A Las Vegas tradition of the holiday season is doing what it can to honor the victims of the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut.

Opportunity Village's Magical Forest is giving free entrance to children under 12 for the next four days starting Monday.

There will also be a special place of reflection for people to remember the children who died at Sandy Hook Elementary Friday.

People are encouraged to bring a holiday message to the people of Newtown and sign a memorial book.

The messages, memorial book and art work created by people in the Opportunity Village Art Enrichment Program will be sent to the citizens of Newtown.

The Magical Forest is near Jones and Oakey Boulevards and features thousands of holiday lights, rides, food and, of course, Santa.  

Students at Saint Anne Catholic School took a brief escape from their school books this week to learn a different kind of lesson.

For about an hour, members of the eighth-grade class experienced what it's like to help those less fortunate. The students packed more than 50 food boxes that will go to families who are clients of the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority (SNRHA).

According to SNRHA, the average annual income of clients receiving housing assitance is approximately $10,450. The food boxes contain everything needed for a family of four to enjoy a holiday meal on Thanksgiving including a 10-pound turkey, dressing, mixed vegetables, gravy, cranberry sauce, potatoes, dinner rolls and pumpkin pie. The food boxes are part of the Arizona Charlie's Feed a Family program.

White balloons were released at Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada for clients of its Respite Care program who have passed and for the family members who cared for them.

The balloon release was in honor of National Family Caregivers Month and according to the National Caregivers Association, more than 65 million family members around the country fill that role.

The Respite Care program gives people who are caring for elderly or frail family members time off. Workers attend to people in need by providing companionship, light housekeeping, medication reminders and more.

"Instead of clients, they are more like family. I have had too many people pass, and I wish I could do more for the caregivers who are on their own afterwards," Catholic Charities respite worker Linda Wolf said.

In all, 86 balloons were released for the clients who have died over the past two years.