Transcript of interview with Bob Bellis by Suzanne Becker, June 19, 2007

Starting at a young age, Bob Bellis' parents instilled upon him the importance of being a good neighbor and a community advocate. He was raised in Pahrump and moved to Las Vegas circa 1984. A few years later, he was living in the John S. Park neighborhood where his deeply rooted tradition of community found a purpose—preserve a historic area of Las Vegas. He enumerates the downside of living in John S. Park, but quickly adds reasons for remaining as the neighborhood reinvents itself for the next generation. Bob has not been an idle resident and headed up the creation of the John S. Park Neighborhood Association starting in 2000. Bob touches upon the history of the community and its evolution to a more diverse profile. Yes, two homeless people were living in the backyard when he moved in, but John S. Park is not a crime-riddled place to live he explains. The more looming threat of high-rises is an issue that concerns him.