Southwest and Spring Valley Neighborhood News

Rio toy drive ends Thursday

The Rio, 3700 W. Flamingo Road, has planned a toy drive during which guests will receive 10 percent off any spa service when they bring a new, unwrapped toy to the Rio Spa & Salon through Thursday.

A complimentary spa or salon treatment is offered with a new bike donation on selected days. All toys and bikes collected will be donated to HELP of Southern Nevada. Selected days are: Wednesday, receive a complimentary men's or women's haircut and Thursday, receive a complimentary deep-cleansing facial. For more information, call 777-7779 or visit riolasvegas.com. Rio Spa & Salon is open daily from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Community Management Group teams with Three Square for food drive

Three Square, along with Community Management Group and other partners, aims to ease the burden of hunger with its holiday food drive.

To help in the collection process, CMG has donated space at its main office as a food drive drop-off location from 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. at 3360 W. Sahara Ave., Suite 200.

CMG will collect food on behalf of Three Square through Dec. 20.

Winder Farms to donate turkeys to Three Square

Winder Farms invites its customers to help spread holiday joy to families in need by donating turkeys to Three Square food bank this holiday season via the Winder Farms website. Customers can click on "Donate a Turkey to the Food Bank" then "Add to Next Delivery" during their regular online shopping through Dec. 31. The cost of the turkey will be added to the customer's next bill, and Winder Farms will deliver the turkey to Three Square. Customers can order by calling 800-946-3371 or at winderfarms.com.

Help collect gifts for military children

Operation Homefront Nevada and Dollar Tree are collecting holiday gifts for military children in Nevada. The toys will be donated by patrons of the more than 4,000 Dollar Tree and Deal$ stores nationwide. Last year's effort donated more than 6 million toys nationwide. Toys will be collected through Dec. 6. Gifts will be distributed to military children during holiday events. In areas where Operation Homefront does not have a chapter, local military support groups will distribute the toys to military families and their children. For more information, visit operationhomefront.net.

HELP of Southern Nevada launches holiday programs

HELP of Southern Nevada, 1640 E. Flamingo Road, is launching three of its annual programs this holiday season. Donations to HELP's Thanksgiving program provides a holiday meal for a family of four. The group's Adopt-a-Family program allows people to assist needy families in giving them clothing and toys for the holidays. Lastly, the Holiday Assistance/Toy Drive benefits more than 16,000 families with its donations. To donate, volunteer or for more information, call Lisa Laudadio at 369-4357, ext. 1246, or visit helpsonv.org.

Church seeking seamstresses for impoverished nations

Seamstresses across the Las Vegas Valley are invited to help sew dresses and washcloths for children in impoverished nations. Volunteers will sew as many T-shirt and pillowcase dresses as possible for children ages 2-14 to pack as gifts for Operation Christmas Child.

Good Samaritan Lutheran Church, 8425 W. Windmill Lane, is collecting pillowcases, young girls' tank tops or T-shirts, thread, elastic, binding, lace and towels. Bring your sewing machines. Non-seamstresses are also invited to help cut, pin and pack.

Operation Christmas Child is the world's largest Christmas project. Contact project coordinator Jil Gertz at 275-4458 or ask for her at the church.

Kraft and Sussman funeral services to host discussion on aging

A healthy aging seminar is set for 7 p.m. Dec. 6 at Kraft & Sussman Funeral Services, 3975 S. Durango Drive, Suite 204. Lisa Rosenberg, M.D., is scheduled to speak. Learn what to expect and ways you can be proactive in managing these changes and easing the effects of aging on your body.

Las Vegas Rotary Clubs collecting clothing

Las Vegas-area Rotary Clubs are asking for donations for the 16th annual Gift of the Holidays program, which provides winter clothing to children in need. On Dec. 8, children identified by local charitable organizations will be driven to JCPenney stores, where each child will be paired with a Rotarian or a volunteer to shop for shoes, socks, underwear, pants, shirts and a jacket.

The day includes supervised sports activities with college athletes and cheerleaders and a pizza party.

In order to reach its goal, the Rotary Clubs need to collect more than $30,000. To make a donation, contact Jim Hunt at 498-7787 or Tom Krob at 498-2259.

Reiki healing circle planned at funeral services location

Reiki masters the Rev. Peggy Ashman and the Rev. Karen Jackson have scheduled a Reiki healing circle at 7 p.m. Dec. 7 at Kraft and Sussman Funeral Services, 3975 S. Durango Drive, Suite 204. The circle is intended to help those who have experienced a loss and desire some gentle assistance in moving through the stages of grief. This relaxation technique is intended to be calming and help relieve the body of emotional distress and sorrow.

Learn to sell local produce and meat during workshops

The University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, 8050 Paradise Road, plans to launch a Beginning Farmers & Ranchers program in 2012 with workshops on field crops, processing and selling locally grown meat products and becoming a produce farmer.

Each workshop is two days long and costs $50, which includes two lunches and snacks.

The program is scheduled to run from March to September 2012. For more information, call Staci Emm at 775-945-3444 or visit unce.unr.edu.