SITS News January 15, 2026

Published Jan. 15, 2026

President Paula opened today’s beautiful morning. Our weather has been simply stunning this week.

Our Invocation from Lydia was delivered in person today. She’s been gone for a spell helping her son get past some health issues. Dietrich, we are so glad you are doing well! Today she shared wonderful words about the sweetness of doing nothing, and how important that is in our lives. MAKE time to have no agenda, even for a few minutes. It will give more meaning to your life.

Sunshine: Positive thoughts and prayers for Lydia and her son Dietrich as he continues to get stronger. We send our heartfelt best to Lois’s George and his family on the recent passing of his nephew.

SITS SPONSORSHIPS are coming in! We have two amazing levels and hope you’ll consider one of them! Your support helps us throughout the year. Learn how you can become a 2026 Club or Event Sponsor here!

Lisa Barbash, author of Four Women and a Mountain, joined us today and it was so exciting. The Tahoe region is special to everyone who calls this vast beauty, home. The history is amazing, especially the roles played by women. She was recently interviewed about her book and you can enjoy it here. It’s fascinating!

In Four Women and a Mountain, the narrative unfolds against the breathtaking backdrop of the Sierra Nevada, where the mountains are not just a setting but a character in their own right. This book shines a light on the often-overlooked contributions of women who have shaped the region’s history.

These women, often relegated to the margins of history, played pivotal roles in building homes and nurturing families amidst the challenges of not only mountain life but modern cultural issues and natural disasters. Their journeys are marked by courage, determination, and an unwavering commitment to their dreams. As they each navigated the harsh realities of nature, they also forged deep connections with the land, creating a legacy that transcends generations.

Through firsthand interviews, private diary passages, and oral histories, Barbash builds intimate portraits that move between triumph and heartbreak. Readers will meet Sandy Poulsen, the first lady of Olympic Valley, a community organizer and land owner whose persistence reshaped local community efforts; Jeanne Reuter, wife of Dick Reuter, an avalanche hunter at Palisades Tahoe and Kirkwood, CA, and an educator who reimagined schooling for mountain families; Neata Arnbrister, whose family roots and personal archives reveal snowboarding’s origins and Olympic introduction and later prisoners’ rights; and Sherry McConkey, from the shadows of South African apartheid segregation to the heart of community leadership and an advocate whose steady presence anchored local activism and a nonprofit that supports community efforts. The narrative emphasizes how these women refused to “sit down, shut up, or step aside,” transforming ordinary acts into durable legacies.

Four Women and a Mountain is not just a historical account; it is an inspiring exploration of the human spirit and the bonds that unite us. Through their experiences, readers will discover the profound impact of these women on their community and the mountains they called home, encouraging a deeper appreciation for the stories that shape our world. Currently her book is available in paperback, hardback, and Kindle. She is working on an audio version now! Make this book your next Book Club pick!

COMMITTEE HAPPENINGS

We’re a busy group!

• The Awards committee is asking for Ruby Award nominees. If you know of a woman who is a superior volunteer that works to support women or youth, and is not a Soroptimist member, please let Nancy Muller know about her before the end of January. As a club, we will then vote on the prospective recipients.
• Fundraising/ONLINE AUCTION is key to the funds we provide back into our community through scholarships, books, life essentials, and so much more. Members who requested specific donors were given their hard copy letters. We have more donation requests that need a member for follow up, so please contact. [email protected] to help out!
• Fundraising/VaCa Stay Raffle! Thanks to the Bergners, Prestellas, and Rorks, we again have the opportunity to sell vacation stay raffle tickets as a big part of our fundraising. Tickets will be $50 each and only 200 will be sold for either an “Anywhere in the World” timeshare (thanks Jeanne), or a beautiful condo on Maui (thanks Cookie and Jean). Selling all tickets can net our club $20,000 for the work that we do in the community. In Person sales begin on Feb. 12, as do a person’s ability to contact us via email to secure a ticket. Our members incur a financial expense in doing this for us, so let’s all do our best to sell tickets!
• 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! Feb. 12 at 9 AM is Gentle yoga and a sound bath, cost of approx. $25 at OMNI Yoga. Reservations required. Contact Kim V) Mar. 12 is Ski with a Ranger at Heavenly. Apr. 9, May 14, and June 11….activities will be announced.
• HWHW will once again host Bread & Broth for our community on Monday, March 2, 2026. If you’d like to be one of the 5 volunteers, contact Kim V. now!
• SOCIAL Committee! 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]

SITS Member Reminders

Quarterly Member Dues for Jan-March and Happy Dollars: These funds are how we pay for our overhead expenses, so they are very important. Thanks to our Tech team and Treasurers, we continue to evolve into the most efficient payment and accounting methods. Use THIS LINK or QR Code to PAY YOUR WEEKLY, QUARTERLY, or YEARLY DUES AND HAPPY DOLLARS!

SITS Committee Signups~ Go to our signup listing site for this year of fun committee options here!

NEWS team signups are 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.

SOROPTIMIST CONFERENCES!

• District 5 Winter Forum Leadership Summit, hosted by SI Sierra Reno is February 27th! Details here.
• SNR conference celebrating 50 years from June 5-7, 2026, in Reno.
• Biennial Soroptimist International conference will be held in Incheon, South Korea from July 22-25, 2026.

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!

Scholarship Application Help Forum is in the South Tahoe High Library on Wednesday, Jan. 21 from 1:30 -4pm.

High School Seniors…come get help…most scholarship applications are due on Feb. 1, 2026!

Women’s Fund El Dorado Grant Applications Now Available! Due by Jan. 29th, 2026.

El Dorado County nonprofit agencies serving the western slope of the County are now invited to apply for grant funding from Women’s Fund El Dorado (WFED).

$112,000 is expected to be awarded in grants in 2026. Request for proposals (RFPs) must be completed by 11:59 p.m. on January 29th, 2026. For 2026, WFED’s Inspiration Grant will award a total of $52,000. By design, the Grant does not have a specific focus, thereby inspiring nonprofits to identify and address our community’s most pressing needs. Applicants may apply for up to $26,000. Click here for more info.

To qualify for funding, organizations must have nonprofit status and an established office on the western slope of El Dorado County (El Dorado Hills to Silver Fork).

This is the 39th Season of Tahoe Arts Project!

TAP performances include:

Push Physical Theater-Performances in our schools for our youth are Jan 26-30, 2026. This is going to be amazing! There is a Public Presentation on January 30th at LTCC’s Duke Theater. DETAILS HERE!

Katie Jane Band-March 2 – 6, 2026,

Living Voices-“Our Revolution” will be presented in our LTUSD schools March 23-27, 2026, with an evening Community Presentation at LTCC on Wednesday, March 25, 2025, hosted by the Lake Tahoe Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution in collaboration with TAP and LTCC.

Tahoe Alliance for Safe Kids

TASK will be having a “Soul Shoppe Family Night on February 25th. Childcare and food will be provided for the parents. Volunteers appreciated. SITS Members, get ready to help out by baking cookies for the participants!

Drug Store Project: This year’s date is March 31st. Volunteers from the community are needed! Email Theresa at [email protected] if interested.

Encompass Youth will be the spotlighted organization at the Tahoe Knight Monsters Hockey Game on March 13th as they celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and earn a percentage of ticket sales IF tickets you purchase your tickets through the QR code which will be provided soon. Just be sure to mark your calendars, get your green items out of your closet, and check back here for details soon! Questions? Contact Karen at [email protected].

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.

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 desperately needed . 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!