SITS News August 28, 2025

Published 8.28.2025

President Paula opened our meeting on a glorious Tahoe summer morning. We have had amazing rain and boy did we need it.

Location change next week. REMINDER for Sept. 4 meeting location. We will be meeting at the new Keep Tahoe Blue building on the corner of Tulare & Lake Tahoe Blvd. 2877 Lake Tahoe Boulevard. Just watch for the NO Parking signs and consider car pooling. They have a parking lot and official hours begin at noon!

Today’s Sunshine

• Continues for our Wendy. You are a warrior and we are here for you.
• Continued prayers for Jim Barr and family. Hoping Jim gets home this next week. We know his team is a strong one. We are also at the ready for our SoroptiMister.

Our guest this week was Ernie Claudio. He’s been on a recon effort for wife Jan who might have Thursdays available soon. Both are long time and hearty volunteers in our community and we thank them both. We appreciate your support Ernie!

Invocation: Lydia’s invocation today highlighted the beauty of the arts, especially dance. Imagine being an instructor in front of your many young and curious pupils. So much excitement and trepidation on both parts. Even though most of your students won’t be professional dancers, all will benefit in the long run. Dance, ballet in particular, provides improved physical health like strength, flexibility, and posture; enhanced mental discipline and focus; boosted confidence and self-esteem; developed coordination, body awareness, and teamwork skills. Let your heart soar through ballet or the other disciplines and encourage your little dancers to flourish.

Today’s program was presented by three amazing women, Kelly Tillson, Kelly O’Fallon and Eddie Beaty. They represent the newest nonprofit in our community, the Tahoe Ballet & Performing Arts Foundation.

Imagine you’re a mom with a desire to have your child involved in movement, particularly ballet, that is lead by professional dancers and is accessible to all. Something home grown, created by other like minded individuals who want to see ballet back to the basin and available to more of our kids. Well, like many other amazing programs we have in Tahoe, this idea started with a couple of people talking about a single dream.

The dream? To provide FREE high quality dance opportunities and programs for the youth in our community. With that thought, they put together an amazing Board, all with talents and businesses to see this endeavor be successful for kids and their families.Together Kelly Tillson, Kelly O’Fallon,​ Eddi Beaty, Heather Coleman, Nicole Bardzell,​ Dr. Audry DaSilva, Stephanie Lopez-Phelps,​ and Madison Hicks are working together to bring dreams to reality.

Established just this year, the original intent was to put together a summer camp. Something for the TK through 3rd grade students. Those grade levels were selected because ballet isn’t always at the top of the dance choices for the older youth. Starting kids out in ballet as a little might see the interest in ballet grow over the years. The more they worked on this idea, the more interested professional dancers wanted to jump in and become a part of the team! What they were able to provide is still in its infancy, but we see big things down the pike.

This summer’s highly successful program included ballet, jazz, breath work, and a musical performance to an audience. All instructors are highly trained and technical. At present the instructors are Kelly O’Fallon, Stephanie Lopez-Phelps​, Robyn Rasmussen​, and Eddi Beaty​, but there are other retired professional dancers who want to join in.

43 campers attended an unforgettable three days on the grounds at Valhalla Tahoe and their final performance, in the Boathouse, will be something to carry with them the rest of their lives. This event was so well received that it has now turned into a 12-week Fall class opportunity for TK – 5th grade!

How does all of this occur with out a cost to the camper? Well, behind the scenes are many adults working hard at writing grants and raising funds to provide this special opportunity. Their big fundraiser is next week, September 5th at the Tahoe Beach Retreat and everyone is invited to participate!

Tickets are $60 each, and you have to be 21+ to attend. It’s a lively adult evening featuring drinks (One is included with your ticket purchase), heavy appetizers, live music and a silent auction! Pink and/or black casual-to-cocktail attire is encouraged to add to the fun.

Get your tickets now and help support this amazing opportunity in our community.

Thank you to Kelly, Kelly, and Eddi for your presentation today. We enjoyed it very much.

And an added NOTE TO ALL SERVICE CLUBS, consider your club helping to sponsor dancers in your budgets! For more information, contact Board President Kelly Tillson at [email protected] or 530-542-8744.

Shout out to the Education Committee! They put together approximately 100 backpacks for the kids in our community which go to our students in grades K – high school. We hear the chairs had everything so organized! Thank you to them and thank you to our community who participate in our fundraisers. This comes from all of us!

Committee Reports:

• All Committee budgets are due to Lois or Andie by September 22.
• We need more people to help register attendance for the morning meeting. To volunteer, sign up for the Attendance/Hospitality/AV committee here.
• Paula will email the survey results to the membership

We are sponsoring, along with the noon club, the SNR District 5 “Fall Into Service” meeting on Sept 20, 2025 at Lakeland Village with a social gathering at Idle Hour on Friday night the 19th. Registration is $40 per person and includes appetizers on Friday and continental breakfast and lunch on Saturday. Our club will be responsible for providing the continental breakfast. Paula has assembled a team to help her with the details of the meeting–Jeanne, Lisa C., Cookie, Nancy, Lydia and Shelly. For more information, and to register, click here. We’re so excited that the Keynote Speaker is our Ruby Award Winner, Andrea Drew.

SITS Member Quick Reminders

Quarterly Member Dues and Happy Dollars continue to be accepted at this time. These funds are how we pay for our overhead expenses so they are very important. 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!

SITS Committee Signups~ Go to our signup listing for this new year of our fabulous club here!

SITS Newsletter wants YOU! Our newsletter is amazing and so is our team! The process is easy to learn and your commitment time is scheduled by you! You can prep ahead of your publication and make it a snap. Our team will be happy to teach you the point-n-click program and we’ll be at your side throughout the year. Sign up for your weeks now!

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.

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!

Get your party on with the Tahoe Ballet & Performing Arts Pink and Black Fundraiser! Follow them here!

Join CASA for their 2nd annual Family Fun Day, happening on Saturday, September 27, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at The Hangar Lake Tahoe, 2401 Lake Tahoe Blvd. Read details here.

To register for the Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless FACES event, click here.

Vista Rise Collective (previously Live Violence Free) is always looking for volunteers. There are many opportunities, for both direct and indirect services. Cash donations are always welcome, but every Tuesday they accept non cash donations such as furniture, clothing, etc. For more information about volunteering, donations and/or services provided click here.

Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care could use donations of towels if you have some to take to goodwill, take them here instead. Check out their Facebook page here

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.

Petal Kindness rescues these flowers from the landfill and provides them to non-profits, hospitals, senior centers, and community-based organizations to bring comfort, joy, and healing to our local community members. Donations and volunteers are always needed!

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

Zephyr Cove Library’s latest programs for adults

Check out their website for opportunities offered.

www.library.douglascountynv.gov

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

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.

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 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 10th 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!