Holiday trees will light up a special fundraiser for Henderson libraries Friday night.

Residents and dignitaries will gather to raise funds with a silent auction of decorated trees, wreaths and baskets. The money raised will go towards the teen collections at libraries in Henderson.

Last year’s event raised more than $24,000 for the juvenile collection. The event is from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Paseo Verde Library, 280 S. Green Valley Parkway. Besides the auction, there will live entertainment and holiday treats.

Books and Buddies is a reading mentor program sponsored by Spread the Word Nevada, a children's literacy non-profit group, that matches elementary school students from a list of 26 adopted schools with adult mentors from the community. The organization has been serving low-income children and families from the adopted schools within the Clark County School District since it was founded in 2001.

Volunteers interested in helping kindergarten through fifth-grade students improve their reading proficiency, comprehension, and verbal recitation skills are encouraged to make a minimum 12-week commitment for one hour a week. Training will be provided and fingerprinting for background checks will be required.

Volunteer Contact

Libbi Erickson

Office: (702) 564-7809

Libbi@spreadthewordnevada.org

The Henderson Library District received a big donation that will help build its book collection.

Philanthropists Bobby and Sandy Ellis donated $25,000 to the district as part of the $1 for a Million Campaign. The campaign aims to raise a million dollars in donations from April 2011 to April 2012. The money would be used to buy more books for the district's six libraries. The total raised is $39,193 including the Ellis donation. 

The Ellis family has made generation donations to libraries in the past. Earlier this year, the family gave the Green Valley Library $25,000 to create a study and socializing area for teenagers. The Teen Lounge will open on September 20.