Las Vegas Weekly

Six ways to help Haiti

A Spanish rescuer carries two-year-old Redjeson Hausteen Claude after he was rescued from a collapsed home in the aftermath of the earthquake in Port-au-Prince, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2010.

Photo: AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

The effects of a catastrophic event like the 7.0-magnitude earthquake January 12 in Haiti are felt far beyond the borders of the impoverished Caribbean country. Providing relief is a global effort.

Las Vegans can do their part locally at several upcoming Haiti-relief events, and in the spirit of our city, they can have a bit of fun while doing so.

• Sushisamba held a Meet & Tweet event Wednesday with proceeds from the sale of a special TwitteRoll going to the American Red Cross. The restaurant is continuing their goodwill by including a special line on every check where guests can fill in an amount to be donated to the charity.

• Rock 'n' Roll Wine has added a charity element to their concert/wine tasting event January 22, at the Hard Rock Café on the Strip. The event, which begins at 7 p.m., will feature 55 wines and live performances by Lit and As Tall As Lions. Tickets are $45 at the door ($40 prepaid) and $15 of each ticket sold will be donated to Doctors Without Borders and earmarked directly for Haiti relief. Additionally, for each $10 custom Reidel glass purchased at the event's VIP Tasting Lounge, the net sales (about $5) also will be donated to the international humanitarian organization.

• Bonkerz Comedy Club also is raising money, pledging to donate 50 percent of proceeds from tomorrow's 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. shows to American Red Cross for Haitian relief and development. Florida-based comedian Bear will headline both performances and tickets are $29.95 each.

• Bette Midler is using the last of her The Showgirl Must Go On performances to help Haiti by matching fan donations. As of Monday, The Divine Miss M and her fans had raised more than $38,000 for Doctors Without Borders. The charity effort will continue until the Miss M's final performance January 31. Tickets start at $95 and donations are collected at the door by the Caesar Salad Girls immediately after the show. For those wanting to see the showgirl before she departs Vegas, there's no better time than now.

• Prive inside Planet Hollywood will be selling Prive Haiti Relief bracelets Monday, Jan. 25 for a mandatory donation of $5 each at an American Red Cross booth set up inside the nightclub. All guests will be required to pay the $5 donation upon arrival, but cover will not be charged for locals. Regular cover charges apply to non-locals.

• Hennessey's Taverns will be hosting a benefit concert on Friday, January 29 at its downtown Las Vegas location, as well as concurrent events at their two California outposts. The event will feature live music, auctions and guest bartenders — including some from your beloved Las Vegas Weekly staff. Careful, no promises on how well they pour. Donations ($10 from cover and $12 from T-shirt sales) will benefit the American Red Cross.