CORE'S HOLIDAY EXPRESS
Each year CORE traditionally hosts an in-person holiday gathering for all of our Scholars and families to come together and celebrate the season. More than just a party, this signature event is an important moment for community building and supporting our families, and a place where we gather and give holiday gifts to help make the season brighter. While we knew that we unfortunately couldn’t host an in-person event this year, we also knew that our community needed connectivity and support more than ever. So, our team came together and planned CORE’s Holiday Express: a one-stop, drive-thru event where we can connect with each of our families and deliver all of the supplies needed for a safe and merry holiday season.
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On Saturday December 19th all CORE families will join us by driving through our “Holiday Express” where they will receive holiday bundles filled with gifts and necessities for the season. Each family will receive bundles of basic necessities including personal care items, cleaning supplies, personal protective equipment, and other seasonal household items to ensure everyone is well stocked for a safe holiday season. Additionally, each family will receive a gift card to a local grocery retailer and gift certificates for a home family night where they can celebrate together with a movie and pizza. Our Scholars will be receiving gift cards for the retailer of their choice and new holiday hoodies from Bell Uniforms to keep warm this winter. Downtown florist Gaia Flowers will be providing decorative arrangements for each family to take home, and Santa will be making a special visit aboard his Harley Davidson to help pass out gifts and holiday treats from local bakery Pastry Palace. A new community partner, Optimum Foods, has also joined to support our event and will be on hand to provide bundles of shelf stable foods for each of our families. We can’t wait for families to come aboard our Holiday Express – be sure to check out our social media accounts throughout the last week of December as we share pictures and updates from the event!
Special thanks to all of our Holiday Express "Conductors" including:
Bell Uniforms, Andrea Davis, Gaia Flowers, Robin Greenspun, Leadership Las Vegas, Alan and Christy Molasky, Optimum Foods, Pastry Palace, Mike and Lindsey Slanker, Anthony Spiegel, Kathy Topp, United Education Institute Team, Viticus Group Leadership Team, Jim York and everyone who gifted through our Amazon Wish List and Holiday Hoodie campaigns!
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MEET OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS!
We are deeply honored to announce that Jessica Battaglia, Vice President of Human Resources at Switch, and Bo Bernhard, Associate Vice President of Economic Development at UNLV have joined our Board of Trustees! Each of them brings new insights and steadfast dedication to furthering the mission of CORE. Our own Executive Director, Lindsay Harper, is “excited to welcome these two new board members to CORE during such an impactful time.”
Jessica joins us as VP of Human Resources for Switch, where she is responsible for developing and implementing overall HR strategy to meet business needs through managing Switch’s most valuable resources: the team of employees. With more than two decades of experience in the industry, Jessica is skillfully people-focused and forward-thinking. She also has a deep-rooted history with CORE, and has previously provided support to many of our fundraising initiatives. Jessica says that she “..looks forward to contributing to CORE and helping to give the scholars and their families the resources, relationships and guidance they need to continue becoming the best version of themselves.”
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Bo is a fifth-generation Las Vegan who comes from a family of teachers and with a passion for education in his blood. As the Associate VP of Economic Development for UNLV, his first introduction to CORE stemmed from his involvement with the hospitality and tourism executive development program that served as the model for The Young Executive Scholars (YES) Program. The YES Program is currently headed into its 5th year at UNLV, where CORE Scholars and high school students from throughout the Las Vegas Valley continue to take part and earn college credit in this first-of-its-kind summer program that connects local students with hospitality industry leaders. “I was so deeply impressed by the intellect and drive of the CORE scholars who participated in YES that I was immediately hooked on the program,” said Bo. “The student scholars are so sharp and inquisitive, and I am looking forward to helping further guide them not only academically, but beyond that. They need to see that there are many pathways to success.”
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OPERATION SANTA SPREADS HOLIDAY MAGIC!
This year our community partners at Leadership Las Vegas and a number of affiliated individuals supported our CORE families as they committed to providing “Operation Santa” for those that had exceptional needs this holiday season. Operation Santa allows us to deliver holiday food, gifts, and seasonal items to families who would otherwise be without during this traditional season of celebration. We continue to be grateful to the Leadership Las Vegas network, whose work with the CORE Community puts their organization’s goal of “improving Southern Nevada” into action for our Scholars and families.
Special thanks to all of our 2020 Operation Santa magic-makers:
Jennifer Abdalla, Marko Greison, Julie Hanson, Lindsay Howard, Leadership Las Vegas Class of 2020, McCarthy Building Companies, Alexis Mussi Porter, Rene Roach, Jessica Sayles, Anna Schmid, Yvette Williams
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WE WISH EACH OF YOU A SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON
Consider giving the gift of CORE this holiday season. A donation in any amount will help us educate, enrich and empower Scholars in our community all throughout 2021. Click here to make a donation and give a gift that will keep giving.
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