The Nugget Bowl inside the Pahrump Nugget Hotel &Casino was packed with patrons on Sunday, Dec. 4 taking part in more than just an afternoon of fun.
Thanks to the work of local veteran Denise Flanagan and her team of supporters, the day was dedicated to raising funds for a cause that is quite close to Flanagan’s heart, the Wounded Warrior Project.
Kicking off at 11 a.m. on Sunday, the Wounded Warrior Bowl-A-Thon included games of 9-pin, no-tap bowling for just $10 as well as a huge array of prizes up for raffle, all of which contributed to bringing in thousands of dollars that will ultimately be used to facilitate programming geared toward helping former military service members heal and move forward in their lives.
“This event was a huge success!” Flanagan raved afterward. “We raised $3,407 as well as $1,000 from my Facebook fundraiser! The support from the people of Pahrump is totally overwhelming. Not just the businesses who contribute for the event, or who donate money, but those who also physically attend. And we have a huge veteran base in our town.”
Flanagan remarked that the raffle prizes ranged from wine baskets and restaurant gift cards to massage certificates and so much more.
“We received so many different types of items to raffle, we had to add three additional tables!” A delighted Flanagan reported. “The biggest raffle item this year was from the Las Vegas Motor Speedway for four tickets to the March 2023 Pennzoil NASCAR Cup race. The value of that? An amazing $980! That raffle alone raised over $400.”
Flanagan selected Wounded Warrior Project as the beneficiary of her efforts because she has seen firsthand the effects of war on military personnel.
“It’s easy to see a physical injury but not so for a hidden one such as post-traumatic stress, anxiety or depression. These are the personnel we need to focus on because they feel no one would understand, again, because we can’t see it,” Flanagan said. “And people continually ask me why I do this. Here is my reason: I was going around to businesses asking for items for the raffle. I came out of a business and a man, on crutches and missing part of his left leg, came up to me and asked me about the sticker on my car.
“It was a Wounded Warrior sticker,” Flanagan continued. “I explained what the organization was about. He lost part of his leg in a roadside bomb in the Middle East and had been trying to receive help from the VA, with no success. I gave him a brochure and my card and told him to contact Wounded Warriors. A month later, I received a call from him. He told me he’d contacted them, they verified his military service and they were going to help him receive his prosthetic leg. And that is why I do what I do!”
The Wounded Warrior Bowl-A-Thon may be the brainchild and pet project of Flanagan but she could not do it all alone and she made certain to shine a spotlight on those who made this year’s event such a success.
“I want to thank everyone for their continued support of my cause,” Flanagan said. “Purcell Tires, Terrible’s Roadhouse, Mastertech Computers, Designs By Melanie, Fitness for $10, Best in the West, Something Special Florist, China Wok, Romero’s Restaurant, Sugar and Spice Bakery, Renee Green, Jewelry of Romance, Sanders Winery, the Home Depot, the Nugget Bowl, Saitta Trudeau, Valley Electric, Golden Gaming, Scott Klinger, Kerri Paine, Cindy Moody, Pahrump Party Supply, Tiles for Miles, Nicco’s Pizza, Natural Vibes, Got Knots Massage, Mom’s Diner, Fibrenew, Pahrump Valley Auto Plaza, Curt Thompson at Longstreet Hotel and Casino and Margaret Flanagan with Traveling Vineyards.
“Thanks also to the Las Vegas Raiders, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Mister Tater’s Tater Shack, Cricut by Denise K, Sheryl Hunter, R&J Johnson, Denise and Rich,” Flanagan continued. “Thank you to Over the Hump Saver for their advertising of my event and to Robin Hebrock from the Pahrump Valley Times for her continued support of my mission. And to my crew, which included myself, Rich Flanagan, Jeff and Eileen Sivley, Terri and Wayne Johnson and Theresa Goldstein, as well as to the Nugget Bowl crew, Mike Sherard, Randy Cardiff, Lorie Hartwell, Daley Blysdeth and Kalani Cambra, who worked for months signing people up and supported us on the day of the event. This was my fifth event and with all of them calculated together, we’ve raised around $12,000. Not too shabby!”
For more information on Flanagan’s efforts contact her at 775-209-0783.
Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com