “Reading is the Way Up” Dollars & Sense Financial Literacy curriculum. Helen Jydstrup is the first school to be adopted by City National through its school partnership program. Since 2002, the bank has donated thousands of books and dollars as part of its Holiday Book Drive. The bank’s management team also painted a mural in the front of the school in 2012.
PBTK 5K will benefit at-risk children
Accountants at Piercy Bowler Taylor & Kern will host the PBTK 5K and Fun Run on Nov. 21 to benefit Olive Crest, a local charity that helps abused, neglected and at-risk children. The family-friendly event will start with a packet pick-up from 7:30 – 8:30 a.m., with the race beginning at 9 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 21 at Bruce Trent Park, 8851 Vegas Drive. $25, admission; $20, students. All proceeds will go to Olive Crest. Individuals and families can choose to run or walk this course. Register online at Active.com.
Community food drive begins
Smiles Today Dental is sponsoring its annual community food drive. The staff of Smiles Today Dental will pass out food baskets in time for Thanksgiving, 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21. Donations of packaged and canned goods or food gift certificates may be dropped off at 1580 E. Desert Inn Road. Smiles Dental will also pick up food donations. For more information, call 702-655-6777.
Boys & Girls Clubs adds garden program
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada celebrated the debut of their fifth teaching garden program, Bright Futures Farm and Gardens, with the children’s first planting of an orange tree alongside their financial supporters. BGCSNV held a grand opening of the garden Nov. 6, at the James Clubhouse in North Las Vegas, together with partners including Credit One Bank, which made a donation of $12,000, and individual donors backing a crowdfunding effort by the James Club. BGCSNV will impact 400 youth at the clubhouse through this program, set to teach healthy lifestyles, financial literacy and entrepreneurship skills to under-served youth in the area. Once the garden is ready for harvest, plans include a farmer’s market operated by the kids, featuring their own fruits, vegetables and flowers.
Bank supports Walk for Water
City National Bank provided both monetary and volunteer support for the recent Walk for Water “One Drop” event, hosted by Cirque Du Soleil at the Springs Preserve, with a $2,500 donation and a walk team consisting of 40 bank colleagues and members of their families. The 3.2-mile walk began at the Smith Center and ended at the Springs Preserve. “One Drop” significantly improves living conditions through innovative projects which promote self-reliance in communities worldwide.
Wet’n’Wild collecting coats
Wet’n’Wild Las Vegas is staging a Coats in the Cabana charity drive, designed to collect new or gently used, clean coats for men, women and children to be donated to the Salvation Army, the Shade Tree Shelter and Child Haven during the winter months. Community members who donate will receive a $10 coupon toward a 2016 Wet’n’Wild season pass for each coat donated. Among businesses serving as drop-off locations are Simmons Group, Grand Canyon Development Partners, SurgiSpa, Fisher & Phillips LLP and the Jolley Urga Woodbury Little law firm.