Centennial Neighborhood News, Nov. 26-Dec. 2

CITY TO HOST WINTER CAMP

Registration is open for a youth winter camp offered in the city of Las Vegas.

Holiday Kids Camp, open to ages 6 to 11, is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Dec. 23 through Jan. 3 at Cimarron Rose Community Center, 5591 N. Cimarron Road. The center will be closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. The cost is $75 per week for the first child and $70 for each additional child. Programs for boys and girlsare planned, including arts and crafts, games, sports, cooking, movies and more.

For more information, contact the center at 702-229-1607.

CITY OF LAS VEGAS PICNIC SHELTER RESERVATIONS NOW ONLINE

The city of Las Vegas recently added online park picnic shelter reservation applications to its available online services. Shelter rentals start at $15 and vary in price depending on size, expected number of guests, and whether music will be played or alcohol allowed.

For more information, visit recreation.lasvegasnevada.gov.

ANNUAL SHOES FOR CHILDREN DRIVE AND BENEFIT PERFORMANCES

The Las Vegas-Clark County Library District plans to host its 19th annual Shoes for Children Drive and Benefit Performances at 7 p.m. Dec. 13 and 2 p.m. Dec. 14 at the West Las Vegas Library, 951 W. Lake Mead Blvd.

Admission is one new pair of children’s athletic shoes sized to fit preschoolers to high school youth. Donations will also be accepted at all library branches through Dec. 23.

For more information, call 702-507-3989.

BANK OF AMERICA NOW ACCEPTING HOLIDAY TOY DONATIONS

Bank of America plans to host a toy drive to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation from Nov. 29 to Dec. 13. The public is invited to drop off new, unwrapped toys at any of 51 Bank of America banking centers in Southern Nevada. The toys will be presented to Make-A-Wish kids and their families at the organization’s annual holiday party.

AUDOBON SOCIETY HOSTS BIRD WALKS

The Red Rock Audubon Society hosts bird walks at Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs, 9200 Tule Springs Road, starting at 8 a.m. on the third Saturday of every month. Walks last about two hours and are geared toward beginners and casual walkers. Attendees meet in the last parking lot in the group picnic area. For more information, visit redrockaudubon.org.

MOUNT CHARLESTON SEEKS SNOW PLAY VOLUNTEERS

The U.S. Forest Service is seeking volunteers to be a Snow Play Host on Mount Charleston. Every winter weekend, thousands of people flock to the mountains to play in the snow, and hosts will look to encourage visitors to have fun while reducing impact on the forest.

Hosts will also be asked provide roadside information about snow play opportunities and engage visitors at snow play sites.

Volunteers must be 18 or older and able to work outdoors in cold conditions. Hosts are expected to work weekends and holidays, with shifts of three to six hours, from mid-December through March.

For more information, contact the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area at 702-515-5408 or volunteer@gomtcharleston.com.

PLASTIC FOOD DRIVE PLANNED

The nonprofit Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth plans to hold its seventh annual plastic food drive through Nov. 26.

NPHY aims to raise $20,000 in food vouchers to help feed the approximately 7,000 homeless youths in Clark County. Fast food and grocery store gift card voucher donations will be accepted from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday at the William Fry Drop-In Center, 4981 Shirley St.

Event organizers also invite community members to host their own and donate the proceeds to NPHY. For more information on the drive, or to register as a participant, contact the organization at 702-383-1332 or visit www.nphy.org.

HOME-SCHOOLING GROUP SEEKS VOLUNTEERS

The nonprofit RISE Education Resource Center, 3460 N. Rancho Drive, is seeking community volunteers to teach a variety of weekly language arts and craft classes.

Volunteers of all ages are accepted, and no previous teaching experience is required. Classes can be one time only or scheduled in a series.

RISE has previously offered classes in Spanish, German, math, science and language arts, in addition to courses on paper weapon making, Pokemon and hula hoop making.

Classes for parents have included instruction on homeschooling, making your own laundry detergent and eating gluten-free.

For more information, contact the center at 702-748-7473 or visit riserescourcecenter.org.

FRUIT AND VEGGIE SALE SET AT GILCREASE

The Gilcrease Orchard, 7800 N. Tenaya Way, plans to offer fruit and vegetables for sale from 7 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays. Attendees can purchase from the stand or pick their own. Apple cider is also available.

For more information, contact the orchard at 702-409-0655.

MOAPA WILDLIFE REFUGE OPEN THROUGH MAY 26

The Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge is open from sunrise to sunset Fridays through Sundays through Memorial Day.

The visitor area includes two walking trails with interpretive panels and a stream profile chamber featuring a water level view of the endangered Moapa dace, a small native fish. Guided interpretive walks are held from time to time.

The 117-acre refuge is about 60 miles north of Las Vegas.

Staffing for the weekend openings is provided by volunteers, who also are needed for restoration projects. For more information about volunteering, contact Harry Konwin at 702-515-5494 or harry_konwin@fws.gov.

For more about the refuge, including a walk schedule, visit fws.gov.

MASTER GARDENERS OFFER WEEKLY TOURS

Master Gardeners offer weekly garden tours from 10 a.m. to noon Fridays at the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension’s Demonstration Gardens, 8050 Paradise Road.

Master Gardeners plan to offer free weekly walking tours aimed at teaching visitors about many of the more than 500 plants that grow in harsh Southwestern desert landscapes around Las Vegas.

In addition to scheduled tours, the grounds are open for self-guided tours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays

For more information, call the Master Gardener Help Desk at 702-257-5555 or visit the Facebook page at facebook.com/mastergardenersofsouthernnevada.

CENTENNIAL HILLS LIBRARY HOSTS STORYTIME

The Centennial Hills Library plans to host storytime for children ages 3-5 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. most Wednesdays at 6711 N. Buffalo Drive. Organizers plan to offer stories, songs and other activities to help boost literacy skills. For more information, contact the library at 702-507-6100 or visit lvccld.org.

CENTENNIAL HILLS ACTIVE ADULT CENTER OFFERS WEEKLY SENIOR FITNESS CLASSES

The Centennial Hills Active Adult Center plans to offer 25 weekly fitness classes for adults 50 or older from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays at 6601 N. Buffalo Drive.

Classes include yoga, cardio dance and tai chi. Cost is $15 per month and includes free use of the YMCA weight room and indoor lap pool for a limited time.

For more information, contact the center at 702-229-1702.

CENTENNIAL HILLS ACTIVE ADULT CENTER TO HOST KNITTING GROUP

The Centennial Hills Active Adult Center plans to host a low-cost knitting group for adults 50 or older at 9 a.m. Wednesdays at 6601 N. Buffalo Drive. The group is free to those with a $2 annual adult center membership. For more information, contact the center at 702-229-1702.

NEVADA STATE BANK HELPS HOLIDAY TOY DRIVE

Nevada State Bank is collecting new, unwrapped children’s toys and bikes through Dec. 4 in support of 98.5 KLUC’s 15th annual toy drive. Toys can be dropped off at any Nevada State Bank branch location in the Las Vegas Valley and are to be delivered to KLUC’s Chet Buchanan and the Morning Zoo in early December.

For a list of Nevada State Bank branches, visit www.nsbank.com/locations.

VIRTUAL HIGH SCHOOL SEEKS COMPUTER DONATIONS

The Clark County School District’s Virtual High School and Academy for Individualized Study, 3050 E. Flamingo Road, will accept in computers in good working condition through Dec. 31. The Laptops for Learning Holiday Drive is designed to give economically challenged future virtual high school students a chance to take online classes, school district officials said in a release issued Nov. 5.

Donations will be refurbished and wiped clean by data professionals at U.S. Micro Corp. Donations can be dropped off at the Virtual High School campus.

For more information, contact the school at 702-855-8435 or visit www.ccsdde.net.

SHAKESPEARE INSTITUTE TO OFFER ACTOR CLASSES

The nonprofit Shakespeare Institute of Nevada recently launched a series of acting workshops for Southern Nevada residents focusing on teaching students to try new material and prepare audition pieces while receiving feedback from professional actors and directors. The workshops are suitable for all ages and all acting levels and are planned from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday at the Hollywood Bound Acting Academy, 7220 S. Cimarron Road.

The fee is $80 for 10 classes. The first class is free to audit.

For more information or to register, email shakesinstnv@gmail.com or call 702-896-9517.

PONY PARTIES PLANNING PLAY DAYS

J.R. Pony Parties, 1753 Fairhaven St., plans to host play days and pony rides from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and no-school days through January. Admission for adults and kids is $5. For more information, call 702-631-4142 or visit jrponyparties.com.

BELLY DANCE CLASSES PLANNED AT ACTIVE ADULT CENTER

Join members of the Centennial Hills Active Adult Center for belly dance classes set for 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Mondays and Fridays at 6601 N. Buffalo Drive. Class members, led by instructor Jeanne Baer, have performed during luncheons at the Lieburn Senior Center and at a Chinese New Year celebration in Sun City Anthem. For more information, call the center at 702-229-1702.

FREE TRAPPERS SET TO MEET IN SPRING MOUNTAINS

Spring Mountain Free Trappers meet for a black powder shoot the first weekend of each month at CC Spring and Lovell Canyon roads in the Spring Mountains southwest of Las Vegas. Locations vary depending on weather, so call Daniel Trousdale at 702-645-2658 before attending. For more information, visit smft.org.

MOJAVE MAX EMERGENCE CONTEST KICKS OFF

The annual Mojave Max Emergence Contest has kicked off, offering participants the chance to guess when Mojave Max, a live tortoise who lives at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, will leave his burrow in the spring. Participants are encouraged to try to guess as closely as possible the correct day, hour and minute when Max will emerge.

Anyone can enter the contest, but only one kindergarten- through 12th-grade student enrolled in a Clark County public, private or registered home school is eligible to win prizes. The grand prize winner’s class will receive T-shirts, a pizza party and a field trip to Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. The winner also receives a laptop computer, a digital camera and a yearlong pass to federally managed fee areas. The winner’s teacher will receive a laptop computer.

To enter, visit mojavemax.com and click on “Contest.” Since the contest launched in 2000, the earliest Max has emerged was 11:55 a.m. Feb. 14, 2005. The latest was 12:41 p.m. April 17, 2012.

NOMINATIONS SOUGHT FOR FREE FURNITURE

Walker Furniture is seeking nomination letters through Dec. 1 on behalf of Clark County individuals and families in need for its Home For The Holidays program. This will mark the 20th consecutive year that Walker Furniture plans to provide families in need with a houseful of new furniture.

This year, the company plans to help 28 families in need. HELP of Southern Nevada will assist with identifying nominated families displaying the most genuine need.

Nomination letters should be sent to Larry Alterwitz, Walker Furniture, 301 S. Martin Luther King Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89106, or fill out a form at walkerfurniture.com.

NO-COST FLU IMMUNIZATION CLINICS PLANNED

The Southern Nevada Immunization and Health Coalition and its partners plan to host multiple no-cost flu immunization clinics through Dec. 7 in the Las Vegas Valley. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone 6 months or older get a flu vaccine each year. The 2013-14 flu vaccines will protect against both the H3N2 and the H1N1 flu virus. The clinics will offer flu vaccine on a first-come, first-served basis. Anyone 6 months or older is eligible if they are uninsured or underinsured. Those with health insurance are encouraged to talk to their doctor or pharmacist about getting vaccinated.

To learn the dates and locations where the clinics are slated to be held, visit vaxvegas.org.

RESCUE GROUP TO OFFER GIFT WRAPPING

Golden Retriever Rescue Southern Nevada plans its holiday gift-wrapping fundraiser starting on Nov. 29 and running through December.

Shop at participating stores and meet some Golden Retrievers. The gift-wrapping effort is free, but donations will be accepted. Donations help fund the rescue group’s various programs and covers costs such as veterinary care.

Volunteers are needed to fill various shifts at the following three locations in the Summerlin area: Barnes & Noble, 8915 W. Charleston Blvd.; GAP, Rampart Commons Shopping Mall, 1055 S. Rampart Blvd.; and Pottery Barn, Rampart Commons Shopping Mall, 1085 S. Rampart Blvd.

To volunteer or to get more details, contact grrsnvolunteers@aol.com or call 702-598-4653.

MANDATORY WINTER WATERING SCHEDULE IN EFFECT

The Southern Nevada Water Authority reminds residents and businesses that the community’s winter watering schedule runs through Feb. 28. The seasonal schedule limits both turf and drip irrigation to one day per week according to each customer’s assigned watering group, as listed below. Watering is prohibited on Sundays.

Watering days are: Group A — Monday; Group B — Tuesday; Group C — Wednesday; Group D — Thursday; Group E — Friday; and Group F — Saturday.

Hand watering is permitted to revive dry spots.

Customers can visit snwa.com to find their assigned watering days, get information on seasonal watering restrictions and learn recommended run times for irrigation systems.

HARDEST HIT FUND PROVIDES MORTGAGE HELP

With one of the highest foreclosure rates in the nation, Nevada was selected to be a beneficiary of the U.S. Treasury’s Hardest Hit Fund program, which provides assistance to help prevent avoidable foreclosures and keep Nevada homeowners in their homes.

The Nevada Hardest Hit Fund will assist eligible applicants by paying up to a maximum of $1,000 monthly toward their impounded first mortgage payment, including principal, interest, property tax and insurance for up to nine months. The applicant’s contribution will be a minimum of $75 or any amount that exceeds the $1,000 maximum assistance per month.

Applicants must be unemployed and actively looking for work or be able to validate at least a 35 percent reduction in income/wages since 2008 and must be facing imminent default.

To apply, homeowners can call 855-428-4357 or visit nevadahardesthitfund.nv.gov.

BLOOD COURIERS NEEDED

The American Red Cross is seeking volunteer couriers to deliver blood in Las Vegas. Couriers are needed from 7 to 11 a.m. or 1 to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

The Red Cross distribution center, 4025 Dean Martin Drive, supplies blood to five hospitals: Summerlin Hospital Medical Center, Valley Hospital Medical Center, Desert Springs Hospital Medical Center, Spring Valley Hospital Medical Center and Centennial Hills Hospital Medical Center.

For more information or to volunteer, call 800-434-3251.

GREEN CHIPS LAUNCHES WEBSITE TO INCREASE SUSTAINABILITY AWARENESS

Green Chips, a nonprofit designed to advance Nevada’s sustainability identity, recently launched a community website at greenchips.org.

The site is intended to provide individuals, groups, businesses and municipalities with a venue to share green events, activities, incentive programs and more. To submit information for the site, email info@greenchips.org.

The second phase of the site, expected March 2014, is slated to include health, transportation and educational resources, including an interactive section for students with science projects, lesson plans and outdoor activity ideas.

AARP TAX SERVICE SEEKS VOLUNTEERS

AARP Tax Aide, the nation’s largest free, volunteer-run tax assistance and preparation service, is looking for volunteers. Training is scheduled for the first week of January. To register, visit aarp.org/taxvolunteer or contact district coordinator Jerry Allen at 702-233-1918.