2 kids get birthday surprises from fire, police officers

Two children in the Las Vegas Valley got birthday surprises with the help of the City of Henderson’s police and fire departments.

Gavin Hinds was disappointed that his birthday trip to SeaWorld had to be postponed.

His mother, Samantha Gray, reached out to the Henderson Police Department to see if they could help make his day special by visiting Gavin and wishing him a happy ninth birthday.

“When he was younger, he almost feared the officers,” Hinds says. “Maybe two, three years ago that took a turn. He wanted to be a SWAT officer for Halloween. I thought, why not continue to reinforce that they are truly amazing?”

Public information officer Katrina Farrell says that Wednesday’s birthday surprise was made possible by scheduling the surprise at a shift change when about five vehicles were available to drive by Gavin’s home while officers turned on the lights and sirens, handed out badge stickers and sang “Happy Birthday.”

“He was saying that this would probably be a really boring birthday,” says Gray. “Now he says it was his best birthday ever.”

On Tuesday, firefighters from Fire Station 99 visited 3-year-old Tanner to wish him a happy birthday.

“His mother said Tanner was turning 3, and his dream is to be a firefighter,” says senior public information officer Kathleen Richards. “What a perfect age to come by.”

Firefighters pulled a firetruck up in front of the birthday boy’s house and exercised social distancing practices by allowing him to climb up on the bumper in his own costume uniform.

Nonprofit feeds families

Lutheran Social Services of Nevada is distributing emergency food boxes to families weekly during the pandemic.

Since March 16, the nonprofit has given food boxes to 1,300 families.

The boxes feature dry foods, canned goods, meats, bread, vegetables and fruit, and are handed out from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Thursdays at the group’s headquarters at 4323 Boulder Highway.

The workers practice social distancing and wear face masks and gloves as they distribute the boxes through both a drive-through and a walking lane.

“We’re proud to serve our community in this uncertain time when families need us the most,” says executive director Armena Mkhitaryan.

— Madelon Hynes

Masks donated to first responders

The Cyrus and Michael Tang Foundation recently donated 80,000 medical-grade and surgical masks to Touro University Nevada.

Michael Tang, who servers on the university’s advisory board, purchased the masks from China and gave them to Chicago medical facilities and Touro University Nevada.

At Tang’s request, the university will distribute the masks to area hospitals, local physicians, medical centers, senior care facilities and first responder agencies.

“We are grateful for his generosity and are committed to ensuring those medical facilities and providers who are in need of masks will receive them,” said Shelley Berkley, CEO and senior provost for Touro.

— Madelon Hynes

Corporation gives to 3 local charities

To support pandemic relief efforts, MDU Resources Group, Inc. is donating $36,000 to be split between three local nonprofits.

Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada, Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth and Three Square food bank will receive the funds from the MDU Resources Foundation, as part of the corporation’s recent $500,000 donation to a variety of organizations.

MDU Resources Group companies in Nevada include Bombard Electric, Bombard Mechanical, Desert Fire Protection, Kent’s Oil Service and Lone Mountain Excavation.

— Madelon Hynes

Contact Janna Karel at jkarel@reviewjournal.com Follow @jannainprogress on Twitter.