I had the pleasure of visiting Las Vegas City Hall for the first time today. I was there to support United Way of Southern Nevada as they received a proclamation in honor of their Make A Difference Day event, a donation drive spearheaded in collaboration with Three Square, Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada, Goodwill of Southern Nevada, Salvation Army and Albertsons. 

To celebrate National Make A Difference Day, all Southern Nevada Albertsons will be collecting food, clothing, household items and toothbrushes from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22. The Albertsons located at 4055 S Durango Drive (Flamingo/Durango) will serve as the main site for the event. Donors are invited to enjoy barbeque, kids’ activities, prizes, a live DJ and more.               

Prior to the Make A Difference Day proclamation reading, City Hall held its morning meeting as usual. Topics ranged from disputes about the surrounding land at the Plaza Hotel & Casino, the Las Vegas to Los Angeles high-speed railway concept, City Hall’s “Employee of the Month,” restaurant openings and more. There was even an elderly man in the audience who came forward to speak to the council. He simply wanted to express his admiration of Mayor Carolyn Goodman’s husband, Oscar, and that he had seen him appear in an old movie. 

Honored guests receiving proclamations or recognition included 2012 MetLife/NASSP National Middle Level Principal of the Year Lynda Archambault of R.O. Gibson Middle School, two elite high school tennis players from the No Quit Tennis Academy and a group of women diagnosed with lymphedema, a rare disease sometimes caused by the surgery radiation therapy used to treat breast cancer. All of the honorees paid gratitude to the city council members for noticing their strides in the community. They were all equally proud to be Las Vegans and have government officials who truly cared about their needs and accomplishments. 

I was moved by the stories of all the individuals committed to improving the city of Las Vegas. I had never witnessed a City Hall meeting and it was exciting, but I took away much more about the culture, pride and people of Las Vegas than I ever could have imagined. As a one-year resident to the city, it is easy to fall victim to the notion that the idea of community is obsolete here, which in some cases is absolutely true. Today, however, I caught a glimpse of the roots of the true citizens that keep this city running and alive.