Art auction and wine event benefits Sun Camp Fund

Heather Rawlyk

Friday, Sept. 17, 2004 | 4:05 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION

September 18 - 19, 2004

Who: The Las Vegas Sun Summer Camp Fund, which helps disadvantaged children attend camp.

What: An art auction to raise money for the Fund as it celebrates its 35th year.

When: Thursday, Sept. 23, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. with the art auction scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m.

Where: Barbara Lee Woollen Presents Art de Vignettes Gallery at the Fashion Show, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. South at Spring Mountain Road.

Cost: Tickets are $100 and include a gourmet selection of wine and hors d'oeuvres created by world-renowned Chef Gustav Mauler.

Information: For more information or to reserve tickets, call Dee McConnell at 259-4097.

Every summer, Las Vegas resident Nancy Easton sends her 12-year-old daughter to Camp Vegas -- a co-ed camp at Mount Potosi for children with diabetes in Southern Nevada and neighboring Arizona communities.

But this year, Easton was financially strapped and didn't think her daughter would be able to go.

"It was a terrible feeling thinking that my daughter couldn't go to camp this year because of financial problems," Easton said. "So I started brainstorming what I could do to make it so she could still go."

Members of a support group for juvenile diabetes recommended that Easton apply for the Las Vegas Sun Summer Camp Fund, which provides economically disadvantaged children with an opportunity to attend summer camp by covering the cost.

So Easton sent in applications for her 12-year-old and 10-year-old daughters.

"Miraculously, they both came through," Easton said. "Not only did I get to send my 12-year-old to her diabetes camp, but could also send my 10-year-old to dance camp this year. I've never been able to afford to send them both to camp, so this was really a special year for them."

Thanks to the Las Vegas Sun Summer Camp Fund, about 700 local boys and girls like the Eastons were given the opportunity to go to camp this summer. And with the program growing every year, plans are already under way to raise funds to give disadvantaged children that experience.

On Sept. 23 Greenspun Media Group, Sprint and Barbara Lee Woollen Presents Art de Vignettes Gallery will sponsor an evening of art, wine and hors d'oeuvres that will benefit the Las Vegas Sun Summer Camp Fund and celebrate 35 years of the organization.

The art auction will take place at the gallery, located in the Fashion Show mall at Las Vegas Boulevard and Spring Mountain Road, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Artist Jim Stallings, who is known worldwide for his interpretations of music on canvas, will paint a work of art during the event. The painting will be auctioned at the end of the night, according to Charlotte Hill, president and founder of the Las Vegas Sun Camp Fund.

A previously created, limited-edition painting by Stallings will also be auctioned to raise money for the camp fund, Hill said.

The gallery will be donating a percentage of the proceeds from all artwork it sells throughout the evening to the Las Vegas Sun Summer Camp Fund.

In addition to the auction, those attending will have the option to sponsor a child to send to camp next summer, Hill said.

"Some people will decide they don't want a piece of art, but they would like to do something," Hill said. "This is something nice that people can do to help the children."

Every dime collected at the event will go toward sending a child to camp, Hill added.

Easton said having people donate toward the Las Vegas Sun Camp Fund is "an invaluable thing."

"Having that fund is what helps change children's lives and their whole outlook on life," Easton said. "Especially with my daughter who is diabetic -- it made a 100 percent difference with her. I also know a lot of the children at Camp Vegas were there this year through the camp fund.

"It's just a wonderful thing for these kids to get to go to camp and meet friends and have fun, and you can't really put a price on that."