This year’s VEGAS Gives (the seventh such event, in as many years, brought to you by the friendly folks at VEGAS Magazine) honored nine Las Vegas ladies, for their work with their respective charities.  The way it works is you buy tickets (to attend and for the raffle), under the banner of one of the year’s honorees.  Whichever lady “sells” the most tickets, “wins” a donation to her charity.  Plus, there are free drinks, and the (previously mentioned) raffle!

I always enjoy this event, partially because I’ve won more than a few raffle items (among them, a lapis ring from Barney’s New York, and a Bottega Veneta wallet; both of which – thanks to the event’s convenient Holiday timing – were promptly re-gifted); and also because it attracts a number of people with whom I enjoy catching-up, for two- to four-minutes.  Thusly, due to the layout of the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Palazzo, it’s rather like platonic speed-dating; and is ideal for anyone with ADHD and an overflowing Rolodex.

This year’s honorees, and the organizations for which they were raising awareness, were:

● Gigi Shaukat – Make a Wish Foundation of Southern Nevada
● Cari Marshall – Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation | Cleveland Clinic Digestive Disease Institute
● Barbara Molasky – CORE Academy (formerly, I Have a Dream Foundation of Southern Nevada)
● Kristin Conte – The Rape Crisis Center
● Rachel Smith – Best Buddies Nevada
● Marilyn Larsen – The Animal Foundation
● Mauricia M. M. Baca – Outside Las Vegas Foundation
● Paula Lawrence – Dress for Success Southern Nevada
● Nancy Houssels – Nevada Ballet Theatre

As seems to be the case, more often than not; the honorees (as they relate to me) can be broken down, as follows – one woman whom I admire, one of the first friends I made upon moving to Las Vegas, one of my dearest Las Vegas friends, a friendly acquaintance, a woman I know, a woman I can see becoming friends with (based solely on how fierce she looked in the group photo), a woman with whom I’m familiar, and two women of whom I’ve never heard mention.  And while you’re on your own as to who is whom, for the latter two-thirds of those – I will say that the first three are Nancy Houssels, Cari Marshall, and Gigi Shaukat, respectively.

The reason I mention this, is that people are always asking “Who are you here for?”  Usually, 45% of me is invariably itching to bitchily reply “For whom am I here..?”  But, last night, I opted instead, to shove one of the tasty Salmon Mousse hors d’oeuvres into my mouth, and choke down my indignation with food.  So, if I regain any of the weight I’ve lost over the past couple of years, I’m placing the blame at the door of the American educational system, while weeping for the future.

Of course, at the end of the day, it’s about raising money for these very deserving organizations – each of which makes a huge difference in the lives of thousands of people across the Las Vegas Valley.  In the case of VEGAS Gives 2015, it was Nevada Ballet Theatre that took home the gold, due to the tireless efforts of the effervescent Nancy Houssels and her indefatigable team of lads and ladies a-leapin’ (one of whom – Phil Hooper, NBT’s charming Director of Special Events, won the evening’s grand prize – a $5,000 shopping spree at the Grand Canal Shoppes).  And if that doesn’t herald the onset of the Holiday season; I don’t know what does!

VEGAS Gives 2015
Grand Canal Shoppes | The Palazzo
Click HERE for info

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