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SPIRIT OF GENEROSITY Charity Regist er OPPORTUNITIES TO GIVE. WOMEN���S PHILANTHROPY UNITED LUNCHEON continued from page 58 KENNY EPSTEIN Chief Executive Officer, El Cortez Hotel & Casino My mom had Alzheimer���s. So did Bobby���s dad, and of course there was Lou. What do they call it���six degrees of separation? You can���t believe how many people are connected by family members with Alzheimer���s disease. It was true that first night at Spago. It was Larry who got us together and said, ���Let���s do something.��� He was the initiator, the spark, the one who got everyone involved. If you���ve lived here long enough, you recognize the commitment that people feel to this community. It���s there, and so many people in that room were especially moved by the speed of Lou���s death after his diagnosis. We all thought he���d be around longer, and then he was gone, in just more than one year. We wanted to do something to help others, and many of us were thinking that night about the parents we���d lost. BOBBY BALDWIN, Chief Design & Construction Officer, MGM Resorts International, and Chief Executive Officer and President, CityCenter None of this would have happened without the dedication and salesmanship of Larry Ruvo, a man who is passionate and persuasive. He will get no more than six inches from a person���s face and make his pitch. He���ll look you in the eyes. Yes, he���s a good salesman, but it���s not aggressive. Larry���s very sincere, caring, and committed. You could sense it at that first dinner, but his growing commitment was particularly present at that second event. When it comes to the fight against Alzheimer���s, he���s been making that pitch for nearly two decades. I think everybody got together at that first dinner in 1996 just to hear what he wanted to talk about. Part of the draw for that dinner was the leverage brought by Larry and, to a lesser extent, Mirage Resorts [of which Baldwin was then CEO]. Larry got them excited about Alzheimer���s and the challenges it poses, particularly in this community. Larry is so passionate and knowledgeable that he was able by hook or crook to convince everyone that this was important, that we should make this the number-one priority for everyone in Las Vegas. Keep Memory Alive���s 17th annual Power of Love gala takes place April 13 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Individual seats and tables are available starting at $1,500. For tickets visit keepmemoryalive.org V 60 Details: March 14, The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino; jewishlasvegas.com KNIGHT OF THE GAEL Event: Mike and Patty Morrissey will be honored at the 31st annual Knight of the Gael, Bishop Gorman High School���s signature event, which includes a cocktail reception, dinner, and various speakers from the school. Proceeds benefit the school���s extensive scholarship program. Details: March 21, Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa; bishopgorman.org MICHAEL JORDAN CELEBRITY INVITATIONAL Event: The superstar athlete with an equally admirable philanthropic side returns with his annual celeb-drawing golf tournament. Hosted by Aria Resort & Casino, the event benefits several charities, including Opportunity Village and Cats Care. Details: April 4���7, Shadow Creek Golf Course; mjcigolf.com OPPORTUNITY VILLAGE POKER TOURNAMENT Event: Committed to enriching the lives of those living with disabilities, Opportunity Village presents its annual no-limit Texas Hold���em Celebrity Poker Tournament. Details: April 6, Caesars Palace Poker Room; opportunityvillage.org CHEFS FOR KIDS Event: Join Chefs for Kids at an evening hosted by news anchor Dave Courvoisier and featuring a gourmet dinner and live and silent auctions. Proceeds will benefit the charity, which battles child hunger through free meals and nutrition education. Details: April 20, Caesars Palace; chefsforkids.org BEST IN SHOW Event: Presented by Zappos.com, the 10th annual Best in Show is The Animal Foundation���s biggest fundraising and adoption event of the year, with a celebrity emcee and a dog show with more than 50 adoptable pets competing in different categories. Details: April 28, Orleans Arena; animalfoundation.com PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS WEEKS/WIREIMAGE (JORDAN), COURTESY OF KMA (CAINE, JONES) This year���s Keep Memory Alive dinner will celebrate the 80th birthdays of Sir Michael Caine and Quincy Jones. Event: A Van Cleef & Arpels raffle, a Vasari fashion show, and guest speaker author Iris Krasnow are some of the highlights of the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas���s annual women-only charity event. VEGASMAGAZINE.COM 054-060_V_SP_SpiritofGen_Spring13.indd 60 2/12/13 3:40 PM