Attitude of gratitude

In honor of this season of gratitude, Summerlin residents were recently asked on Facebook what they appreciate about life in their community.

"I'm thankful for the wonderful solar panels on our house at Villa Trieste," Jessica Russo-Lewis wrote. "They certainly help the power bill in the hot summer months and, more importantly, help keep our family a little more green."

Russo-Lewis is one of hundreds of Summerlin residents who enjoy green living at Villa Trieste by Pulte Homes, the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-, or LEED, certified neighborhood in Nevada and one of the few by any production homebuilder in the United States.

Lee Ann Coffer appreciates Summerlin's parks. Summerlin is home to more than 150 parks, more than any other community in Nevada. The community's parks offer a wide variety of recreational and social opportunities for residents of all ages. Popular park amenities include tot lots, barbecue areas and open space, tennis, basketball and volleyball courts and baseball, soccer and football fields.

Summerlin's parks consistently rank among the community's most popular amenities in resident surveys.

Deborah McMillion appreciates the community's schools and houses of worship.

Summerlin is home to 26 public and private schools, which are the pride of the community. In fact, half of Summerlin's 12 public schools received five-star ratings - the top rating of Clark County School District. The community is also home to more than a dozen houses of worship representing several faiths.

Amanda Cox is grateful for the library and her neighborhood shopping center. Renee Nemchek said she loves being surrounded by mountains and "waking up in the morning to watch the sunrise from (her) bedroom window." Douglas Crook said he appreciates Summerlin's lifestyle and quality of life. Talin Ebrahimian is thankful for life in a "clean and safe community." Joanne Dahlia is grateful for the opportunity to live with her family. Susana Puentes, who recently moved to San Diego from Summerlin, loves and misses Summerlin's unity and friendly environment and anticipates returning "home" next year.

"The community is truly unique in its lifestyle opportunities, amenities and location. But what really makes Summerlin what it is today is the residents. In this season of thanksgiving, we're particularly grateful for the 100,000 residents who choose to call Summerlin home. We wish them all a healthy and safe Thanksgiving," said Kevin Orrock, executive vice president of master-planned communities for The Howard Hughes Corp., developer of Summerlin.

For details on Summerlin, visit www.summerlin.com or www.facebook.com/summerlinlv.