Artists come to aid of kids

Fundraiser for youth alliance to feature day packed with activities

Artist Chris DuRubeis stands near one of his works, titled "Elements." DuRubeis donated several pieces of his work, including the one titled "Abstract," pictured below, to be auctioned off during Saturday's Imagination Celebration fundraiser at Town Square Las Vegas. Photo/Special to View Melissa Cox, right, checks out Joy Stewart, 4, during a free health clinic on Aug. 7 at Lord of Host Community Center, 4221 W. Charleston Blvd. The clinic is a Nevada Youth Alliance project that will benefit from Saturday's fundraiser at Town Square Las Vegas. View file photo Advertisement

Town Square Las Vegas will bustle with more than shoppers Saturday, but with dancers, musicians, artists and more -- all in the name of youth and art.

Nevada Youth Alliance will put on a day of free, all-ages activities from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a fundraising event starting at 7 p.m. The daylong affair, Imagination Celebration, is the first of its kind to help raise money for and awareness of the Nevada Youth Alliance, a nonprofit organization based in Henderson.

The daytime activities will include fashion shows, karaoke contests, face painters, a model search and performances by Mexico Viva Dance Company and Lohan School of Shaolin. The evening fundraiser will include live jazz music by Brothers Ali, a wine tasting put on by The Grape and a silent art auction with donated art that is expected to raise about $30,000 for the Nevada Youth Alliance.

"Every dime that is raised goes right back into the community," Nevada Youth Alliance board member Lisa Campbell said.

The all-volunteer nonprofit group started in 1996 to help youth and family development and build community partnerships. It boasts programs that focus on mentoring, juvenile justice, health, education and recreation. In the last three years, the group has focused its efforts in historic west Las Vegas, where the Metropolitan Police Department tracked the most violence.

One of the group's most recent projects is a free health clinic inside Lord of Host Community Center, 4221 W. Charleston Blvd. Thanks to a team of volunteer nurses and doctors, the center gives vaccinations, physicals and treats minor injuries and illnesses.

"What we found is that when you address the issues people are dealing with, like lack of health care, that starts to bring an answer to the violence issue," Campbell said. "We're definitely having an impact in those neighborhoods we're in."

The point of Imagination Celebration is not only to support Nevada Youth Alliance's outreach efforts, but to point out the need for art education in local schools. The silent art auction also will feature youth art from the What Piece Means to Me contest, which invited students from 90 schools to submit art. The top 10 pieces will be judged that evening by a group of artists to divvy up $1,000 between the top three winners.

Artist Chris DeRubeis and DS Publishing donated $30,000 worth of art for the silent auction to help the Nevada Youth Alliance point kids toward art and away from gangs.

"We got involved to give an awareness that there are good things that can come out of art," DeRubeis said. "I think there should be a strong emphasis on art programs. It gives them something better to do than playing video games all day."

David Smith with DS Publishing added that he got involved after someone painted graffiti on a wall by his house.

"If these kids had places to express themselves, they wouldn't be drawing on my wall," he said. "There are a lot of kids who have talent out there, but without art programs, there's no opportunity to develop that talent."

Contact Southeast and Southwest View reporter Danielle Nadler at dnadler@viewnews.com or 224-5524.