FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 22, 2017
Opportunity Village Holds its Annual Board of Directors Dinner at
The Palazzo Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS – On Tuesday, May 16, Opportunity Village held its annual Board of Directors Dinner, hosted by The Palazzo Las Vegas, The Venetian Las Vegas and Sands Expo. Destinations by Design Las Vegas and Southern Wine and Spirits also donated their services and products.
The evening commenced with a performance from the OV Elvi, the ‘World’s Only All Elvis Dance Troupe.’ Local radio personality Chet Buchanan was the Master of Ceremonies and Auctioneer for the evening, which kicked off with Bill Oakley, Board Chair on Opportunity Village’s Foundation Board of Directors welcoming the guests and recognizing Opportunity Village board members. Jeremy Aguero, Board Chair on Opportunity Village’s ARC Board of Directors, then spoke about the positive financial impact Opportunity Village has on Southern Nevada.
Special guest speakers included Foundation Board Member Lauralyn McCarthy and ARC Board Member Erin Morrissey, who both spoke about their relationship with Opportunity Village and the affect the organization has had on their families. Two Opportunity Village clients were highlighted throughout the program – Dana, a talented artist in Opportunity Village’s Fine and Performing Arts Program and Michael, a student in the Job Discovery Program.
Throughout the evening, funds were raised for the Opportunity Village Scholarship Program through a silent auction where guests could bid on unique pieces of art created by Opportunity Village artists, and through donations. The Opportunity Village Scholarship Program supports individuals who would otherwise not have the opportunities they need to achieve their dreams and become integrated paycheck-earning citizens in the community.
Photo 1: The OV Elvi performed at Opportunity Village’s annual Board of Directors Dinner on Tuesday, May 16 at The Palazzo Las Vegas.
Photo 2: Erin Morrissey stood beside her brother and Opportunity Village client, Sean, at Opportunity Village’s annual Board of Directors Dinner on Tuesday, May 16 at The Palazzo Las Vegas.
Photo 3: Lauralyn McCarthy stood beside Michael, a Job Discovery Program student, at Opportunity Village’s annual Board of Directors Dinner on Tuesday, May 16 at The Palazzo Las Vegas.
Photo 4: Local radio personality Chet Buchanan was the Master of Ceremonies and Auctioneer at Opportunity Village’s annual Board of Directors Dinner on Tuesday, May 16 at The Palazzo Las Vegas.
About Opportunity Village
Mission: Opportunity Village is a not-for-profit organization that serves people within our community with significant intellectual disabilities, to enhance their lives and the lives of their families.
Opportunity Village was founded in 1954 by seven families who were determined to give their children with disabilities the best lives possible. Now, more than 60 years later, Opportunity Village is one of the most recognized and respected organizations of its type in the United States.
Nevada’s largest employer of people with disabilities, Opportunity Village serves nearly 2,000 individuals annually, providing vocational training, employment, habilitation and social recreation programs and services that make their lives more purposeful and interesting.
Opportunity Village citizens – individuals who were previously considered unemployable – work at Opportunity Village’s Employment Resource Centers and in jobs throughout the community, collectively earning wages amounting to more than $3.7 million in 2016. They are hard-working and diligent, proudly paying taxes and happily leading more fulfilling lives.
Primarily a self-funded organization, Opportunity Village generates the majority of its operational funding through its employment contracts and fundraising efforts such as the Magical Forest and Great Santa Run, saving Nevada taxpayers $37.4 million annually.
###
MEDIA CONTACT:
Mallory Hanneke
Preferred Public Relations
702-254-5704
mallory@preferredpublicrelations.com