Grants given to diverse groups

Centennial committee rewards local organizations for projects

Vintage Navy blue uniforms and muskets make up the attire for the Soldiers of the Old Fort. The seven-member group re-enacts military drills and gives lectures on military practices at the Old Mormon Fort, adjacent to Cashman Field.

Until now, the organization had to keep volunteer numbers low because the lack of funding kept the group from purchasing authentic costumes and weapons needed to expand the program.

Soldiers of the Old Fort, along with 57 other community organizations, have a reason to celebrate the 100th birthday of the city of Las Vegas early. They were recipients of the Las Vegas Centennial Grants, given by the Centennial organization committee earlier this month to organizations wishing to complete their own Centennial project in 2005.

The grants range from $500 to $10,000, depending on the nature and size of the project, and span diverse cultures, generations and communities throughout the Las Vegas area.

Group member James Hinds says the grant will allow the Soldiers of the Old Fort to purchase attire and weapons -- muskets can cost between $300 and $500 -- and allow them to bring younger people into the group. With a larger group, full military demonstrations can take place, Hinds said. The group received a $10,000 grant.

"The only way to do that is to get money," said Hinds, who has been with the group since 1974. "We'll continue what we're doing, but we'll be able to do it better."

Hinds' goal is to educate the public on the many layers of history surrounding the fort. It was the site of the first National Guard unit in Southern Nevada. Members of the U.S. Infantry were located about 45 miles south at Eldorado Canyon, but there was a detachment stationed at the fort in Las Vegas. The six-member unit carved the first trails, Hinds said.

"You want to know where the first post office was in Las Vegas? It was the fort," Hinds said. "You want to know where the first polling place was in Las Vegas? It was the fort. You can go on and on. We're covering just one aspect of that. We talk about life in the old Army."

The Soldiers of the Old Fort perform throughout the year on the third Saturday of the month. They take summers, and December off, but come in for special engagements during prevalent Nevada holidays such as Nevada Day on Oct. 31.

"They participated in the life of the valley of the time," Hinds said. "They're important to the story of the fort."

The Las Vegas Little Theatre, 3920 Schiff Drive in southwest Las Vegas, also received a $10,000 grant to produce a historical timeline of Las Vegas using the popular songs of the day. The volunteer organization will begin its 27th season in September with "Driving Miss Daisy."

The show, "Las Vegas: A History in Song," will be performed by a cast of five during nine weeks next summer at the height of the Centennial festivities centering around the city's actual birthday on May 15. Music is set to include everything from turn-of-the-century cowboy music to the tunes of the Rat Pack.

"It should be fun," said Nancy Godfrey, Las Vegas Little Theatre board member. "Initially (it will be performed in) the theatre, and we'll see where it goes from there. It's a small production, so it could tour from there."

Erica Stoddard, local playwright, has agreed to write the book for the show, and former "Siegfried & Roy" musical director Glenn Grayson will compose the music, Godfrey said.

"It should be great. (Grayson) is an amazingly talented musician and arranger," she added. "It's not going to be hugely complex. It will be narrative interspersed with the music."

Along with community events sponsored by local organizations, the city will bring back Las Vegas' historic Helldorado Days rodeo, the creation of the Las Vegas Walk of Fame and a Centennial time capsule.

Silver grants ranged from $1,000 to $10,000 for medium to large events involving more than 5,000 people. They are the American Red Cross Nevada Chapter for History in Motion. Las Vegas Art Museum for Las Vegas Centennial Exhibition and Virtual Tour, Clark County Museum for Centennial and Las Vegas Native American History Exhibit, the Equal Opportunity Board Community Action Partnership KEEP-FM (88.1) for "Citizens of Destiny" radio series, Boulder City Chamber of Commerce for First Night Boulder City; Friends of Huntridge Circle Park/Christ Episcopal Church/Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for a historic sculpture for Huntridge Circle Park, High Desert Resource Conservation and Development Council Inc. for Trees for Tomorrow publication, Immigrant Workers Citizenship Project and Nevada State AFL-CIO for a taped lecture and dinner event, Las Vegas Art Museum for Las Vegas Centennial Exhibition virtual tour, Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce for Centennial business notebook "From Tents to Towers," Las Vegas Railroad Society for the downtown display of the Union Pacific Challenger steam locomotive No. 3985, Left of Center Art Gallery for Map of Downtown Las Vegas, Lied Discovery Children's Museum for "Fremont Street and Downtown Remembered", Media Guilds International for a 20-minute commemorative CD containing historic moments in Las Vegas history, the National Federation of Filipino American Associates for "Through My Father's Eyes", The Neon Museum and Lied Discovery Children's Museum for a historic sign exhibition of about 35 neon signs from Las Vegas past, Nevada Ballet Theater for "The Ballet Rodeo," Nevada Chamber Symphony for "Invitation to Play," Nevada Humanities for and online encyclopedia of Las Vegas topics, Nevada Partners for local African-American lectures and displays, Nevada Public Radio for a "Talk of the Nation" live broadcast, Opportunity Village for a Centennial-themed Magical Forest, Preservation Association of Clark County for an upgrade and expansion of a newsletter and Web site, Rotary Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Natural History Museum for "One Hundred Years - One Million Years", Southern Nevada Blues Association and the International House of Blues Foundation for a Las Vegas Centennial blues tribute concert, University of Nevada Press for a Centennial history of Las Vegas and ethic Las Vegas; and Women of Diversity Productions and the Nevada Women's History Project for "That Role of Women in Shaping the First Hundred Years of Las Vegas."

Copper grants ranged from $500 to $1,000 for small community events focused on neighborhood and community celebrations and participation. They are the Adat Ari El Sisterhood for "The Lives and Roles of Jewish Women in Las Vegas," Alexander Dawson School for hands-on activities and a time capsule, American Society of Civil Engineers-Southern Nevada Branch for a publication of "A History of Civil Engineering Infrastructure in Southern Nevada," Beta Sigma Phi of Las Vegas for Founders Day, an audio/video presentation of past members and their influence on Las Vegas, Black Extravaganza Productions Inc. for a musical called "What Color is Love," the Blue Diamond Charitable Association for their history committee exhibition, Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada for "Our City, Our Seniors - 100 Years, a Legacy of History, Spirit and Culture," a program to celebrate the lives of 100-year-old Las Vegans, Community Lutheran Church for a trunk or treat imagination Centennial celebration, Conservation District of Southern Nevada for a tree planting and history celebration at Tomiyasu Elementary School, Courage Unlimited for "Courage in Black," a Centennial celebration of the African-American Culture of Las Vegas, Family-to-Family Connection ISD for the Stroller Roll, Greater Las Vegas After-School All-Stars/Greater Las Vegas Inner-City Games for a presentation of "Las Vegas: The Past, The Present and Our Future," a compilation of art, music, dance and visual imagery, The Hispanic International Day Parade of Nevada Inc. for a lighted parade with floats and a food and music festival, Jewish Genealogy Society of Southern Nevada for its 25th International Conference on Jewish genealogy, Junior League of Las Vegas for the Done in a Day committee, Park Elementary School for an intensive study of the history of Las Vegas, Las Vegas Advertising Federation for the 2005 ADDY's Awards Show, Las Vegas Jazz Society for the Las Vegas Centennial Celebration of Jazz, Las Vegas Summerlin Lions Club for its Fourth Chinese New Year Charitable Dinner Dance, Hoggard Elementary School, a magnet school for math and science, for a celebration of school namesake Mabel Hoggard, the first black educator in Nevada, Mountain View Lutheran School for a history harvest festival, Nevada Council of the Blind for a day of heritage, organization and skills of the blind community, Nevada State Garden Clubs for "Preserving the Past-Forging the Future,: a presentation by June Wood, president of the National Garden Clubs, Nevada Watercolor Society for an art exhibition, St. Andrew's Society of Southern Nevada for a freestanding Scottish-American exhibit, Soroptimist International of Greater Las Vegas, Las Vegas Valley and Metropolitan Las Vegas for "Soroptimism in Southern Nevada: A Retrospective," Southern Nevada Area Health Education Center for a world of women expo, National Park Service Las Vegas National Recreation Area for a three-panel traveling exhibit and Moore Elementary School for "Centennial Snapshots of Las Vegas," an original musical created and presented by the students, staff, parents and local community members.

Those interested in the Las Vegas Centennial can visit the events Web site at www.lasvegas2005.org or call 229-2005.


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