Molasky: Firms should enhance Vegas community

Jennifer Shubinski

Wednesday, March 30, 2005 | 11 a.m.

Developer Irwin Molasky told business leaders Tuesday about the importance of companies giving to the community and announced a new foundation, Relevant Education about the Law, which will debut in some schools this fall.

Molasky, chairman of the Molasky Group of Cos., has been involved in shaping Southern Nevada through its development of malls, shopping centers, high-rise office plazas and condominiums and apartments. Molasky spoke Tuesday afternoon at a Business Community Investment Council philanthropy matters series.

Julie Murray, president of the Business Community Investment Council and campaign director of the Andre Agassi Foundation, praised Molasky for shaping "Las Vegas internally and architecturally."

"Philanthropy helps those people who need help," she said. "Businesses need to become engaged if we want our community to be a great place to live and work."

Molasky said he knows from experience that one person can make a difference -- and praised Agassi for his work with the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation and the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, which serves disadvantaged children and provides an accelerated curriculum focused on technology and cultural activities.

"This young man is blessed with remarkable athletic skills, but Andre's greatest accomplishment is off the court," Molasky said.

Molasky said he generally does not talk about his own good deeds, but said what he believes his most important contribution to the community has been the Nathan Adelson Hospice program, which helps the terminally ill and their families.

The program helps between 500 and 600 patients a day, regardless of ability to pay, Molasky said. He said 90 percent of those patients are given in-home care.

Molasky's latest philanthropic venture is the foundation for Relevant Education about the Law.

The foundation will help school children, elementary through high schools, explore the democratic system of justice by interacting with lawyers and judges, and by visiting courthouses and taking part in interactive activities, he said. The foundation is working with the National Judicial College, based in Reno.

"This program will work to take the mystery out of the system," Molasky said.

Through the program, elementary students will be introduced to the four fundamental principals of democracy: authority, justice, responsibility and privacy, he said.

Judy Simpson, co-director of the foundation, said they will be working with the public schools and will roll out a pilot program for grades first through fourth grades in the fall. A docent program in the courthouses will begin during summer school and a drama program is about a year out, she said.

The program also includes a Web site with information and questions for the students.

Molasky, citing a study that said only a handful of Southern Nevada businesses give to philanthropic causes, said he would like that number to change.

"It's up to a new generation to take it to the next level and get involved," he said.