87°F
weather icon Clear

St. Jude’s begins 50th anniversary celebration

St. Jude’s Ranch for Children held a ceremonial ribbon cutting Monday morning, kicking off its 50th anniversary, celebrating half a century of providing support for traumatized children in Southern Nevada.

The event began with an introduction by the Boulder City ranch’s new CEO Mark Whitley and congratulatory speeches from Boulder City Mayor Rod Woodbury, Henderson Mayor Andy Hafen as well as legendary Strip performer Shecky Greene.

Along with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, Greene was one of the ranch’s original supporters and fundraisers when the foster home campus was conceived in 1966.

“People may not know how important this place is to me, but I started this originally with Father Jack Adams,” Greene said. “I got the first fundraising shows organized, with all of the celebrities raising money for this incredible cause. When they told me about the 50th anniversary, I just had to be a part of it.”

Whitley was named CEO of the ranch in September 2015 after a tumultuous end to his predecessor’s administration, which became mired in reports of mismanagement and misuse of funds.

“We did lose the support of some important partners after the problems last year,” Whitley said. “But we have things back on track, we’ve seen an increase in new donors and we’re continuing to repair the relationships that may have suffered.”

Before he was named CEO, Whitley was the ranch’s chief financial officer and has a long background working with disadvantaged youths as CFO for Opportunity Village, and communities and schools before that.

“The children still have the same kinds of needs, hopes and aspirations they’ve always had,” Whitley said. “We’re excited about St. Jude’s moving forward and this year we’ll be having a number of celebratory events through this year to raise awareness, leading up to the big Night of Stars Gala in November.”

St. Jude’s Ranch takes in children from across Southern Nevada, up to the age of 18, providing clean clothes, a safe home and structured care that takes endangered children, and groups of siblings, out of bad situations and gives them a chance for a better upbringing.

“The ranch has such amazing programs, not just taking care of these kids in need, but teaching them responsibility and how to give back to the community,” said Bridgette Terrill, a Boulder City resident who attended the ribbon cutting. “Some of my children’s best friends are kids that live here; we’re like a modern day Mayberry and I’m so proud that this is part of our community.”

To volunteer or find out more about St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, visit https://stjudesranch.org/ , call 702-294-7100 or stop by in person of U.S. Highway 93 at 100 St. Jude’s St.

Contact reporter Hunter Terry at hterry@bouldercityreview.com or call 702-586-6711. Follow him on Twitter @HunterBCReview.

MOST READ
LISTEN TO THE TOP FIVE HERE
THE LATEST
When household products overpromise and actually deliver

Every now and again you come across a product that makes you stand back and say, “Wow, that worked way better than I thought it would!” These gleeful moments come as a welcome surprise when we’re often disappointed by products that overpromise and under-deliver. When I find these little gems, I store them away in my mental DIY toolbox. This past month, I was happy to add a few more “must have” products that exceeded my expectations.

Summer is a time to be safe

It’s a safe bet that the one thing we all have in common every summer is managing the extreme heat and our body’s reaction to the excessive temperature prevalent in our geographic location.

Free fishing fun

Logan Davis, along with his kids Winter and Maverick, tried their best to catch a fish Saturday, along with all the many others who enjoyed the city’s free fishing day at the pond at Veterans Memorial Park.

Ordinance promotes cleanliness, accessibility of public places

Individuals camping in public spaces has increased dramatically in the past few years across the nation. On May 27 the city of Boulder City joined the cities of Reno, Las Vegas, Henderson, and Sparks, along with Clark, Washoe, and Nye counties in passing a measure to expand the prohibition on camping in public places within city limits. The new ordinance goes into effect on June 19, 2025.

And all that jazz (in the park)

A relatively small but appreciative crowd turned out Saturday evening for Jazz in the Park, sponsored by the Boulder City Parks and Recreation Department and the Las Vegas Jazz Society. The evening featured the Marlane Coker Quintet and guest at Bicentennial Park.

Flushing faux pas may lead to clogs, costly repairs

When it comes to plumbing clogs, we can definitely apply the adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”…or in this case, a quart of Liquid Plumr.

Art exhibition to showcase work of Connie Ferraro

Connie Ferraro has worn many hats in her life. They have included Broadway dancer, actress, wife of longtime Boulder City Mayor Bob Ferraro and these days, artist.

Year ending on high note at Mitchell Elementary

From the first day to the last, it takes a great deal of energy to get through a school year. The students, staff, and families are ceaseless in their efforts to ensure that we have a great year from beginning to end. We are successful because we are supported by our community.

Mental health in an aging population

The American Psychiatric Association defines mental illness as health conditions involving changes in emotion, thinking, and behaviors.

Sunflower Breakfast celebrates King’s parent volunteers

Boulder City’s commitment to community was on full display at this year’s annual Sunflower Breakfast, a heartwarming event dedicated to honoring the incredible volunteers who help our school thrive.