SITS News December 4, 2025

President Paula is away this week seeing the “little” and being an in person grandma. Enjoy Paula. In her absence, our wonderful Shelly stepped up to the plate and we thank her for that. That’s how we do things in this club. We’ve got each other’s back and we’re so grateful.

Invocation: Lydia’s invocation reminded us not to focus on the frantic buying, decorating, rushing and work involved in the Holidays. Instead, remember that it is good to pray for peace on earth and goodwill towards all persons. Enjoy the season. Look at it with childlike joy, and the cold of the winter will be banished by the warmth of our hearts.

Sunshine continues for Wendy as she continues her journey towards health, for Jim Barr to gain more strength, Lydia’s son Dietrich for healing, and Carla for healing. Prayers for a warrior of women, Jen Gurecki, founder of Zawadisha, on her journey with cancer. A Go Fund Me has been established at https://www.gofundme.com/f/jen-gurecki-support-fund

If you’d like to contribute to a raffle basket that we are putting together for the Festival of Lights, please bring something Christmasy to the meeting next Thursday!

Today we heard from Sophia, the powerhouse who is currently the President of the SITSTER’S club at the college. Shelly Martinez stepped up to be a resource for this club after 2 of the girls who had participated in the High School Soroptimist club wanted to continue it at the college level. This College club is very active. They participated this year in the Lake Tahoe Marathon, volunteered at the Celebrity Golf Tournament with our club, helped with our Mad Hatter fundraiser and several of their own community activities. Sophia is a busy lady, In addition to being President of the Soroptimist club, she works as a Program Aid in the Equity and Student Wellness Program. She hostesses at Riva Grill, works at Target and coaches wrestling for the high school. Sophia also mentors her brother, encouraging him to participate in extracurricular programs. She plans to go to San Jose State college and pursue a degree in Justice. After she wore us out talking about all she does in a week, we got to share a bit with her.

The prompt was: What do you wish you could tell your younger self? Here are some of our answers…

Everything you think is a huge deal right now….probably isn’t.

Everyone is more worried about how they look than how you look.

Be OK with getting sidetracked from your path.

New paths are part of life and require adaptation.

Make friendships a priority.

Make your relationships strong, don’t focus only on your career.

Self-care is a priority, whatever that means to you.

Keep your own council, you know you best!

Listen more and don’t always need to be right!

Work to find your environmental “comfort zone”.

Don’t underestimate the power of Friendship!

A very special THANK YOU to Barton Health as they have pledged as a 2026 Event Sponsor for our club! We are so excited to again have your support and partnership to enhance the lives of women and youth in our community and the world! Thank you again!

Learn how you can become a 2026 Club or Event Sponsor here!

Today was our Sitsterhood time! It’s always a fun way to spend the morning, catch up on each other, and build on our relationships.

During the meeting we had an unexpected Emergency Earthquake alert. Some of our more flexible ladies took cover under the desks. Turns out it was a false alarm.

COMMITTEE HAPPENINGS

• The Middle School Committee, shown above, wrote 78 thank you cards to South Tahoe Middle School personnel for their efforts and dedication to the students, staff, families and our community as a whole.

• Dream it Be it – our ladies took our “Life Skills” girls from Mt. Tallac to the Safeway grocery store. We gave them each $20 and had them shop to cook a meal for their families. This reinforced the last meeting we had where we talked about inexpensive but healthy ways to cook. The girls loved it and were so excited to cook for their families. All the girls came up with different ideas: Poke Bowls, Mac-n-cheese, steak and vegetables, chicken ceasar salads, to mention a few.

• Fundraising is key to the funds we provide back into our community through scholarships, books, life essentials, and so much more. Currently we are asking all members to address the donation signup sheet that has been emailed out to sign up as the club contact for that business. If you need any assistance, contact Lisa Huard at [email protected] or ring her up!
• Donations are already coming in! Go to Sits2026.org to view or donate items.
• HWHW (Healthy Women/Healthy World) is organizing a Monthly Movement series. Each will take place following our business meetings around 9 am. Join us and bring a friend! Save the dates and let’s move! (Dec. 11, Jan. 8, Feb. 12, Mar. 12, Apr. 9, May 14, and June 11….activities will be announced)
• Dec 18, Holiday Party and Cookie Exchange.
• Jan. 22 at 9 AM, let’s all gather at Elements for breakfast following our meeting. MORE SOCIAL to follow!
• Technology Committee continues to be available to our ladies to learn more about our google account, our mail, and whatever else you need to help you be more efficient. Technology isn’t a fad, so get the amazing assistance that you need! Get a hold of one of the ladies at [email protected]

Announcements: SITS Holiday Party will be held on December 18th at the Lisa Maloff Center.

Immediately afterwards, we will have a cookie exchange in the lobby. If you ever wondered about us, this would be a great chance to mingle with members. Guests are always welcome.

The South Lake Tahoe Festival of Winter Lights celebration will be held Dec. 12 and 13 at the Senior Center parking lot. Our club will staff a booth during the evening celebration so plan on joining in the fun.

SITS Member Quick Reminders

Quarterly Member Dues for Oct – Dec and Happy Dollars: These funds are how we pay for our overhead expenses, so they are very important. Dues are generated by our Treasurers. 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 site for this new year of fun committee options 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.

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!

The Optimist Tree lot is open! Get your beautiful tree and benefit the youth in our community at the Lakeview Commons! Details here!

Foster Parent Recruitment – It Takes a Village!

If you’ve lived in South Lake Tahoe for any amount of time, you know this place runs on community. We look out for each other’s kids, we show up when someone needs a hand, and we rally fast when the stakes are real.

Right now, one of the most important — and least talked-about — needs in our town is happening quietly, late at night, in living rooms and social worker offices:

Our local kids, entering foster care, are often being sent out of the county simply because we don’t have enough foster homes here in South Lake.

Not because they need to leave.

Not because they’ve done anything wrong.

Just because there wasn’t an available bed close to home.

If you have ever wondered if you could help, please click on the link or check out the flyer below and consider signing up to learn more!

The El Dorado Community Foundation does so much in our community. Click here to see their newsletter.

Kiwanis Annual Sock Drive

Find your Mt. Tallac Gear HERE. Mt. Tallac is selling hoodies, sweat shirts, tee, leggings and lots more, but only until Dec. 5, 2025. Orders arrive in approximately one week and make a perfect Christmas gift!

This is the 39th Season of Tahoe Arts Project. TAP performances include: Push Physical Theater-Jan 26-30, 2026, Katie Jane Band-March 2 – 6, 2026, Living Voices-March 23-27, 2026.

The Tahoe Women’s Community Fund is having their membership drive! The Tahoe Women’s Community Fund, a philanthropic leadership organization, is dedicated to building and engaging an inclusive and diverse membership of women interested in strengthening our community through the power of collective giving. Be a part of something big!

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!

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

December 5th Blood Drive

South Lake Tahoe Community Blood Drive will be held this Friday, Dec. 5, and organizers need your help! Just 50 more donors are needed to reach the goal promised by Barton volunteers at the beginning of the year.

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!