Rancho, Las Vegas high schools raise $10,000 for Shade Tree Shelter

By Paul Takahashi

Friday, Nov. 19, 2010 | 10:50 a.m.

Two local high school student councils raised more than $10,000 for Shade Tree Shelter, which helps women and children.

The fundraiser, now more than a decade old, is an annual tradition cerebrated during the Bone Game festivities, which recognizes the long-standing rivalry between the valley’s two oldest high schools: Las Vegas High School and Rancho High School.

Each year, the student councils at both schools collect 25-cent donations for a Spirit Link, competing to collect the most donations. The paper links are then decorated and chained together to demonstrate each school’s link to the community. Las Vegas edged out Rancho by a little more than $100 this year, but both schools contend the real winner is The Shade Tree.

The local, nonprofit shelter has served homeless and abused women and children since 1990. The Shade Tree, 1 West Owens, provides about 80,000 nights of shelter each year in its 38,000-square-foot facility, which houses 364 permanent beds, libraries, training rooms, restrooms, a kitchen and children’s play rooms.

The $10,000 donation was to be presented to The Shade Tree at 3:30 p.m. Friday.

For more information about The Shade Tree, visit www.theshadetree.org.