Looking for volunteers to help children, fight cancer

Mentor Center of Western Nevada, through Western Nevada Community College, is looking for companies and their employees to mentor children.

Starbucks is looking into joining the team.

Mentoring is showing a child you care - a walk in the park or just listening to a child can make a dramatic difference. People always say, "I don't have time." My answer is: Make the time. Children are the future, so let's show them we are here to give them a hand.

Here are some hard facts of what your efforts equate to. According to the Mentor center of Western Nevada, children with a mentor are:

• 46 percent less likely to initiate drug use

• 27 percent less likely to initiate alcohol use

• Likely to have better relationships with peers and adults

• Likely to skip half as many school days

• 33 percent less likely to engage in violence

Mentor Center

volunteers sought

WHERE: Reynolds Building, WNCC, Room 104B

CONTACT: Director Ruth Gordon at 775-445-3346, or fax 775-445-3160.

WEB SITE: http://www.wncc.edu/mentor/aboutmentoring.htm

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Tammy Westergard is running the San Diego Rock 'N' Roll Marathon on June 3. Ask her if she thought she could do that 10 months ago, before she lost more than 75 pounds. The prospect would have been frightening.

Tammy was diagnosed with type-2 diabetes. With high blood pressure, high cholesterol, being a woman over 40, and admittedly a spaz/stress case (her words), Tammy learned she was a heart attack or a stroke waiting to happen.

Now she has become a partner of Team In Training, which nurtures the health of others. Dealing with her own health scare, Tammy realized it pales in comparison to those struggling with cancer.

She will be competing in the event in honor of Molly Gingell's mom, Patty Olson, who is battling lymphoma. All things considered, Patty is doing incredibly well.

Molly owns Molly's Gourmet Cooking and Catering. Over the years, she has donated to every fundraiser I've ever asked for help with, as well many others in town.

Terry Gingell is a pro golfer who donates his time teaching several local teams.

Of every $1 Tammy raises via your sponsorship, 75 cents directly benefits people like Patty struggling with leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's lymphoma and myeloma. Plus, a portion of your pledge is used to help find ways to prevent blood cancers.

Tammy needs our support to cross the ultimate finish line - a cure for Patty and others with similar struggles!

Benefit marathon

Web site to help Tammy Westergard: www.active.com/donate/tntvirtual/westy.

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Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Dennis Kucinich have been to Comma Coffee and checked out June Joplin's funky-but-way-cool shop. Here's a chance for you to check it out, too, when the Mile High Jazz Band presents "The Birds and the Bees."

The band will be joined by vocalist Sheryl Adams and some great local poets. Swing dance instruction is also available.

'The Birds and the Bees'

WHERE: Comma Coffee, 312 S. Carson St.

WHEN: 8-10 p.m. March 13. Swing-dance instruction from 6-7:30 p.m. is $5 additional.

COST: Admission is $5 general, $4 for members of the Mile High Jazz Band Association, free for age 18 and under.

Next week: Dick Moore from the Knights of Columbus will give us some St. Paddy's Day information, including some great food.

• To have your information included, contact Kim Riggs at kimriggs@att.net.