Community news briefs for March 29, 2002

Friday, March 29, 2002 | 9:20 a.m.

Hotels to host drive for homeless

Catholic Charities will host its third annual "April Foods Day" food drive beginning 8 a.m. Monday through April 8, at several Las Vegas hotels and casinos, benefiting the homeless and working poor of Las Vegas.

Benefactors include Bally's, Caesars Palace, Eldorado casino, Flamingo Las Vegas, Harrah's, Joker's Wild casino, MGM Grand, Paris Las Vegas, Riviera and Stratosphere.

Catholic Charities provide meals to the homeless, aid working poor through Social Services program, provide food for senior women in crisis and at-risk teenage girls, and feed children each day in the Child Care Center. Call 385-2662.

Volunteers sought for many activities

Friends of Red Rock Canyon are seeking volunteers who can help with a variety of tasks in the national conservation area.

Jobs include Visitors Center information desk staffing, Visitors Center activities, tortoise habitat monitoring and protection, gardening and landscaping, environmental education, leading and assisting with hikes, trail monitoring and maintenance, archeological and ecological surveys and workshops, resource rehabilitation and removal of non-indigenous species, schools programs, and the Adopt-A-Trail program.

Time commitments range from four to eight hours per month, and training is provided.

Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer, may contact Pat Williams, membership director, at 395-7080.

Councilmen plan events for families

Families are invited to several Easter egg hunts tonight in the city of Las Vegas. Bring your own baskets and flashlights.

Councilman Michael McDonald will host a hunt at 7:30 p.m. at Mirabelli Community Center at 6200 Elton Ave. The cost is $8 per family.

Councilman Gary Reese will host a hunt at 8 p.m. at Robinson Community Center at 4794 Harris Ave. The hunt is free and open to children 10 to 14.

And Councilman Larry Brown plans a hunt -- free and open to children ages 12 to 18 -- 8 p.m. at Molasky Community School, 7801 W. Gilmore Ave.

Special Olympics fund-raiser planned

In April and May Metro Police and local restaurants are teaming up to raise funds for the Special Olympics during the annual Tip-A-Cop event.

Officers wait on tables during lunch and dinner hours, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m., respectively, then contribute any tips to the Special Olympics.

The dates and locations:

April 19, House of Blues, Mandalay Bay; April 27, Red Lobster, Henderson; April 27, Red Lobster, Decatur/U.S. 95; April 27, Red Lobster, Flamingo Road and Eastern Avenue; May 2, Claim Jumper, 1100 S. Fort Apache; May 18, Chevy's, Flamingo Road and Eastern Avenue; May 18, Chevy's, Rainbow Boulevard and Sahara Avenue; May 18, Chevy's, Galleria Mall, Henderson.

Wildlife service looks for a volunteer

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking a volunteer/intern to live and work at Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge, 90 miles north of Las Vegas, this summer.

Applicants should possess good people skills, but no experience is necessary. The volunteer must be a motivated self-starter and be able to work independently.

Work includes monitoring trails, campgrounds, observation decks and restrooms, and minor maintenance. Refuge staff will provide necessary training, equipment and temporary housing.

Pahranagat comes from the Paiute Indian word meaning "place of many waters" and hosts thousands of waterfowl and other migratory birds each year.

For more information about the volunteer program or to apply, call (702) 515-5453.

A Jewish community-wide Yom Hashoah

service will be 7 p.m. April 8 at Temple Beth Am, 9001 Hillpointe Road. Participating in the event will be members of the Holocaust Survivors Group of Southern Nevada. Call 254-5110.

Blood drives

These locations will host blood drives for United Blood Services, 6930 W. Charleston Blvd.:

Monday: 8-11 a.m., Excalibur hotel.

Tuesday: 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Las Vegas Valley Water District, 1001 S. Valley View Blvd.; 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., UNLV.

Wednesday: 8 a.m.-8 p.m., Venetian; 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Cox Communications, 121 S. Martin Luther King Blvd.

Thursday: 7 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Mojave High School, 5302 Goldfield St.

Friday: 7 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Mojave High School, 5302 Goldfield St.; 7 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Vo-Tech High School, 5710 Mountain Vista St.

Saturday: 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Western Little League, 7400 Peak Drive; 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Sun City Anthem, 2450 Hampton Road, Henderson.

Call Michelle Keanini at 228-8400 for more information.