Community service board increased

Rebecca Malone

Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2001 | 8:58 a.m.

Gov. Kenny Guinn has appointed eight new members to a commission that administers federal and state money to AmeriCorps programs.

Joining the Nevada Commission for National and Community Service earlier this month were Larry Burns, Raelene Palmer, Thomas Warden and Councilman Lawrence Weekly, all of Las Vegas; Mayor Jeff Griffin and Mark Shults, both of Reno; Ronald Garland of Henderson; and Cynthia Sharp of Carson City.

"The new commissioners are appointed to oversee funding and promote a statewide effort of volunteerism," Commission Chairwoman Robyn Clayton said. "All of the new members have a history in helping the community."

Burns teaches seventh graders the U.S. Constitution and lectures to the public on drug abuse, self-esteem and personal safety. He has volunteered for United Way of Southern Nevada and Boys Scouts of America, and is in the Criminal Intelligence Section of Metro Police.

Palmer, a certified public accountant, works as an agent for the state Gaming Control Board in Las Vegas. She is also an executive board member of the Boyd School of Law Society of Advocates, a treasurer for the Criminal Law Association and is a student representative for Barbri Bar Review Course.

Warden has been appointed to the Clark County Parks and Recreation Board and Clark County Environmental Advisory Committee on Air Quality by the Clark County Commission. He also serves on boards for the YMCA of Southern Nevada, Kids Voting USA and Entertainment Development Corp. Warden works in public relations for the Howard Hughes Corp.

Weekly is the director of the Kappa Leadership League Guide Right Program for Youth and hosts a Saturday radio program in Las Vegas.

Griffin is establishing programs to reach out to children at risk and creating quality housing for working families. He would like to see the economy diversified and downtown Reno redeveloped.

Shults oversees statewide government and legislative affairs, community relations and corporate giving. He serves on the Truckee Meadows Community College Foundation Board of Trustees.

Garland is an executive for the Boy Scouts Boulder Dam Area Council, which serves Nye and Clark counties and parts of Arizona and California. He has been involved in professional Scouting for 30 years.

Sharp is a board member on the Nevada Arts Council. She has volunteered at the Children's Museum in Carson City and has supervised extracurricular activities at schools.

The eight individuals volunteered their services to help benefit domestic Peace Corps programs throughout the state. Southern Nevada programs include the Boys and Girls Clubs, where volunteers tutor to increase literacy, and the U.S. Veterans Initiative, in which volunteers integrate homeless veterans into different programs.

The new commissioners joined a 14-member board, bringing their total to 22 people working together to serve Nevada's AmeriCorps programs.