SITS News January 29, 2026

Published Jan. 29 2026

President Paula opened today’s meeting at the Lisa Maloff Center.

Our Invocation from Lydia reminded us that even though we live in a difficult time right now, often filled with hate and escalating violence between citizens and those in authority, Chinese philosopher Lao Tsu gives us a simple task to make things better: speak kindly even in stressful and unfair situations. Give freely and without an agenda.

Guests: Kathy Haven

Sunshine Positive thoughts go out to our SoroptiMister Rick Pence as he faces another surgery; more healing for our Wendy who took a nasty fall this past weekend (nothing broken!)

Today’s Program: We welcomed Jennifer Bassett, founder and director of Hands4Hope – Youth Making a Difference, which kicked off with its 1st outreach 18 years ago. Jennifer’s passion is youth development and empowerment, utilizing youths’ strengths while connecting them with communities to fill unmet needs.

And thus began Hands4Hope. The mission is to inspire and empower youth in leadership and service. The primary objective is to enable youth to make a difference in their communities and offer meaningful community service projects combined with instruction and reflection, school-based clubs, and diverse leadership opportunities.

Hands4Hope School Programs provide opportunities for students within a smaller group. The Outreach Program gives students a means to learn about and engage with their community. It is primarily after school and on weekends where students learn 1st hand about social issues in their community. Youth Education Committees provide students from 6th to 12th grade to Explore, Act, and Lead through service-learning projects by participating in on-campus clubs or in after school committees service-learning projects.

Currently the program is offered on the western slope of El Dorado County… coming to South Tahoe Middle School and South Tahoe High School

TIMELINE:

March 17, 2026: Information Meetings held for interested youth

Spring 2026: Youth leaders identified

May 2026: Outreach Program launches

Summer 2026: Youth leaders join existing leadership training program

Fall 2026: Clubs officially launch on campuses

This is such an exciting program! For more information go here.

A huge thank you to Pay It Forward for this year’s sponsorship.

Community Safety Tidbit: South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue is linked into a program purchased by El Dorado County. It’s the SMART911 program. Go https://ready.edso.org and create an account. Emergency services can gain important information on your home and who is in it as they are responding. You can provide as much or as little information as you want. Things like an elderly parent, pets, family members, Oxygen tanks in the home, etc., help first responders help you. Please take the time to check it out and SHARE.

COMMITTEE HAPPENINGS

We’re a busy group!

• 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(Lisa H. will have tickets at the business meeting), as do a person’s ability to contact us via email to secure a ticket. Two lucky winners will be drawn at our Mad Hatter event at Valhalla on May 17!.
• 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: Bunco Night is coming in February. Date to be finalized.
• 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! *Be sure to use the drop down menu on the service charge and click “Other”, then type in “0”. You will not pay a service fee in doing this.

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!

This is the 39th Season of Tahoe Arts Project!

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 11th as they celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and earn a percentage of ticket sales. Look for the flyer with QR code in an upcoming newsletter. Then mark your calendars and get your green items out of your closet. 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!