Summerlin girls promote national service program

The girls of the Summerlin and Northwest Divisions of the National Junior Basketball League were recently selected to help launch the Girls Reaching & Adopting Makes Sense program. The program, a project of The School of Life Foundation, encourages youth to visit the elderly in nursing homes or assisted-living facilities.

Jack Rolfe, founder of The School of Life Foundation and a former Summerlin resident who now lives in Southern Utah, coordinated a recent visit with senior residents of The Plaza at Sun Mountain. About 30 girls, ranging from 8 to 10 years old, adopted grandparents at the assisted-living center during a recent visit. Activities included basic basketball instruction, decorating cookies and taking photographs.

"As a basketball coach of 10 years and a physical therapist working with the elderly in nursing homes for 20 years, I have combined my two passions to create an organization that serves to help others," Rolfe said. "I have seen first-hand the results of visitors engaging in activities with the elderly. It truly improves lives and bridges the gap between generations."

Tom Warden, vice president of community and government relations for The Howard Hughes Corp., supports the program.

"It's heartening to see our residents involved in community service," Warden said. "Service helps to create a true sense of community and we are proud of the youth who participate in these types of programs."

The GRAMS program will be introduced to girls' basketball organizations in each of the 50 states during the next six months. After Nevada, it is scheduled to be launched in Utah.

Developed by Hughes Corp., Summerlin has been ranked as the nation's best-selling master-planned community nine of the past 10 years, according to independent surveys.

Situated along the western rim of the valley, the community is unfolding in villages and is home to eight golf courses, more than 100 neighborhood and village parks, 105 completed miles of trails, 17 public and private schools, houses of worship, shopping centers, medical facilities, cultural facilities, business parks and nearly 100 model homes.

Single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums are priced from the mid-$100,000s to more than $700,000. Custom-home sites ranging from one-half acre to three-quarters of an acre are priced from the high $300,000s to more than $1 million, and predesigned custom homes are priced from $500,000 to more than $1 million. Apartments offer monthly rents starting from the high $700s.

To visit the community's home finding center, travel west on Sahara Avenue past Hualapai Way to Town Center Drive and turn north. Or, take Interstate 215 to Sahara and head east to Town Center.

The office is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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