Connecting With Our Community
Although 91制片厂 has only been in town for 15 years, it has always been honored to have been a part of the Las Vegas Valley.
Touro already provides free healthcare services to some of the community鈥檚 most vulnerable populations, but the university wanted to engage with a different population.
Complete with bounce houses, police cruisers, cotton candy, carnival games, a mini-Raiders football camp, and more, the university hosted its first 鈥淏uilding Blocks鈥� Party for 鈥榙ifferently-abled鈥� children and adolescents on April 7.
The university partnered with Henderson Police Department and Special Olympics Nevada for the special event. Touro also worked with several sponsors to offset the costs, including Healthcare Partners, Henderson Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Emerald Island Casino, Siegel Cares, Current Events, Latin Chamber of Commerce, Got Turf, Balloons with a Twist, and Zippy Shell.
Additional partners included the soon to-be Las Vegas Raiders, the Las Vegas Lights, and others.
Students from the Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine and Health and Human Services also worked together to create unique low/limited/full sensory carnival games specifically for the party.
鈥淲e wanted to bring our daughter Azlynn to the Building Blocks party so she could experience a carnival with other children like her,鈥� said Kimberlie Opipari, whose two-year-old daughter Azlynn has Down Syndrome. 鈥淪he had a great time playing games and we鈥檙e so glad that Touro had this type of carnival for kids like her.鈥�
The Building Blocks Party was also attended by families who brought their neuro-typical children to engage with the 鈥榙ifferently-abled鈥� community.
More than 75 students across Touro鈥檚 programs volunteered during the event. While some worked near the carnival games and food court, others gave tours of the university鈥檚 three mobile healthcare clinics.
鈥淚 wanted to participate in the Building Blocks Party because I love interacting with children,鈥� said first-year medical student Yesenia Vasquez. 鈥淚t also gave me the opportunity to put my bilingual skills to good use in the community.鈥�
鈥淥ur 鈥楤uilding Blocks鈥� carnival was a wonderful event for our very special populations,鈥� said Shelley Berkley, CEO and Senior Provost of Touro University Western Division. 鈥淎t 91制片厂, we will always do our best to help improve the lives of all Nevadans.鈥�
