LAS VEGAS – Project 150 has appointed co-founder Patrick Spargur as president of its board of directors. The nonprofit charity that helps homeless, displaced and disadvantaged high school students, also added Pastor Ron Thomas, Gino Wideen and Maria Marinch to the board.
Spargur started Project 150 with Don Purdue in 2011. Purdue is the organization’s outgoing president who will now assume the role of executive vice president on the board.
“We are honored to have each of these highly qualified people join the board,” Purdue said. “While they are new to the board, they are not new to Project 150 as all three have served on our Advisory Board and worked hand-in-glove with us to advance our mission.”
Pastor Ron Thomas of Nevada District Council 25th Episcopal District of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, has been a longtime community leader. He is an Army veteran and former state corrections officer. He has experience as lead instructor of the Culinary Training Academy REACH program and as a supervisor of job developers and staffing consultants for Nevada Partners, a state workforce development agency. He also has served with and led a number of youth programs.
Wideen is senior vice president of Hill International, Inc. and has been instrumental in the growth of Project 150. He formerly served as on Project 150’s Advisory Board and has been involved with various other charities, including A Hand Up, Lighthouse Christian Fellowship and Meadow Christian Fellowship.
Marinch, executive director of Community Relations at the College of Southern Nevada also has been a longtime supporter of Project 150 and brings a wealth of experience to the board, particularly in promoting diversity, multi-cultural affairs and public relations. Additionally, she is a successful entrepreneur.
About Project 150
Project 150 is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit charitable organization, founded in December 2011 by local businessmen Don Purdue and Patrick Spargur. The two had heard about 150 homeless high school students at Rancho High School in Las Vegas who were in need of support over the Christmas break. Since that time, Project 150 has expanded and now serves more than 2,500 homeless, displaced and disadvantaged high school students in 47 Southern Nevada high schools and 15 in Reno/Sparks. Project 150 provides these students with food, clothing, school supplies, sports equipment, shoes and other needs so they can stay in school and be successful in life.
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Denise Polsfut says
Congratulations on all of success of Project 150!!