SITS News June 12, 2025

President Lisa opened our meeting on this beautiful morning.

Lydia’s invocation touched on sorrow that comes to all, but to the young it comes with bittersweet agony. Why does it always seem like bad things happen to good people? Even though it may not seem like it now, alleviation of our current distress will only come given time, when we will find peace and happiness once again.

Guests today: Former SITS member and past president, Janna York, visited us! (see photo above) She’s up from So. California to celebrate her son Jack’s high school graduation. We miss you and always SO fun having you drop in!

Sunshine continues in full force for our Warrior Wendy. So great seeing you at our meetings!

A recent and sudden loss here in South Lake Tahoe has left many of us reeling and struggling. May we find strength from the compassion and kindness we extend to each other. We hold all families affected by this tragedy in our hearts.

Correspondence: thank you from LTCC for supporting their successful Bar B Q cookoff. Funds raised to go toward LTCC scholarships.

Today was our monthly Business Meeting.

The treasurers gave a recap of our fundraising for the year and also reminded us about renewal dues. They presented a board recommendation which allows for expending club funds prior to approval of our 25-26 budget so that invoices can be paid in a timely manner. Approved by membership. There was discussion about Mad Hatter and how best to connect it to our online auction. Date for membership retreat TBD.

Laurie F. and Lydia reported on the Sierra Nevada Region (SNR) conference held last weekend in Reno. Delegates voted to give the Regional Board the go ahead to consider combining the SNR conference and the SDR (Sierra Development Retreat) weekends in the future. We are being required to obtain written permission from members and guests for the use of any photos. ABC license is needed to pour alcohol for any event we purchase and pour the alcohol. Reminder given to sign up for celebrity golf shifts. Shifts are now open to friends of SITS.

But the EXCITING part of the conference was that SITS received 4 (FOUR!!) region awards:

1st place – Program Award celebrating our successes with Mt. Tallac. At Mad Hatter last year we gave everyone a card inviting them to a Meet and Greet for potential members. This earned us a 2nd place award in Membership. Another 2nd place award was for the SOLT Evelyn Holland award (SOLT stands for Soroptimist Orientation and Leadership Training). We showed innovation in educating our membership who are “technology challenged” with 2 separate Tech Cafe trainings. Lastly we received a 3rd place award in Innovative Public Awareness.

Huge thank you to SITS members who applied for all of the awards!

It is that time of year when SITS members from the Education Committee bundle up books for every student Pre-K through 9th grade in the Lake Tahoe Unified School District. Students in Pre-K and K-1 each will receive 2 books! Thanks to Cookie Rork and Laurie Brazil, co-chairs of the committee, for ordering and organizing this project. Happy Summer reading!

Member Quick reminders:

Quarterly Member Dues continue to be accepted at this time. These funds are how we pay for our overhead expenses so they are very important. In addition, Happy Dollars can be paid directly online on our website www.sitahoesierra.org on the Donate button. “Note” what the payment is for to help out our team! Make your payment here.

Our Soroptimist apparel line is ready for purchase! Liz Prestella’s Torq’d clothing line for women is our supporter of this endeavor. Members and appreciators of SITS are now able to purchase apparel and items from her website. See what items are offered and to order go here. Thank you to the SITS team and to Torq’d for all of the hard work.

Club Events

Specifically SITS

Members, mark your calendars for these important upcoming events:

• Installation, June 19th. Venue is at Wendy’s
• Celebrity Golf Tournament, July 9-13, 2025
• Fall District V meeting, Sept. 20 ,Lakeland Village, cosponsored with SISLT

SITS Social June 29 on the Valhalla Lawn, 4 p.m. Free concert featuring the Alex Lucero Band. For SITS Members, Misters, and Friends interested in Soroptimist.

Go to Valhalla website for more information. Click here.

NON-SITS

Fun and Opportunities in Tahoe

There’s actually so much going on so you’re going to want to check out the EVENTS tab on www.southtahoenow.com, but here’s a few to get you started!

$5 DUMP DAY, Saturday, June 14

8 a.m.-4 p.m. South Lake Tahoe Refuse Center

2140 Ruth Ave., South Lake Tahoe, CA

Time to do a little spring cleaning? Dispose of unwanted items at just $5 per vehicle (CA residents) and $10 per vehicle (NV residents). Refrigerators FREE! Thanks to Pay It Forward Project.

Summer Reading Challenge

Help our SITS member and Zephyr Cove Library Director, Vanna Bells, blow out the stats for the library’s summer reading challenge. READERS: Get credit for all the pages you are already turning. If you need a little inspiration to read, this is it! You can get credit for books, books on tape, reading the books you have stacked at home, or items you check out from the library, etc. between May 31 and July 31. Register right now here.

Lake Tahoe Wildlife Center could use donations of towels if you have some to take to goodwill, take them here instead.

PETAL KINDNESS is a non-profit organization that rescues flowers to uplift others and helps divert green waste from landfills. They are in desperate need of vases. Drop them off at 2941 Lake Tahoe Blvd. Leave behind wooden pallet wall.

UC Master Gardener’s Free Event. Click here for more information.

Our friends at Optimist have activities to calendar! Details are on their website at https://southlaketahoeoptimist.com/

Day In Paradise is July 19th 

Valhalla kicks off its arts and entertainment season on June 6. Experience a sunset concert or an award winning play at the Boathouse Theater. Click here for information on all the events

Blood donations are needed and four are scheduled in our community. Please see details here and make your appointment today!

Zephyr Cove Library’s latest programs for adults

They offer so much, check out their website to see all the wonderful opportunities they have to offer.

www.library.douglascountynv.gov

Looking for up to date resources in our community? Barton Health has a list for all of us and it is actively updated! SHARE this link with others!

ALL YEAR LONG!

LTCC Basic Needs Center is looking for food donations. A variety of foods and basic need items are on the list. Click here for full list and drop off details

If you’d like to donate through our club, please bring your donations to the monthly business meeting and Lisa C. or Andie will make sure they are delivered to the college. Please include an estimate on the value as LTCC needs to keep records of that information.

Important Updated information for your family from TASK (Tahoe Alliance for Safe Kids)

TASK’s mission is to prevent and reduce youth substance use and related harm – Keeping kids safe in collaboration with our community partners. TASK’s mission is to prevent and reduce youth substance use and related harm – Keeping kids safe in collaboration with our community partners. On Jun 5 from 4-5pm TASK will host Dr. MCNamara who is speaking about co-existing disorders. For more information about TASK click here.

South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue has a quarterly newsletter to keep us all updated on fire safety info. Their goal is to help people learn about the fuels reduction products they are working on, seasonal fire safety info and other fire dept related news. Click here to sign up for the newsletter

Saint Joseph Community Land Trust has changed their Motel to Home (MTH) program from a loan program to a grant program and we’re hoping this will attract families living in substandard housing, who would like to live in a more permanent and adequate home. Please click here for more details

Tahoe Learning Haven – Click here for all their information and a link to each month’s newsletter.

TAHOE LEARNING HAVEN: Are you aware of the FREE monthly educational forums that Kathy Haven has set up for students, parents, and all interested community members? These are great! Most TLH forums are the second Wednesday of the month from 6:45pm-9pm at the Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe! Go here or t[email protected]. Mark your calendar now

Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless seeks community support in keeping people cared for.

Our South Shore community has been able to sleep better knowing that our homeless population has an indoor option. This winter season marked the seventh anniversary of the Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless (TCH) providing warm beds to the most vulnerable in our community.

The office hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 12-4 at the Red Lodge, 1137 Emerald Bay Rd.

More details here

Between Horses and Humans continues to grow! If you’re a lover of youth and a lover of horses, this is a program for you! You can keep up on their information by reading their newsletters here! Volunteers and donations are always needed. BHH Update-they are soon relocating to the Amacker Ranch!

Food Assistance Guide for So. Lake Tahoe. If you know of anyone in need, please share this information. Click and print!