Community briefs for March 20, 2002

Wednesday, March 20, 2002 | 8:38 a.m.

Help offered for patients, families

A meeting for epilepsy patients and their families will be 5-6 p.m. Thursday at Sunrise Health Strategies, 3131 La Canada, Suite 107.

Dr. Shanker Dixit, a neurologist specializing in the chronic disorder, will discuss what patients and their families should expect, possible outcomes, treatment options and living with seizures.

For more information, call 836-3892.

UMC's Silver Advantage schedules free event

University Medical Center's Silver Advantage program is offering free cholesterol and diabetes screening at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the McCarran Quick Care, 1769 E. Russell Road.

Silver Advantage is a free health education program offering health lectures, screenings and other benefits to adults 50 years of age and older.

Participants must fast for an accurate screening. Call 383-2095.

The Easter production

"On A Hill, Too Far Away," will be performed by the Warm Springs Baptist Church Music Ministry team at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday at 2075 E. Warm Springs Road. Call 361-7070.

The Nevada Association of Fashion Design

will host a student/member mixer 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesday at Z-Tejas Restaurant, 3824 S. Paradise Road. Call 314-9589.

The "Find Out Why Month,"

event sponsored by Sprint will be 2 p.m. Saturday at the Lied Discovery Children's Museum, 833 Las Vegas Blvd. North. A veterinarian will show children how he diagnoses sick animals. Children are invited to bring their stuffed toy animals for this demonstration. Call 382-3445.

Davis Garner, a seventh grader

at Alexander Dawson Middle School, sank 21 out of 25 free throws at the Elks "hoop shoot" west region championship this month and earned himself a berth at the national free throw contest. Representing the Pahrump Elks Lodge No. 2796, Garner will travel to Springfield, Mass., with his parents, Blair and Julie Garner. The contest takes place April 18-21.

Lottery system starts for Subway hikes

A computer-based random lottery system begins this year at Zion National Park for the Left Fork of North Creek, also known as the Subway, due to the increasing popularity of the hike.

The lottery system in June will replace the current call-in reservation system in place since 1997. Over 6,500 people complete this hike each year.

Reservations can be made by fax at (435) 772-3426.

Include name, number in party (not to exceed 12), e-mail or mailing address and first, second and third choice of trip dates. Reservations need to be made three months ahead of the hiking date.

For more information, visit the park website (www.nps.gov_zion), or call (435) 772-0170.

Local man takes first place honors

Peter Merello of Arco Electric won first place in a national tradesman competition.

Competing with 100 others, Merello won the top prize in the Associated Builders and Contractors National Craft Olympics held recently in New Orleans.

In addition to a gold medal, Merello received $1,000 in cash and a hammer drill from Milwaukee Tools.