H.O.P.E. for homeless teens

By Mandy Walton

Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008 | 6:14 p.m.

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? You can have fun, win prizes, and donate to a worthy cause all by heading over to the second annual H.O.P.E. for the Holidays Event at the Henderson Pavilion Promenade. The event starts at 11 a.m.

The Homeless Outreach Partnership Event (H.O.P.E.) is a benefit for homeless teenagers. The Hope for the Holidays website states, "H.O.P.E. for the Holidays' mission is to help homeless teens feel normal, to feel accepted, to believe in their own worth, and to give them hope for a brighter future. We are asking you to please help us achieve this. You can give your gift of hope through an individual donation or through a business/corporate donation or sponsorship."

By attending the benefit, you are giving to a very worthy cause. For just $10 for adults and $5 for youth under 12 gets you admission to this amazing event and a day full of fun.

Musical entertainment will be provided by Phantom of the Opera, the Kristina and Tuna Band, Second Time Around, Shy Tree, The Trouble Makers, and Cockeyed Junior. Local television personalities such as Paula Francis and Dave Courvoisier from KLAS Channel 8, and Stacey Escalante and Kendall Tenney from KVBC Channel 3 will also be on stage during the event.

A silent auction with some great items up for grabs is also on the agenda.

"We will have close to 100 silent auction items," says Judith Alewel, event organizer.

Auction items include a three-month membership to Dragon Ridge Country Club, a one-year membership to the Stirling Club at Turnberry Place, a Green Valley Ranch Resort spa gift certificate, a Venetian Resort package, lots of restaurant certificates, wine baskets, and even a 20-speed racing bike.

Food will be available from Domino's Pizza, Las Vegas Kettle Corn, Bengo Concessions, Quality Foods Mexican Food, and candy. Kids can look forward to carnival games, face painting, hair painting, cake walk, mad science, and a Game Crazy Guitar Hero game tournament.

And if all that weren't enough, participants can even go home with prizes.

"We will also have door prize drawings for an iTouch iPod, Wii Sports and Wii Fit games; Kodak Digital Frame and a Garmin Navigation System," says Alewel.

For more information or to make a donation, please call 702-263-6388 or visit www.hopefortheholidays.info.