“Mission puts million-dollar fundraising goal in bull's-eye”

Mission puts million-dollar fundraising goal in bull's-eye

Posted: 25 Oct 2010 04:45 PM PDT

Monday, October 25, 2010

American Heroes Challenge aims to raise cash for Las Vegas Veterans Memorial

BY CAITLIN MCGARRY

The second annual American Heroes Challenge kicks off the city's Veterans Week Nov. 6 and 7 at the Clark County Shooting Park. Challenge officials aim to raise $1 million to benefit the Las Vegas Veterans Memorial.

Twenty teams of five or six active military and law enforcement officials will compete in tactical challenges and judged according to time, accuracy and other factors. Teams will learn the details of their missions as they are happening.

"(The challenge) forces the competitors in teams to compete utilizing the skill set they use every day: shooting, physical fitness, advanced problem-solving, teamwork," said Michael Millett, challenge co-founder and president of American Shooters, a local shooting range and firearms store. "It's all done very dynamically with firearms, driving, explosions -- all the stuff they deal with on a regular basis -- which makes it great for spectators."

BILL HUGHES| LAS VEGAS BUSINESS PRESS
Mick Catron, Las Vegas Veterans Memorial Foundation co-director, sits with a scale model of Douwe Blumberg's winning concept for the Las Vegas Veterans Memorial, which is on view at American Shooters at 3440 Arville St. Proceeds from the American Heroes Challenge, a tactical competition to be held Nov. 6 and 7 at the Clark County Shooting Park, will be used to help fund the memorial.

Last year's debut challenge did not raise money as hoped, Millett said, though the event drew approximately 3,000 people. This year, challenge organizers plan to raise $1 million, which will come from a myriad of sources, including sponsors, corporate donations, attendee donations and vendor fees.

Millett, an Army veteran, is also one of the driving forces behind the Las Vegas Veterans Memorial now planned for Huntridge Circle Park. He created the challenge to benefit the memorial.

"We wanted to find a way to say, 'Thank you,' because we know how very difficult it is to get this great physical skill set, to be in such great shape, to make decisions of every minute of every day that really mean something, life and death oftentimes -- not only for themselves and their teammates but for people in the community -- and really, in our opinion, people don't say thanks enough," Millett said.

The Las Vegas Veterans Memorial artist selection committee recently chose Douwe Blumberg's design concept for the memorial, which now has a price of $800,000. Blumberg was one of four finalists to present designs for the memorial.

Blumberg's design features sculptures of soldiers from each American conflict, ranging from the Revolutionary War to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, backed by granite walls engraved with inspirational quotes. In the center of the memorial is a sculpture of a modern family.

"It had to speak to the veterans and the families," said Mick Catron, Millett's business partner and co-founder of the American Heroes Challenge. "It had to be timeless -- something that wasn't theater or branch-specific or a particular conflict-specific. It had to speak to veterans of 20 or 30 years ago to 100 years ago and all the way to 100 years from now."

For more information about the American Heroes Challenge, visit www.americanheroeschallenge.com.

Contact reporter Caitlin McGarry at cmcgarry@lvbusinesspress.com or 702-387-5273.

DONATIONS

Fairway Chevrolet President and YMCA board member Greg Heinrich donated a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro convertible to be sold at the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction. The winning bid was $205,000. The entire amount was donated to the YMCA of Southern Nevada.

Las Vegas City Center, the local branch of the International Interior Design Association's Southwest chapter, and local commercial interiors company Faciliteq Architectural Interiors donated $14,500 worth of materials and services to remodel the Southern Nevada Child and Adolescent Services On Campus Homes. The project added a recreation center, media room and fitness center for children with emotional disturbances.

MGM Resorts International donated more than 38 tons of canned food to Three Square Food Bank. MGM Resorts Foundation and Cirque du Soleil Foundation USA also presented the food bank with a $23,750 check from a Sept. 13 charity performance of "Zumanity" at New York-New York.

The Palazzo partnered with Luxury Las Vegas magazine to host the Glass Slipper Soiree on Oct. 7. The event raised $5,450 for the Assistance League Las Vegas' Operation School Bell program. Attendees also donated 600 pairs of shoes to Operation School Bell, which provides clothes and shoes for at-risk students.

Harrah's Entertainment sponsored the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's annual Light the Night fundraising walk Oct. 16. More than 1,000 people carried illuminated helium balloons to celebrate survival and honor those who have died from blood cancers.

UPCOMING EVENTS

The UNLV Harrah Hotel College's PGA Professional Golf Management program is hosting a golf tournament Oct. 25 to benefit the Matthew S. Anderson Memorial PGM Scholarship Endowment fund.

Submissions should be sent to Caitlin McGarry at cmcgarry@lvbusinesspress.com. They should include the name of the donor company, the charity that benefits, and the size of the contribution. A date for the contribution or event should also be included.

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American Heroes

Monday, October 25, 2010