St. Jude’s benefit show on tap

Wednesday, April 23, 2003 | 8:31 a.m.

The second annual "Night of Nostalgia" fund-raiser is set for St. Jude's Ranch for Children.

The $100-per-person affair begins at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Boulder City campus with a champagne reception and tour of the new Santa Francesca Independent Living Center, followed by tours of the St. Jude's Auto Museum.

Hosted cocktails and a gourmet dinner provided by Nana B's Trattoria will follow.

At 7:30 p.m. St. Jude's will present a Las Vegas-style concert featuring performances by international recording artist Gino Federici, as well as by veteran performer and musical comedian Stephen Sorrentino.

Bill Finley, vice president of development for St. Jude's, says the focus of this year's event is the 18-apartment extended living facility, which is about 75 percent complete.

The facility will be used by children who turn 18 and are leaving foster care situations.

"Sometimes kids have a difficult time making the transition," Finley said. "As foster children, they don't have much of a support system.

"A lot of times, at age 18, they don't have many resources to draw from."

The transitional facility at the ranch will help the young adults prepare for independent living, training them for such basic things as preparing resumes and getting a driver's license.

"How long they will stay will depend on the individual," Finley said.

For tickets or more information, call 294-7100.

Finley said final costs for the apartment project will be about $800,000. Much of the labor and material is being donated by U.S. Home and a variety of sub-contractors.

He noted that donations have played a major role in the development of the ranch, which was founded in 1966.

The fund-raising event, "Night of Stars," was held in November 1966, and raised $80,000 toward the construction of the first building at the ranch, which opened in 1967.

The "Night of Stars" was held annually through 1990.

Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. hosted the event for several years. The final fund-raiser featured Ed McMahon, Wayne Newton, Norm Crosby and the Platters.

Finley said St. Jude's hopes to re-institute the "Night of Stars."

"In the old days, 'Night of Stars' was one of the biggest charity events of the year," he said.