Something Positive Inc., is a nonprofit organization in Pahrump providing support to indigent families around the community, a need that increases during the holiday season.
On Sunday, the organization is hosting a fundraiser at Wings and Things, 1301 S. Loop Road, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., dubbed the ‘Soul to Sole Dinner and Raffle.’
Co-founders Tina Marie Simpson and Candice Mitchell said proceeds from the event go to the organization’s mission to serve others.
“It’s about helping and supporting the community during the holiday season,” Simpson said. “We decided to host an event to help the kids get shoes, socks, hoodies and hygiene products. We are focusing on the teenagers because other organizations around town do the Angel Trees program for the very young kids at Christmastime.”
Several years back, organizations such as the Goody Two Shoes Foundation made annual visits to the Pahrump Valley to provide new footwear to kids of all ages.
Simpson, who spearheaded the events at the time, said those efforts have since come to an end.
“We did the back to school fair each year with Goody Two Shoes and NyE Communities Coalition. I am the one who started that whole thing and Something Positive Inc., also had a hand in that as well, but now, Goody-Two-Shoes does not come out here any longer.”
The teenagers chosen to receive the items, Simpson said, are students whose families rely on social service programs such as the Nye County School District’s free and reduced lunch programs.
Last year, Something Positive Inc. served upward of 100 teens through the program. Simpson said they plan to surpass that number this year.
“Our goal last year was a hundred kids where we hosted the dinner and raffle,” she said. “We received a lot of community support and accomplished that goal. This year, we received a list of 200 participants that meet the requirements. This is our second annual Soul to Sole event.”
Sunday’s menu for the event is a gourmet Taco Bar catered by local chef Eric Webb.
Simpson said a maximum of 60 tickets are now on sale, but they are going fast.
“Tickets are $20 in advance, or $25 at the door and the raffles will follow the dinner,” she said. “We are raffling off a lot of things at different dollar amounts from $1, $5, $10 or $20. We have a whole bunch of sponsors and everyone has been really generous with their donations.”
Mountain Falls Golf Course has contributed, as well as Pahrump Valley Winery.
Additionally, Simpson mentioned one raffle prize with a value of close to $3,000.
“Front Sight Firearms Institute has donated a lifetime membership and it’s called the Patriot Level membership,” she said. “It seems to be very popular among a lot of people in our community, because you can go as many times as you like and use any of the facilities there and you can actually pass it down to your family members. We also have a four-pack of Disneyland tickets that we are raffling off. The prizes are too numerous to mention them all right now.”
Monetary donations, Simpson said would be greatly appreciated.
“All they have to do is call me at 775-253-5018,” she said. “Something Positive Inc., also has a bank account at Nevada State Bank. There’s just a really long list of sponsors and those who provided generous donations for this endeavor. Everything is tax deductible and we just want to be able to get some shoes, socks, hoodies and hygiene products for these kids.”
Simpson also said the selected students will receive their gifts, presumably on the last day of school before the start of winter break.
Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @pvtimes