Briefs

     Oscar Night
     to benefit foundation
     
      The Arthritis Foundation is seeking corporate sponsors for Oscar Night America to be held at the Las Vegas Hilton from 5:30-10 p.m. on March 23. For the third straight year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has designated the Arthritis Foundation as the exclusive beneficiary of this event.
      Guests will enjoy an evening loaded with fun -- a red-carpet welcome, official Academy Awards Programs, silent auction and raffle opportunities, entertainment and the ambiance of the 70th Academy Awards celebration. Attendees can also watch the Academy Awards telecast on large screens on KTNV-TV, Channel 13.
      The mission of the Arthritis Foundation is to support research to find the cure for and prevention of arthritis and to improve the quality of life for those affected by arthritis. Participation will ensure continued services to the 200,000 men, women and children in Southern Nevada affected by some form of arthritis.
      Ticket price is $100 per person. For corporate sponsorship and ticket information, call 367-1626.
     
     North Las Vegas
     seeks instructors
     
      The city of North Las Vegas Parks and Recreation Department is currently accepting applications for gymnastics, piano and dance instructors.
      Experience is required. Please call 633-1600 Tuesday through Friday for information.
     
     Borders to speak
     at women's luncheon
     
      Drawing upon her extensive background as a Southern Nevada journalist, Myram Borders, bureau chief of the Las Vegas News Bureau, will elaborate on the dynamics of Las Vegas reporting at the Women In Communications luncheon meeting set for Thursday.
      For about 30 years, Borders was a news reporter for United Press International (UPI) and her stories covered all regional, national and international interests of Southern Nevadans. UPI served more than 7,000 print and broadcast news outlets throughout the world.
      She was assigned to the Reno, San Diego, Los Angeles and Las Vegas bureaus of UPI during her career and, during many of those years, was the only woman bureau manager for UPI in the western states.
      In 1965, Borders was named bureau manager of the Las Vegas UPI bureau and covered stories for the world originating in Las Vegas that dealt with such topics as nuclear tests, mob trials, entertainment and gaming. She was also appointed Nevada commissioner of Consumer Affairs by Gov. Bob Miller prior to obtaining the position of bureau chief of the news bureau.
      Borders played a key role in drafting and obtaining Nevada legislative passage of the Nevada Open Meeting Law and was appointed to a Nevada Supreme Court blue-ribbon panel that adopted canons allowing cameras in Nevada courtrooms.
      The luncheon will be held at Palace Station on Thursday. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. for networking opportunities and the luncheon program will begin at noon.
      Tickets are $15 for members and $20 for nonmembers. Those interested can call Susan Spurlock at 736-3750.
     
     Sunrise nurses
     garner awards
     
      Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center nurses were honored at the 1997 Nurse of the Year Awards by taking first and/or second place in six of the 14 categories in which they were considered.
      Winners included Pat Nicholson, first place and Julie Fair, second place, both in the medical-surgical division; Verdon Waite, first place and Ilazanne Kompelien, second place, in the maternity division; Melissa Rutka, first place and Heather Hurlbert, second place, both in the pediatrics division; Sylvia Tommasino, first place and Beth Ann Regal, second place, both in the education division; Janet Jones, first place in the operating room division; and Mary Jo Foreman, second place in the infection control-employee health division.
      Additionally, Dr. J. Parker Kurlinski, a neonatologist and medical director of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Sunrise Hospital, was the recipient of the Barb Henderson Commemorative Award which recognizes a demonstrated history of support and dedication by an individual, sponsor or organization to nursing programs.
      This year's award, in its 12th year, established a record number of nominees with 219 entries from Southern Nevada. Entrants are nominated by their peers.
      Nearly 600 people attended the Nurse of the Year Awards banquet sponsored by the March of Dimes at the Stardust. Proceeds from the banquet benefit the Campaign for Healthier Babies, a community effort to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality. The campaign is sponsored by the March of Dimes Foundation.
     
     Hughes Corp. helps
     nonprofit groups
     
      Two local nonprofit organizations, St. Jude's Ranch for Children and the Court Appointed Special Advocate program, each received a $5,000 holiday gift from the Summerlin Division of The Howard Hughes Corp.
      According to Stew Gibbons, vice president of marketing and builder relations for Summerlin, the donations were made on behalf of the community's 27 home builders as a gesture of thanks for their contributions to Summerlin's success.
      "While we do many things to show our appreciation to the many home builders who play a significant role in the shaping of Summerlin, we believe this gesture is particularly meaningful -- especially at his time of year," said Gibbons. "This is the second year we have made a donation on behalf of our builders and it's a tradition we intend to keep."
      St. Jude's Ranch for Children is a nationally recognized organization dedicated to meeting the needs of abused, abandoned and neglected children of all races and faiths. The local facility is situated above Lake Mead in Boulder City and provides a safe haven to children ages 6 to 18., who live in family-style cottages with five other children and two adult supervisors who function as parents.
      Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) is a national program which provides trained volunteers to act as a fact finders and serve as a voice in court for abused and neglected children involved in protracted custody disputes. Summerlin's donation to the Clark County CASA program will be utilized to fund special needs of these children.
      The donations were made on behalf of the home builders who are currently building neighborhoods within the community, including AR/AV Nevada, L.L.C.; Avante Homes; Beazer Homes of Nevada, Inc.; Capital Pacific Homes; Christopher Homes; Coleman Homes; Diversified Development Co.; Greystone Homes of Nevada; Kaufman & Broad of Nevada Inc.; Kimball Hill Homes; Lewis Homes of Nevada; Nigro Associates; Olen Properties Service Corp.; Pacific Homes; Pardee Homes of Nevada; Plaster Development; Presley Homes Nevada; Pulte Home Corporation; R/S Development; Spanish Trail Associates; Sunrise Colony Company, Taylor Woodrow Homes; Trophy Homes; The Robert Jones Company; The Allen Group, Las Vegas office; Westmark Homes; and Woodside Homes of Nevada Inc.