By Dave Belcher
Moapa Valley Progress
Coach Jerry Swanson and seven girls on his Varsity basketball team spent Saturday morning at St. Vincents in Las Vegas, helping prepare, serve and clean up after 580 of an estimated 800 to 1000 homeless people in Las Vegas.
The girls who went included Chanel Lacroix, Hanna Leavitt, Paige Leavitt, Ashley Noto, Shelby Gray, Kim Sprague and Heidi Paul.
Between 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. the food line is open. Sign in as you come into the door and you can have a meal of a sandwich, salad, fruit, bread, soup a pastry and a choice between water and hot chocolate. You can go through the line as many times as you are willing to sign in. One gentleman reportedly went through seven times.
Kim, Chanel and Coach Swanson served on the line.
“Some guys will take and stuff their pockets with bread and not return for a few days living on the bread,” Coach Swanson said. “They can have as much bread as they want.”
Ashley was on garbage patrol cleaning up tables and making sure the bowls weren’t thrown out requiring her to pick through the trash.
The girls learned “never take anything for granted” said Coach Swanson.
Hanna, Paige, Shelby and Heidi prepared meals for lunch and dinner saving the staff four hours of work. One gentleman who would not get a pastry because he arrived late in days past got there earlier Saturday. When Coach was told about this man’s disappointment, he told Kim to give him two cinnamon rolls instead of one. In his excitement, the gentleman started jumping up and down extremely grateful for the kind gesture.
Coach Swanson is planning visits to Shade Tree, a shelter for women and children in the near future. He also wants to visit the children who are hospitalized with cancer.
