Princesses and afternoon tea abound in Las Vegas

Pretty hats, floral dresses and afternoon tea — that’s what Las Vegas residents will find at the eighth annual Child Focus Moms Rock Mother’s Day celebration at 11 a.m. May 7 at the Springs Preserve Amphitheater, 333 S. Valley View Blvd .

Child Focus is a nonprofit organization that helps keep siblings in foster care situations connected. All proceeds from the event will make events, such as a recent fishing party for the kids, possible.

Tickets to the Mother’s Day celebration cost $80 for adults and $40 for children. For more information, call 436-1624.

Child Focus board President Lori Nelson said that moms, daughters and women in general can enjoy an afternoon of tea, pretty dresses, a hat parade and princess craft stations.

“This event has really become a staple in the Las Vegas community,” she said. “We have a wonderful turn out each year, and we expect that to be the case this year as well.”

Money raised from the event will be used to create events for the displaced siblings.

The nonprofit group recently implemented a new program, Share and Discovery, which gives 40 sibling groups the chance to spend two days per month together in a controlled setting with a specific and fun curriculum, according to Nelson.

“They get to go do things like rock climbing, but we’re a little sneaky about it,” Nelson said. “We are also teaching them about things like bonding and pushing through limits by exposing them to people and activities they may not have the opportunity to see otherwise.”

In April, kids involved in the program had the chance to visit a self-defense class and California Pizza Kitchen to learn about cooking careers.

“It’s an opportunity for them to bond and learn together,” Nelson said.

Peggy Culverson became a foster parent to two of her grandchildren more than two years ago after her daughter began to struggle with a drug addiction.

“These are my boys,” she said. “I love taking care of them.”

One of her grandsons remained in the custody of his father, and the family members did not get the chance to see one another very often.

“It was hard, but we push through,” Culverson said. “That’s why Child Focus events, where we can get all the boys together, are so important.”

Culverson said her boys had the opportunity to bond during the fishing event that allowed them to play in jump houses, eat popcorn and hamburgers and fish.

“The people at Child Focus are angels,” she said. “They came into our lives at the exact right time. They brought our family back together, and what they provide is such a service to these kids. It’s priceless.”

Contact Southwest and Spring Valley View reporter Amanda Donnelly at adonnelly@viewnews.com or 380-4535.