Holidays in full force around the valley

Le Cordon Bleu baking and patisserie students show off cookies with Lachlan Sands, campus president, rear row, and Brenda Villatoro, pastry chef instructor, front row center, Dec. 4. For the seventh annual effort, students under the direction of Villatoro spent 5 days making family-favorite cookie recipes. The more than 10,000 holiday cookies in roughly 70 boxes were picked up by Nellis Air Force Base personnel and shipped to service members in Afghanistan and Iraq. (SPECIAL TO VIEW)

Employees of Cox Communications in Las Vegas donated hundreds of toys Dec. 17 at Cox Communications Call Center, 700 N. Rancho Drive, that will become part of Clark County Commissioner Lawrence Weekly’s Stuff A Bus effort. The donated toys will benefit foster and adopted children in Clark County. (SPECIAL TO VIEW)

Neighborhood kids take a holiday train ride during Aliante Master Association's Dec. 7 Winter Wonderland event at Deer Springs Park, 6550 Aviary Way. The fifth annual event featured face painting booths and holiday gift raffles as well as visits from Santa and area firefighters, who collected unwrapped gift donations to benefit the Firefighters of Southern Nevada Burn Foundation. (Special to View)

DT/LV Dynamos Coordinator Riley Foley collects blankets to benefit the Nevada Rescue Mission during the Downtown Dynamos Holiday Mixer at JW Marriott Las Vegas Dec. 16. More than 50 attendees enjoyed complimentary appetizers, drink specials and raffle prizes valued at $50 from the JW Marriott’s Spa Aquae and Irish Pub, J.C. Wooloughan's. Notable guests included executives from the City of Las Vegas, Zappos.com, Inc., United Way of Southern Nevada, Consulate of Mexico in Las Vegas, NV and others from the local business community. In addition to spreading holiday cheer, guests donated numerous blankets to benefit the Nevada Rescue Mission. For more information, visit t www.marriott.com/LASJW.

Employees from XS and Tryst make a donation of more than $190,000 worth of toys and gift cards at 98.5 KLUC’s 15th Annual Chet Buchanan & The Morning Zoo Toy Drive Dec. 18 at 1600 E. Flamingo Road. It was the largest donation in the history of the toy drive. HELP of Southern Nevada recently distributed more than 5,000 bikes, toys from 25 50-foot trucks and gifts bought with $322,132 in cash and gift cards collected during the drive. For more information, call HELP of Southern Nevada at 702-369-4357 or visit www.helpsonv.org.

Ashlynn and Santa share a moment during a gathering Dec. 18 of more than 300 people representing the families and children who have received wishes this year from Make-A-Wish Southern Nevada. The event at the Renaissance Hotel, 3400 Paradise Road, was an annual Santa’s Open House underwritten by Bank of America Nevada and Criss Angel. The event includes a children’s buffet, visits with Santa, holiday photos and crafts. Children received toys collected by Bank of America and wrapped by employee volunteers, along with magic kits donated by Criss Angel.

Crater Ct. stabbing (Las Vegas Review-Journal/Bizuayehu Tesfaye)

Firefighters of Southern Nevada Burn Foundation deliver toys to Guild R. Gray Elementary School students Dec. 19. The Fill the Fire Truck Toy Drive benefits underprivileged children in Southern Nevada during the holiday season. Last year, more than 18,000 gifts were donated to local children through various local charitable organizations and partnering schools.

Volunteers from Southwest Gas work to get food ready Dec. 19 at the Las Vegas Senior Center, 451 E. Bonanza Road. They helped hand out turkeys and food baskets to 200 seniors. The seniors received a turkey, canned corn, canned peas, white potatoes, cranberry sauce and mixed fruit. This is an initiative from Southwest Gas’ volunteer group, Blue – Building Lives Up Everywhere, which purchased 3 palettes of food to be donated.

On Dec. 19, Todd English P.U.B. and The Shops at Crystals spread holiday cheer to more than 20 students assisted by Communities In Schools of Nevada and their family members. The evening included a festive feast for more than 40 guests and presents for each of the children. Following dinner, Santa Claus arrived for an early Christmas delivery. Over the previous weeks, the CISN staff asked each student to create a wish list, and The Shops at Crystals team found at least one item to grant for each. The students accepted their presents as family members looked on at their happy display of dolls, monster trucks, Legos and more. The holiday spirit showed in the smiles of parents who might otherwise be unable to provide gifts for their children.

Las Vegas Hospitality Association's Fill A Bag With Cheer operation involves volunteers adopting children in need. This year, 337 kindergarten, first and second graders at Arturo Cambeiro Elementary School have been adopted and received receive jumbo bags filled with shoes and socks, a coat, a sweater or shirt, toys, books and other items.

The Salvation Army distributed some 12,000 toys and gift cards valued from $10-$30 for 6,000 Christmas Angels on Dec. 21 at Cashman Field Center. The gifts were bagged so that parents could pick them up for their newborn to 14-year-olds and take them home for wrapping.

M Resort in Henderson, Nevada (Google Street View)

The Le Cordon Bleu-Las Vegas Veterans Club partnered with active service members, the Marine Riders, and Pastry Chef Brenda Villatoro along with her baking students to sponsor Cookies With Santa at the Southern Nevada Veterans Hospita Dec. 20l. Santa and Mrs. Claus extended their holiday greetings to visitors, patients, and staff throughout the facility. The Veterans Club provided hot apple cider, hot chocolate, and candy. Pastry students in Chef Villatoro’s international patisserie class baked 1,200 assorted treats that included holiday, chocolate chip, sugar with jam, spritz, and oatmeal cookies. LCB-LV Veterans Club is sponsored by The Karen J. Wagner VFW Post #12119.