Community briefs for May 24, 2002

Friday, May 24, 2002 | 9:19 a.m.

Berets celebrate 50th anniversary

Memorial Day brings a special significance to Nevada veterans as they celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Green Berets or special forces.

A Memorial Day ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the Lowden Veterans Center & Museum, 3333 Cambridge St., just south of Desert Inn Road.

The Green Berets were created by Col. Aaron Banks in 1952 as a secret organization to deal with guerilla tactics encountered during the Korean conflict and the Vietnam war.

Among local members of the special forces being honored is retired Sgt. Maj. George Dunaway, said Ed Gobel, president of the Council of Nevada Veterans Organizations.

Dunaway is one of the highest ranking noncommissioned officers in the Green Berets.

Pet picnic to seek homes for animals

Trophy Homes is sponsoring a pet picnic from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Westwood Park, to raise awareness and support for the organization's effort to find homes for homeless dogs and cats in the Las Vegas Valley.

The event will benefit the Heaven Can Wait Sanctuary.

Trophy Homes recently adopted Heaven Can Wait as one of its designated charities, committing to donate $50 to the sanctuary for every home it closes. For more information, call 255-2135.

Sweet Tomatoes will donate 20 percent

of sales generated between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Sunday to The Shade Tree shelter. Customers need to present the Sweet Tomatoes fun-raiser flier at the time of purchase. The flier can be down loaded at www.theshadetree.org. For more information, call 385-0072.