The Notes: Philanthropy, July 5-11

Hospital Corporation of America, which includes Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center, MountainView Hospital, Southern Hills Hospital & Medical Center and Sunrise Children’s Hospital, supported the Nepal earthquake relief efforts with multiple donations. HCA donated $250,000 to Doctors Without Borders and $250,000 to MedShare International, a nonprofit that redistributes surplus supplies and equipment to those in need. Additionally, HCA agreed to match up to $500,000 of donations from HCA employees and vendors to the American Red Cross to support its relief effort in Nepal.

Merryhill Preschool in Las Vegas raised $1,200 for the Nathan Adelson Hospice Foundation. Students auctioned off more than 55 original art pieces during “All About Art.” Brian Paco Alvarez, Zappos art curator, and Andrew Kerr, director of the Planetarium at the College of Southern Nevada, spoke at the event.

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada is providing free sunscreen to visitors at Wet ’n’ Wild. A kiosk at the entrance of the park dispenses the SPF 30 sunscreen, which is paraben-free, oxybenzone-free and waterproof.

Mollie Scott Stewart received Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women’s Carolyn Helman Lichtenberg Crest Award in honor of her community service. Stewart aids children with heart conditions through her support for the Children’s Heart Foundation.

Joseph R. Ganley, a senior litigation partner at Hutchison & Steffen, joined the board of directors of Safe Nest, which aims to eradicate domestic violence.

Frank Fuentes, communications and social media director at Trosper Communications, was elected to the board of directors of Friends of Parkinson’s. Fuentes will concentrate primarily on public relations, social media and event management.

Create A Change Now unveiled an edible garden at Squires Elementary in North Las Vegas. Sponsors M.J. Dean Construction, Park West, Locsha Engineering, Grass Roots, Star Nursery and Las Vegas Rock helped build the garden. Create A Change Now adopts at-risk schools and helps them build gardens.

Mya Reyes, president of the Las Vegas Gay Visitors Bureau, received the Ally for Equality Award at the Human Rights Campaign’s 10th annual gala dinner. Former Assemblyman James Healey, director of hotel operations at New York-New York, received the Equality in the Community Award. The Human Rights Campaign is the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights group.

In conjunction with the Red Cross, Las Vegas firefighters went door to door to educate the public about pool safety as part of the Safe Pools Rule campaign.

Firefighters of Southern Nevada and Fremont Street Experience raised $6,800 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association through revenue from SlotZilla.

Southern Nevada Olive Garden restaurants donated $8,000 to Three Square as part of the Restaurant Community Grants program from the Darden Restaurants Foundation.

At Griffith Elementary School, 105 first-graders received snacks and student-made, educational math games from Ronnow Elementary School’s fifth-graders in student council. The gift was part of Matt Smith Physical Therapy’s “Change Reaction,” which encourages students to pay it forward to other students to develop a sense of community.

Children from The Shade Tree and their mothers were treated to snacks at the Smith’s at 2255 Las Vegas Blvd. North, North Las Vegas. Children shopped for Mother’s Day presents with the help of Smith’s employees from Women’s Edge, a group within the Smith’s organization. The kids also decorated cookies and gift bags for their moms, and imprinted their handprints on canvas as an added gift.

Nevada State College bestowed its President’s Medal Award to Beverly Rogers, Marydean Martin and Sonia McTaggart-Anderson. The award honors local leaders and philanthropists who have shown extraordinary commitment to the college’s mission.

Intelicare Direct, a customer-service support company, partnered with the Foundation for an Independent Tomorrow’s ex-offender program. The foundation provides job training, coaching and support to people who were previously incarcerated. For every ICD employee who came to the office with crazy hair, one haircut was donated to someone trying to get back into the workforce. Haircuts were provided by advanced stylist students at Paul Mitchell The School – Las Vegas.

The Nevada 150 Foundation, formed to help the state Sesquicentennial Commission plan events and educational projects, awarded UNLV a $15,000 grant to continue the NV 150 Teaching with Historic Places initiative. The grant supports graduate student interns who share their university research results with K-12 teachers and students.

Aristocrat Technologies donated $22,980 to Make-A-Wish Southern Nevada. Money was raised through a Make-A-Wish Walk and employee participation in a “Fast for February Initiative,” in which employees gave up a favorite food and/or drink for 30 days and donated the money saved to Make-A-Wish. Those efforts raised $11,490, and the company matched the donation.

Jack Link’s Protein Snacks partnered with the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth to provide 2,000 sack lunches and 6,000 hygiene kits to children. Each week, the Partnership for Homeless Youth distributes 300 to 500 sack lunches and hygiene kits to at-risk and homeless youths in Southern Nevada.

Volunteers from the Time Travelers Foundation handed out 1,000 gift bags to the public. The foundation aims to teach people about epilepsy.

Señoras of Excellence and Señores of Distinction honored several members of the community during its 10th annual awards gala. The organization comprises men and women who support the educational growth of young Latinos in the Las Vegas Valley. Honorees were Cirque du Soleil, corporation of excellence; MGM Resorts International, corporation of distinction; Wayne Newton, humanitarian of the year; and Nancy Houssels, co-founder Nevada Ballet Theatre and founder of the Smith Center for the Performing Arts, lifetime achievement. Señoras of Excellence were Angelica Quiroz-Maralason, public information and special events, Southern Nevada Water Authority – Springs Preserve, and Tina Quigley, general manager, Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada. Señores of Distinction were Dr. K. Warren Volker, CEO of WellHealth Quality Care, and Bart Patterson, president of Nevada State College. The event raised money for the UNLV Foundation, Nevada State College, College of Southern Nevada, Nevada Hospital Association, Puerto Rican Association Scholarship Fund, CAEO at UNLV, H.E.A.R.T. for Children with Autism, Latin Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Fund, City Impact and Miss Nevada scholarships.

The Home Instead Senior Care Foundation will donate $1 to Meals on Wheels America, up to $20,000, for each person who commits at SundayDinnerPledge.com to regularly scheduling family dinners. “For seniors, it’s not what’s on their plate that matters most at mealtime — it’s who is at the table with them,” said Bonnie Reppert, owner of the local Home Instead Senior Care office.

Apricot Lane Boutique in Town Square donated 20 percent of profits from a recent sale to Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation.