Business leaders fulfill Whitney Elementary students’ wish lists

Whitney Elementary School, an at-risk school situated near Boulder Highway and East Tropicana Avenue, received a big boost Tuesday when friends gathered to provide a long list of gifts to the students during an annual Christmas holiday party.

An estimated 80 percent of the students at Whitney live in homeless or near-homeless conditions. The school, led by principal Sherrie Gahn, has been recognized nationally and internationally for providing a safe haven for needy students.

This year's Christmas party provided gifts to more than 600 students. With help spearheaded by Bob and Sandy Ellis of Snap Towing, based in Henderson, students at the school received 650 sweatshirts and T-shirts along with about $16,000 in shoes, socks and underwear.

Among the local businessmen and businesswomen joining the Ellis family were Julio Freier, senior associate athletic director at University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Las Vegas District Court Judge Susan Johnson, a former student at the school; Joe Alvarez of the Shriners in Las Vegas; Nate Hildner, Nevada state executive director for Farmers Insurance; Nevada State Sen. Mark Manendo; Bridgette Byrne, UNLV director of community relations; 11 UNLV athletes dressed as elves; and newly elected Assemblyman Richard Carrillo.

Findlay Acura, which is part of the Findlay Automotive Group of dealerships, will also team up with Snap Towing this year to provide turkeys for the families of Whitney Elementary students. In the past, Findlay Acura and Snap have teamed to purchase a van for the school, as well as turkeys for families during the holidays.

Over the years, the Ellis family and Snap have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Whitney Elementary. Anyone interested in helping support Whitney Elementary should call 799-7790.