Opinion: Sense of community means giving back as a company
By Stephanie Grigsby
Anthony J. D’Angelo wrote, “Without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community.” I have been a member of the Lake Tahoe community for over 11 years, but still I find myself astounded at the passion and efforts our members put into making Tahoe an enjoyable, successful, vibrant city. Our area is full of people who inspire me with their constant striving to make Tahoe a better place for us all.
This sense of spirit is no more evident than within the walls of my office. I work as a principal at Design Workshop, an international landscape architecture and land-planning firm with an office right here in Tahoe. I feel compelled to recognize the extraordinary dedication and talents of my co-workers, and how their sense of community betterment has impacted our firm. I am continually impressed by the quality of design they produce but also by the fact that each person donates his or her time and talents to give back to the area that has fostered and supported our business success.
Stephanie Grisby
This team understands the important need to sustainably improve the quality of life for its neighbors and friends and to provide an enriching experience to those who visit the area. Whether we are in the office, working on client projects, or volunteering our time to initiatives such as alternative transportation improvements, we are committed to the community.
Ben Fish, operations manager at Design Workshop, also serves as board member and trails director of the Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association. He has a passion for making Tahoe a year-round destination for adventure seekers who want to explore the city’s natural environment by bike. This spring, he brought together over 40 people, including land managers and resort operators, for a three-day workshop put on by the International Mountain Bike Association to focus on techniques to build and design trails that benefit communities socially and economically.
Steve Noll, my fellow principal at Design Workshop, focuses on volunteer efforts that advance alternative modes of transportation and recreational improvements in Tahoe. Noll assisted in the initial design for the field renovations of the South Tahoe track and soccer field and is a charter member of the Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition, promoting the development and maintenance of bike lanes and paths.
Micah Langdon, an associate at Design Workshop, organized a volunteer effort to design and construct a kids’ garden at Western Nevada College’s Child Development Center, using tires that had been dumped in vacant lands. His son and schoolmates learn how to help plants grow while the greater community enjoys a cleaner landscape.
In addition to these specific efforts, many members of the Lake Tahoe team of Design Workshop regularly spend time serving on boards, planning committees and business cooperatives as well as contributing to the community arts and organizations.
Over the past 11 years I have been fortunate not only to work on important projects that better our community, such as the South Tahoe Greenway, but to also work alongside a team of talented individuals who are committed to bettering Tahoe. This spirit of dedication is the reason I enjoy coming into my office every day. I work directly with a number of these neighborhood-oriented members, but I am delighted that there are numerous others whom I read about or see in action, cleaning beaches or building trails. So here is a big thank you to my colleagues at Design Workshop and to the many residents of Lake Tahoe who continually work to make our city great.
Stephanie Grigsby is a principal at Design Workshop.
Self aggrandiizing corporate propaganda.
Just what did the company give that wasn’t part of a job/contract?
Some employees donate there time to areas of their own interest.
So What.
The fact that your people serve on planning boards. So what. Your company is a planner it’s good for your business.
Then to package your dribble and brag how great you all are is pathetic.
Well placed Corporate propaganda.
You’re so great. Don’t break your arm patting each other on the back.
Wow Eco,
Sure, maybe some of the article is selve serving, but the work Ben has done with TAMBA is true dedication to the community.
May I ask what you have done?
Eco: That was rude and unnecessary.
Foggy
TAMBA is dedicated to it’s interest – So what?
SLT is a pit with a poorly established economy that has one of the worst employment rates in the Nation.
It is a result of the excessive ignorance and low standards leading to the mess you are in.
As far as I am concerned – The reputation of being a ghetto with a view is deserved.
Hiding from the view of those that consider it a crap Hole only perpetuates your problems.
Look around – wake up and smell the truth.
And where do you live Eco Tahoe?
Steve,
Not in SLT or El Dorado County or California.
These areas are “cancers” to the “America” of yesterday.
People are realizing how much damage ignorance and poor education has done to generations of Americans.
California is now the poster child for ignorant sheeples. SLT is for average 4 and 5s to pretend their 9 and 10s.
Oh yeh, good spot for drug dealers too.
Hmm Eco, your sentence structure seems very much like clear waters. Perhaps a new moniker of choice? As for your comments, why come on a site that is read mainly by people who live in SLT and insult us all? I am guessing it somehow makes you feel better about your situation, which is unfortunately human nature. Still, such negative, bitter comments about an entire town and county, not to mention a personal attack on the person who wrote this opinion piece, should be made with full disclosure of your name. Don’t hide behind your computer; all that does is build up your own anger and resentment.
This is pure propaganda!
Who is this lady?
Wow she’s so wunderful.
You so special.
Puke it up girl.
Women like this have been reading their own press releases too much. Lots of that in today’s world.
The new castrada just rolls over to this type of self importance.
Young at heart,
A teacher type. Sentence structure… Stick to the important stuff lady.
As for this article. The lady said it’s a vibrant city. WTF is she smokin.
The ignorance of the people in this town insult itself.
The damage done to 10s of thousands of CA families by this ignorance is unholy and just in it’s beginning. It’s going to get much worse.
On a simple level, I love the lake and think the BS has to stop and
the truth has to come out. Cronies like this lady need to be called out for the bs they spew. SLT leadership is full of the spew.
Challange the lies. Shed light in truth.
Then maybe the bs will walk and we can save this place.
The only ‘false advertising’ is Eco Tahoe’s moniker use. . . I have actually worked with Stephanie, Steve, and Ben on some of these issues and can verify their interest in the communities they serve, especially including ours. . .
That some of our policies are outmoded and are not changing fast enough to accommodate a growing passion for real change, instead of what’s “being sold” by agency silos seemingly interested more in their own perpetuation than any real change (unless forced into it, as now) does nothing to diminish the fact that there are individuals who “walk the talk” about community building. . .
And not a moment too soon. . .
Is this an opinion piece or some marketing copy? Seems like the latter . . .
I am an envirnmentalist and a realist.
For South Lake Tahoe to come back as a good health environmentally and economically community it needs to be flushed.
The liberals and crony capitlists in government and business in California need to be flushed. SLT is a good place to flush first.
Dear Stephanie, Always remember that in paranoid/sociopath/con world that ”
No good deed will go unpunished”. Thanks for the effort your company gives back to our community.
Haha, Eco Tahoe. My turn.
I’ve enjoyed reading your rantings. As a regular reader on sfgate.com, you fit right in with the out-of-state trolls who spout their whacko conservatism.
I like your “So What” retorts, dismissing the hundreds of unpaid volunteer hours spent by Design Workshop employees to improve Tahoe because it was in “their interest”.
I am going to mention Martin Luther King Jr just to see if you trip yourself up insulting our greatest civil rights leader because it was in his “interest” since he was African-American.
You must feel great to have a forum to spew your garbage. I mean, no sober man or woman would listen to you when you make no sense at all. But post a few nasty words anonymously, I bet it gives you the jollies.
I would write about poetry of the sunsets, the smell of the trees, the quiet beauty. I am glad my Tahoe friends already know how I feel about their home.
Eco Tahoe, you can insult what I wrote and act like a self-appointed authority, but no one believes you live here. Even if you actually showed up in Tahoe, we would just think you were a sad man who doesn’t belong in such a wonderful place.
First off, I don’t care if you think I live in tahoe.
So what!
In my life I too have spent hundreds of hours volenteering.
I, like many conservitives don’t go bragging about it. We do it out of sense of community. It seems that Libs like you do it to brag about and show how special you are.
As for race- why did you bring that up? That’s what is called a “”tell”.
It says something about you, ya know what I mean?!? Not
flattering, but in line with my initial assesment of you. Liberals are so transparent.
You’re so special.
KMA
Tata
Sanjuro
you bringing up race REALLY bugs me.
Out of line and over the top.
In addition to being a bragert – You are a racist!
FYI – That makes you out to be a vicious and evil person.
I am sure others see it that way too.
Very telling. Typical too.
From here – Talk to the hand.
How did race become part of this discussion?
Eco is right – Pulling the race card is way out of line.
Liberals often turn to racist accusations to silance opposition.
Not nice. Not honerable.
It is funny that Eco Tahoe doesn’t like it when someone changes the game on him.
I just used his rationale that devalues public service because of self-interest and applied to something else. The rationale doesn’t work very well, does it?
As for “bragging”, anyone involved with any volunteer group knows even more important than the doing going work is getting more people involved. Every volunteer group I have worked with, the leaders were constantly putting out the good word.
But I know Eco Tahoe must be doing lots of community service. Conservatives are known for helping others.
Sanjuro
You are very wrong. Insulting to conservitives too. as a giving conservitive I am offened by your statement and did a search on Google.
This is very interesting. Every study done on the subject including one done recently by google Corp itself says you are wrong.
You should check it out so that you are more informed on the issue.
Just search
Conservitives vs liberal charitable giving
in fact the liberal bastion of Sacramento is ranked among the most
un-giving cities and two weeks back started a campaign to over come that poor ranking.
it appears that Liberals just think they are better because they brag about it to each other, kinda like you did.
Conservitives on the other hand appear to just do it because they care.
Thanks to you and eco for bringing this issue up. Maybe others will take the time like I did to check it out. It’s important to stop the liberal lies in there tracks.
Ya know what I mean?
Thanks again and good night.
Well many conservatives support policies that infringe upon civil rights, encourage the abuse of power (deregulation of banks, etc), defunding education, ignore poverty, encourage senseless environmental damage…
Give all you want, that kind of contribution is overall negative.
Also, giving to churches shouldn’t count as charitable contribution. It is no different than donating to a politician.
‘Liberal Bastion of Sacramento’….
interesting if true.
Conservatives contribute very little to the world creatively. The greatest conservative artists, musicians, comedians are pathetic compared to their most mediocre, liberal colleagues.
Who do they have? Dennis Miller for their comedian? The only SNL cast member less humorous than Miller is probably Victoria Jackson (conservative). Jon Lovitz is better.
Does anyone remember Fox New’s answer to ‘The Daily Show’? It is unwatchable. Not even funny because of how terrible it is.
Best conservative musician? I have no idea, nominate one, do your best. Hank Williams III is better than Hank Williams Jr.
However, I will give conservatives this. Their sex scandals are second to none. Larry Craig bathroom tap dancing. Or how about ‘hiking the appalachian trail’. Honestly, I am jealous. I want a South American mistress, and I dont think I have ever had fun in an airport.
Honestly Robot? You’re entitled to your own opinions about comedy, but not about facts. Jon Lovitz? The guy who lost his Aflac contract over a racist comment? Better than Victoria Jackson?
And as for sex scandals, I don’t think ANYBODY can top the Kennedys on that list. They’ve managed to include murder in theirs. A couple of times.
Wow. Jon Lovitz wasn’t the Aflac rep. It was that annoying Gilfred Godrey ( or whatever his name is) guy.
Ah, right! Sorry, my mistake. But I still think Lovitz is a bad comedian too.
I got my annoying comedians mixed up. It’s not a hard mistake to make. But the majority of the people in entertainment ARE of the liberal persuasion. Conservatives are the exception. So if the argument is that libs are more creative, in entertainment, you might be right. But if that’s what’s most important to you, I think you’re missing a LOT.
botnic
Liberals also gave us Criss Dodd, Barny Frank, Nancy Polosi, Harry Reid, Obama, obama Care, Freddy and Fanny.
The worst economy in modern history, before you say Bush did it CHECK your facts!
Government employee unions (that is really hurting the country)
George Soros, moveon dot org.
Wall street occupiers that are supported by, the Nazi Party, communist party, china.
Many historians also see many Progress Liberal tax principles helping to bring down the Roman Empire.
Wall Street and big Corporations and the mega rich like the crony capitalist Warren Buffit are progressive liberals.
The dispicable legal industry is also predominantly progressive liberals.
The failed education system and the socialist indoctrination it has become.
These are the important thing to me that need to be learned by the young so that they can fix the mess liberals have made.
On and on.
BTW, I’m not a liberal. And if you noticed, I mentioned no political opinions at all. I am someone who volunteers more than 100 hours a year doing trail work around California, including the Sierras.
Good to see that the posters admit that they have no opinion about the environment or volunteerism. They just want to spout political BS, which is irrelevant to nice lady who wrote the Opinion.
HELP,
I own a small construction company called ECO Tahoe or
Ecological Construction Offices Tahoe. The poster above is not me and does not represent my views. I wholeheartedly support anyone trying to improve our stewardship of the earth.