People

Many have come for the generally vibrant economy. Despite layoffs after Sept. 11, Southern Nevada has been among the nation's leaders in job creation.

Others will say how nice the weather is -- especially in winter. These folks usually have just arrived from Chicago, or New England.

Still others will mention the relative affordability of the houses. Although housing costs continue to rise, compared to real estate in California the price of a home in Las Vegas is a bargain.

And others will roar that it's the 24-hour lifestyle, the nonstop party, that hooked them on this place. History and common sense dictate that they don't last long in Las Vegas without gaining a more mature appreciation of the fact that gambling resorts are the equivalent of the assembly lines in this factory town.

The economy, weather and housing prices are all good reasons they have come to live in a community of newcomers. But once they settle in, they'll want to stay in part because of people such as Virginia Powers.

At 72, Powers isn't a powerful politician or big business owner. Retired, she's a longtime resident of the Rancho Manor neighborhood bounded on the east by Shadow Lane, south by Alta Drive, west by Rancho Drive, and north by Mesquite Avenue. The working-class neighborhood is more than 40 years old and is undergoing a slow, steady resurgence thanks in part to Powers and the Rancho Manor Neighborhood Association. It's barely a mile from Fremont Street.

The association meets to discuss commercial development that might affect the neighborhood, street cleanup and the Christmas decoration contest. The association is in regular contact with the City Neighborhood Services department, has enlisted help and donations from the local Home Depot, and lately has begun recruiting Spanish speakers to enable it to reach the growing number of Hispanic families who live there.

After Sept. 11, Powers and her associates distributed American flags to their neighborhood.

Ruth Bruland is another reason for making Southern Nevada home. She's the local director of the MASH Village shelter on Las Vegas Boulevard. MASH provides temporary shelter and assistance to homeless women and children (and occasionally men with children). During the winter months, because of a dramatic shortage of beds MASH erected a 200-bed tent for the homeless. Week after week, relying on private donations and government grants, MASH manages to do more with less thanks to Bruland and her staff.

Then there's local attorney JoNell Thomas. At a time in which attorneys gain national reputations for their sensational cases and exorbitant fees, Thomas recently gained attention for donating more than 2,500 hours of her time for free in the defense of a convicted killer who sat on death row for more than 20 years. Thanks to her insistence that the man had not been afforded a fair trial, his case was overturned and his death sentence was eventually changed to life.

And there's Dr. Rob Hunter. He is the director of Las Vegas' Problem Gambling Consultants, the only nonprofit treatment center in the state. In a place riddled with chronic gambling problems and zero state dollars devoted to treatment, Hunter is a mature, outspoken critic who hasn't lost sight of his greater goal of helping those in need.

Linda Smith, meanwhile, gives to the community in another way. She is the resource development director of Opportunity Village, an organization that helps mentally retarded adults lead productive lives. Its programs range from manufacturing campaign buttons and collecting secondhand clothing to providing the restaurant service workers for Nellis Air Force Base.

Smith's high profile in Southern Nevada has helped raise awareness of the issues of the mentally disabled for decades.

Last, there's a man newcomers just missed.

His name was Sumner Dodge, and he died recently at age 70. Sumner was the heart and soul of the local Salvation Army. He devoted his life to helping those in need in Southern Nevada. From the bell ringers during the Christmas holiday season to providing food, clothing and shelter for those who had none, Dodge was a saint in a city known for its sinners.

There are many dozens and hundreds of Las Vegans like him who give of their time, money and expertise to improve this boisterous boomtown and help it make the transition into a healthy city.

Thousands come to Las Vegas for many reasons, but they will stay because of the good people who work every day to help this community.