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Making a Difference: Making a Difference
Dr. David Mason & Las Vegas Veterinary Specialty Center
Shelter dogs often face a more difficult life than many other four legged friends as many of them typically have a history of abuse, neglect and serious health problems. Thanks to the noble efforts of Dr. David Mason, a practicing partner at the Las Vegas Veterinary Specialty center, an aptly named, year-and-a-half old Shih Tzu mix named Chance is getting a new lease on life.
When Chance met Dr. Mason, he was suffering from a birth defect that made it difficult to walk and exercise. Already a “tripod dog” due to a crippled front leg, he needed surgery to help restore mobility to his back legs. Thanks to Dr. Mason’s pro-bono work, Chance has returned to “tripod” status with full use of three legs and is expected to make a full recovery. The brave canine was even able to compete this past April at Best in Show, The Animal Foundation’s annual dog show and fundraising event, where adoptable and adorable shelter dogs compete to win hearts and new homes. Chance was fortunate enough to capture some attention and found a loving family to care for him.
“As a special needs dog, we realized that Chance’s best opportunity for adoption would be during Best in Show,” said Dr. Mason. “We were happy to contribute to this year’s event by giving this special dog another chance at a normal life.”
For more information on The Animal Foundation, visit www.animalfoundation.com
Henderson International School
Suffering from a serious heart condition is difficult for anyone, but even more so for children, who don’t always get the care and resources they need to fight back. The American Heart Association has dedicated itself to raising life saving donations to help provide these children with a better life, and they got a big boost recently from Henderson International School.
A private preschool through eighth grade college preparatory school, Henderson International School recently announced a $23,112.08 donation to the American Heart Association. The funds were collected through the Jump Rope for Heart and Hoops for Heart programs, where students raised money through pledges they collected from family and community members this past March. The programs enabled students to help out during physical education classes at school, where they jumped rope and shot basketballs to raise much needed funds for children with heart disease. Giving is nothing new for Henderson International School, as they are ranked as one of the top schools in the nation for both online and overall donations.
The donation was presented to Shelly Belland, youth marketing director of the American Heart Association, while Henderson International School Headmaster Seth Ahlborn also honored the students who helped raise the much needed funds. “Thank you so much for all your hard work,” Ahlborn said. “Everything you did for Jump Rope for Heart and Hoops for Heart will really make a difference in a lot of people’s lives.”
For more information about the American Heart Association, visit www.heart.org.
Heather Marianna
The epidemic of homeless youth is a problem that has long existed in Las Vegas, one that requires important resources to help young people overcome adversity and build new lives for themselves. The Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth (NPHY) has always sought to help with this endeavor, and they recently got a hand up from a fashionable and dedicated individual.
Heather Marianna, beauty guru and host of the popular Beauty Kitchen YouTube video channel, held a barbecue this past May to coincide with a life skills class at NPHY. Marianna spent time with the young adults at the organization, teaching them how to make their own soaps, a skill that the group’s teens and young adults could actually take with them and utilize when away from the NPHY’s William Fry Drop-In Center. Marianna also grilled up burgers and brats for the event, offering the young attendees not only good food to go along with the class but also a sense of bonding and togetherness that is often foreign to those dealing with homelessness.
Marianna’s efforts to reach out to the local young homeless population through NPHY have not only helped to teach the youth important life skills, but her spirit and dedication also show a strong sense of community and caring that help to give homeless youth the lift up they desperately need.
For more information on Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth, visit www.nphy.org.
