ML - Vegas Magazine

2014 - Issue 8 - December

Vegas Magazine - Niche Media - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.

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photography by terry hughes am still amazed and humbled by the dedication and practice that all these talented artists put into this night, and the employees and the volunteers as well," Laliberté says. And for all his own hard work, he t a kes One Night a s a sma l l rewa rd. "Normally I get ver y involved in all aspects of a new Cirque du Soleil show, but with One Night for One Drop, I just show up, sit back, and enjoy the show." One Night for One Drop takes place March 20 at the Beatles LOVE Theatre in Mirage. Tickets are on sale now at onenight.onedrop.org. V t he most rewa rding t ime for me wa s seeing t hat seven years after we began our very first pilot proj- ect in Nicaragua, 85 percent of the infrastructure was still in operation," says Laliberté. Bachand's first field visit, to El Salvador, drove home the real- world impact. "A woman named Maria applied for a loan that her husband hadn't gotten," Bachand recalls. "She was able to take her loan and grow her garden by 10 times. She now employs seven people, i nclud i ng her husba nd. I rea l i zed how you ca n transform water into thriving lives." E st abl ish i ng One Drop, L a l iber té says, wa s a nat ura l step for t he now 30 -yea r - old Cirque du Soleil. "We decided back then that we should never forget where we come from," he says, "a nd if we ever had the chance to start giving back, we would." But it takes a bit of magical thinking to grow a foundation the way Laliberté has, notes Bachand. "He's probably the most brilliant mind I have ever encountered, in his way of connecting the dots and bringing the unseen to the seen." And giving back is deeply personal for the once-homeless street per- former turned massively successful entrepreneur. "When he goes to London, he always stays in the hotel from which he ca n see t he bench where he used to sleep," Bachand says. It was Cirque per - for mers, she adds, who ca me up w it h t he idea to volunteer their time: "They said, 'What we have to contribute is to inspire people and show them how much power they have.'" It made perfect sense for the extravagant fund- raising night to happen here. "Cirque du Soleil has been in Las Vegas for over 20 years," says Laliberté. "We buy houses, we raise our families, we volunteer at local organizations"—which includes creating a partnership with Springs Preserve to develop edu- cational programming about water in Nevada. "I One Drop's Project India aims to improve access to safe water. A boy in India's poverty-stricken Odisha state, where water projects are ongoing. Charity register Opportunities to give. Las Vegas great santa run Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, the Las Vegas Great Santa Run, staged by Opportunity Village, is one of the city's most beloved traditions and a can't-miss holiday spectacle. Witness more than 10,000 runners dressed in Santa suits descend upon downtown Las Vegas for a fve-kilometer run, a one-mile walk, and festivities. Don't have your own Santa suit? Each stan- dard registration includes a fve-piece kit. The event's proceeds beneft Opportunity Village's 60-year mission to serve individuals with intellectual disabilities. When: Saturday, December 6, at 8 am Where: Downtown Las Vegas Contact: 702-259-3700; opportunityvillage.com IMagIne a WOrLD WItHOut Hate gaLa This year's Imagine a World Without Hate Gala pays tribute to three parties responsible for helping to advance the Anti-Defamation League of Las Vegas's campaigns against anti-Semitism and prejudice: Barrick Gold Corporation, Cari Marshall, and Todd Marshall. The national organization will honor them with its Americanism Award, a distinction bestowed upon individuals and groups that show extraordinary humanitarian leadership. When: Saturday, December 6, at 6:15 pm Contact: 702-862-8600; adl.org JIngLe beLL run/WaLk You'll want to arrive with bells on for Las Vegas's inaugural Jingle Bell Run/Walk, a nationwide themed event designed to raise funds for the Arthritis Foundation and its search for a cure for the country's leading cause of disability. Run or walk either a fve- or 10-kilometer race dressed in your most colorful holiday clothing, and enjoy a variety of on-site amenities and activities, includ- ing breakfast vendors, musical performances, and the Reindeer Dash to Kidville children's race. When: Saturday, December 13, at 8 am Where: Tivoli Village Contact: 702-367-1626; arthritis.org aLL In fOr cp All In for CP heads to Bally's Las Vegas for its eighth year, bringing together celebrity players and poker pro- fessionals for a memorable tournament held to increase awareness of cerebral palsy and raise funds for those living with the disorder, which can have debilitating effects on physical coordination and muscle control. Settle in for a round of traditional Texas Hold'em, or play it (relatively) safe with a silent auction and raffes of rare and collectible memorabilia. When: Saturday, December 13, at 5 pm Where: Bally's Las Vegas Contact: allinforcp.com vegasmagazine.com  73

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