Homeless students at LV school helped
A CBS News report has struck a nerve, sparking a wave of humanitarian aid for Whitney Elementary School, where 85 percent of the students are homeless.
Hundreds of telephone calls came in after Thursday's report on CBS' national newscast, and more than $7,600 in cash donations arrived by mail Tuesday.
"We had calls from almost every state, plus countries in Europe," Principal Sherrie Gahn said. Tuesday's mail included letters containing checks and clothes.
A German TV network that reaches 44 million households called Gahn to schedule a segment. An email arrived from a man in Ireland offering to organize fundraisers to help feed and clothe the 518 kids out of 610 who are homeless.
A rep for Cole-Haan shoes contacted Gahn, saying efforts were in motion to get Nike, the parent company, involved.
"It's just very humbling," said Gahn, who broke into tears during the telecast when describing the children's plight.
Even with the donor list climbing to 500 before the CBS report, the school has not been able to keep up with the demands of rising homelessness. One donor alone, local philanthropist Bobby Ellis, has given the school more than $500,000, Gahn said.
One day a truck arrived with 14 pallets of M&M's candies, so many that, when stored at the school, the stack reached from floor to ceiling. In December, a semi-truck full of Christmas bulbs arrived.
When people call and ask "what you do need," Gahn said, the answer usually is "everything."
Which explains why 800 bowling pins were recently delivered.
Late last year, longtime Las Vegas headliner Lance Burton started showing up every month to do magic for the monthly birthday parties.
"There's an awful lot of kindness out there," said Gahn, who grew up in the projects in Buffalo, N.Y.
SIGHTINGS
NBC's Al Roker, at Hash House A Go Go on Tuesday, when the restaurant opened at 7:30 a.m. Earlier he presented the Culinary Academy of Las Vegas with $1.5 million in cash and in-kind donations, part of the "Today" show's Lend A Hand program. Roker, who was with a group of six, had his usual: pancake (plain) with eggs and bacon, breaking his own rule of "never eat anything bigger than your head." LeeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian, dining at N9NE steakhouse at the Palms on Monday night. "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" Adrienne Maloof and Camille Grammer, at Simon at Palms Place for the Sunday brunch. ... Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler, dining at Tao (Venetian) on Monday. At Marquee on Monday: Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Miles Austin.
THE PUNCH LINE
"According to the Wall Street Journal, economic experts now fear there may be a second recession. A second recession? When did the first one end?" -- Jay Leno
Norm Clarke can be reached at (702) 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com. Follow Norm on Twitter @Norm_Clarke.
