Festival brings help to area residents

Kimberley McGee

Friday, Nov. 9, 2001 | 10:11 a.m.

Longtime North Las Vegans Laura Coleman and Christine Johnston had an idea to boost the morale of their city: a block party so big, the entire community would be represented in music, art and food.

Such was the beginning of Festival de America, a community block party being hosted by the North Las Vegas Community Steering Committee on Saturday.

The festival will feature traditional Mexican food from area restaurants such as Jaunita's Mobile Cucina and Tamales Dona Maria, as well as a children's park with carnival rides and face painting.

Services that are available in the community, such as Eldorado Medical Center, the Latin Chamber of Commerce and CC Comarades, a community health organization, will also be made available.

Washington Mutual will offer banking advice, and Nevada Housing Services will provide tips about how to save money for and how to buy a home.

"Part of the reason of having these block parties is to get information to the community that might not otherwise know about these services available to them," Coleman said. "There is a whole world out there that they don't know about that can help them. Not just medically, but funwise."

Music from local Latin bands Casa Blanca, La Zorro and Latin Vida will play for dancing.

"We want to represent positive role models for our community to see at the block party," Coleman said. "This is going to be fun, but good for the community, too."

The North Las Vegas Community Steering Committee, of which Coleman is publicity chairwoman and Johnston is the general chairwoman, hosts fairs and fund-raisers to boost community morale.

"Our goal is to encourage more involvement with the community," Coleman said. "We clean up people's yards who can't, like older people, and fields. We try to make people aware of their surroundings and care about their community."

Proceeds from the festival will benefit North Las Vegas education and community programs such as the Children's Miracle Network and the Boys and Girls Club of North Las Vegas.

Coleman and Johnston also gathered gifts for 12 baskets, including sports equipment, car-care supplies, gardening tools and barbecue accessories, to be raffled at the festival, along with two first-class round-trip tickets to San Francisco from National Airlines and two round-trip tickets anywhere AeroMexico flies.

"There will be lots of things for everyone," Coleman said. "Bottomline, this is about the community, and we want people to take pride in North Las Vegas."