RICHARD STEPHENS / PVT Beatty Junior-Senior High School Band Advertisement

BEATTY -- The Beatty Junior-Senior High School Band struck silver in its first out-of-state music festival competition May 25.

Directed by Dale Lerbakken, the band performed in the theater arts building of Cal State Fullerton. Lerbakken said the bands entered in the festival varied in size, make-up, and experience, and they were not competing against each other.

The judges rated each band in five different areas, each worth a maximum of 20 points. The Beatty band had a total score of 86, earning a silver rating, second highest of the five ratings possible.

Percussionist Jennifer Porte, a junior, also was given an outstanding musician award.

"It turned out to be a very successful first-year trip for the band," said Lerbakken. He added that funding from a school district grant had energized the program, "convincing kids to join and be part of a group."

Lerbakken also said he would like to thank the community and school board for their support, which made the trip possible.

Following the competition and the taking of a group photo, band members enjoyed a visit to Disneyland.

Hospice cell phone collection program

Nathan Adelson Hospice is still working with Collective Good collecting unused cell phones to raise funds and to save the environment. This ongoing project is being reignited for 2007 with the hopes of clearing everyone's closets and dresser drawers of old cell phones.

Drop off places for cell phones have been identified and collection boxes put in place for the convenience of everyone looking for a way of disposing unwanted, out-of-date cell phones. Community partners are Pahrump Valley Chamber of Commerce, CC's Beauty Zone, Charleston Peak RV Park at the Winery, Wells Fargo Bank, Martinizing Dry Cleaners, Nevada Federal Credit Union, Valley Electric, The Wine Cellar and Nathan Adelson Hospice.

For more information about recycling old cell phones, call Tonya Brum, event/community relations coordinator for Nathan Adelson Hospice at 751-5601.

Safe Place youth program

Safe Place is an organization in Pahrump that provides immediate help and support to youth in crisis. The location sites are the Terrible Herbst convenient stores on Highway 160 and Lakeside, and Skate Zone on Calvada Boulevard.

Safe Place provides services for youth, such as crisis intervention, shelter, job placement, food vouchers, hygiene products, transportation and much more.

Safe Place program coordinator Brenda F. Magruder can be reached at 775-291-3554 or 1-866-U-ARE-SAFE.

Senior Companions

Low-income seniors age 60 or over can earn $212 a month, tax-free, by volunteering for Senior Companions, a program that provides companionship, socialization and transportation to other seniors who have difficulty with daily living tasks.

The program is operated by Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada.

Call Beth at 702-382-0721 for more information.

Power Wheelchairs

Miracle on Wheels makes available electric power wheelchairs to non-ambulatory senior citizens 65 and older and the permanently disabled of any age, if they qualify.

Electric wheelchairs are provided to those who cannot walk and also cannot operate a manual wheelchair sufficiently or safely enough to care for themselves in their residence.

Call 1-800-749-8778 or visit www.laspanmedical.com for more information.