LTWC moving to 27 acres in South Lake Tahoe
This is an artist’s rendering of what Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care will look like.
By Kathryn Reed
STATELINE – Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care is moving from the founders’ backyard that is less than 1 acre to 27 acres in South Lake Tahoe.
Tom and Cheryl Millham, who have run the wildlife rehabilitation facility for more than 36 years, were teary-eyed as they made the announcement May 17 at MontBleu casino during a break in the annual volunteer training.
Negotiations to buy the triangular-shaped parcel owned by Marjorie Springmeyer on Al Tahoe Boulevard near Pioneer Trail and the Pioneer Village housing development have been going on since September. This is across from open space called the Springmeyer Land Conservancy.
The lease with an option to buy contract was signed May 15. The price has not been disclosed. Barbara Hartoonian left a substantial sum to LTWC that is allowing for the land acquisition. There is money for the first phase, but extensive fundraising will be required to build the facility the Millhams have been dreaming about for decades.
Cheryl and Tom Millham on May 17 announce the deal to move LTWC into the city limits. Photo/LTN
The money left by Hartoonian will only cover a fraction of the more than $10 million that the new facility plus lease is expected to cost.
Bonnie Springmeyer told Lake Tahoe News one of the driving reasons her mother-in-law decided to part with this parcel was because her friend Hartoonian believed in LTWC.
The elder Springmeyer turns 92 this summer. Her family – the Johnsons and that of her late husband Buzz’s – were pioneers on the South Shore as well in the Carson Valley. They still own a tremendous amount of land in both locations.
It has not been decided what aspect of the facility will be named after Springmeyer, but part of the deal is this will also be part of Marjorie Springmeyer’s legacy.
This property was looked at 12 years ago, but Springmeyer was not ready to sell at that time.
The next step is to secure the necessary permits from the city and Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. A zoning change will also be required.
The goal is to break ground in May 2015. Cages have been designed.
Phase one will be the rehabilitation center, including medical facility for the animals. It will also have caretaker’s quarters. Denise Upton, who has been an instrumental part of LTWC in recent years, will take over for Executive Director Cheryl Millham.
“We will be advisers and counselors to the people running the facility,” Tom Millham told Lake Tahoe News.
The Millhams have wanted to retire for years. But they haven’t been able to because the animals are in their backyard. It was in 2001 that El Dorado County told them they had to find another place for the center. It has taken this long to find a suitable location.
The second phase will include an education center that will have a conference center and gift shop.
Fencing will allow for animals that cannot return to the wild to live on site and give a different kind of educational experience for people.
“It will be great economic development for the community. It will give people another reason to stay and play,” South Lake Tahoe City Manager Nancy Kerry told Lake Tahoe News. “It will help diversify the economy.”
She added, “It’s great recognition for one of the founding families of Lake Tahoe.”
Through the years, LTWC has taken in more than 24,000 animals, returned 15,000-plus to the wild, and has trained more than 2,000 people to help care for these animals. LTWC is California’s only rehab facility for bear cubs.
does anyone know the physical address of the new ltwc?
Congrats to Tom and Cheryl. This (assuming our agencies and local government don’t screw it up) is a win-win situation- for the animals that need rehab and for SLT as done properly this could draw more visitors to our community. Congrats also to Denise, although she has some pretty big rubber boots to fill!
Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care gets a 27 acre parcel! This is great news! Thank you Springmeyers (my Dad knew Buzz a long time ago when he had the International Harvester and Meyers snow plow sales business on 50) and to Tom and Cheryl Millham for all their hard work over the years rehabing animals and birds.
This is something we can all get behind and be proud of as a community. A hard working couple with a host of dedicated volunteers and donations from the public have kept this goin’ for 36 years and then some.
I’m glad to hear some good news once in awhile, dagnabit’. With all the horrible stuff goin’ on round here it’s nice to see something positive! Congratulations, Tom and Cheryl !!!
Take care, OLS
This is really wonderful!
The only problem is: “The money left by Hartoonian will only cover a fraction of the more than $10 million that the new facility plus lease is expected to cost.”
I hope a lot of grant making organizations and a lot of people will open up their wallets to help out one of the most worthy causes I can think of. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Millham for your generous gifts of concern and care for creatures large and small.
This project is truly a gift to our community. Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care has been dedicated and committed to raising, rehabilitating and releasing orphaned and injured wildlife. The wildlife education center and sanctuary after phase 2 is completed is expected to have a total economic impact in the City and El Dorado County of over $40 million, A total of 50 jobs will be created.Over $4 million in state/local taxes will be generated.Over 300,000 visitors are expected to visit the wildlife education center and sanctuary. This project meets the triple bottom line thresholds of benefit to the environment, economy, and social benefit. We are grateful to the Springmeyer family for this opportunity. Thank you Tom and Cheryl Millham for all that you and your volunteers do. The address info is APN 025-071-20-100, located at: 1551 Al Tahoe Boulevard, South Lake Tahoe, California
the Bears will love Snoglobe
good deal
Maybe just maybe ,More bears will be saved ,I sure hope so,thank you
Thank you mrs. Springmeyers!!!!!
Great. That is so awesome. Especially here in Tahoe we need lots of space for our wildlife friends. I know I would love to go volunteer as soon as it gets open
Finally, for Cheryl and Tom, the animals in need, and the dedicated volunteers and supporters, a dream come true. Bigger and more appropriate facility, better finances, hopefully.
Tom and Cheryl, what you both have accomplished over the years, with what you have had! Thank you on behalf of the Lake Tahoe wildlife, and BEYOND!
Continued growth and success of what you both have nurtured is inevitable, and guaranteed. Your community embraces you!
Finally…. some great and wonderful news……. a positive project that will have positive impact on the wildlife, inhabitants, and economy….
The move of Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care to the new site is one of the best things to happen around here in a long time. Our injured, sick or abandoned wildlife will have a new facility with LOTS of room and if there’s funding available, a conference and perhaps a learning center and a gift shop! 4-mer-usmc is right, it’s time to open the wallets and make this a reality!
This not only helps wildlife, this will also help our local economy. Can you imagine the number of people visitng Tahoe as well as the locals wanting to see this when it’s up and running?
A good thing for our wildlife and a good thing for So. Shore, everybody wins on this one! I’m smilin’, OLS
All due respect to the Springmeyers, but this land does not sound like it was donated. A lease with the option to buy sounds like a regular market transaction to me. Not sure where the legacy part comes in other than them willing to sell. LTWC needs so much help that hopefully this deal is very favorable for the long term viability of the new center.
Otherwise good news for all LTWC has done for the wildlife and the unbelievable commitment that the Millhams have given over the years. This could really be an outstanding resource for the city and the entire state.
Old Long Skiis:
You said it perfect! I’m smilin’ too!
Wonderful news… I do hope that an important part of the new facility will be named for the Milham legacy! And, maybe a documentary-type of movie could be made to tell their story and raise some funds. Invite Robert Redford to visit…..
One more thing to add on to Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care gettin’ this new location. Can we use LOCAL contractors for the construction of this new wildlife rehab facility?
Lets make this a true South Shore thing! From start to finish, put together by a LOCAL company, Lumber and other materials from LOCAL providers with LOCAL carpenters doing the construction!!! A real community building experience for all of us!
C’mon SLT, lets show em ‘(other small towns) how to do it!!!
Gotta go and plant some more seeds, so that’s all for now, OLS
Ok one more time: fantastic news for LTWC, I love this great news. But let’s be clear on whose legacy this is:
Ms. Hartoonian DONATES what sounds like a substantial amount of money to LTWC.
Ms. Springmeyer, with influence from her late friend Ms. Hartoonian, agrees to SELL a coveted piece of land for the betterment of LTWC and the community. So ultimately, Ms. Springmeyer agrees to take Ms. Hartoonian’s money for the land.
Sounds like a Hartoonian legacy to me. Without Ms. Hartoonian, none of this next step would be a reality.
Thank you Millhams, Ms. Hartoonian, and Ms. Springmeyer, your collective cooperation will hopefully have a long happy future, (with a generous lease!)
This is very good news; I don’t know if there’s another similar facility anywhere, but it will be interesting to see how they develop it (with lots of “helpful” advice from the L.T.N. forum) and to what degree there will be public access?
I happened to drive by the site yesterday before I read this article – my first time in the neighborhood in months. Does anyone have a better description of where it’s going to be – near Pioneer Village, I gather, but also on the North side of the road?
Great news, a long time coming. Could there be a wildlife Care program through LTCC down the road?
Awesome news for the community and wildlife of Lake Tahoe!
Excellent news!! This location and the total acreage will be much better than the earlier proposed location on Old Meyers Grade. I can hardly wait to see construction begin and the new LTWC get going.
And I must agree with inviting Robert Redford and any other celebrity types to lend a hand with fundraising and promotion of LTWC.
Terrific! The Millham’s have worked so hard & deserve this.
Read this at about 4 a.m. before going to work. Absolutely electric feeling came over me. I cannot think of a better spot for Tahoe Wildlife Care to do what it wants to do, I cannot think of a better use that could be made of the land in question. This is a grandslam, and everyone should get behind it. Hooray.
With all the time, effort and love that the Milhams have put into creating and maintaining LTWC for 36 years, shouldn’t it be dedicated to them?? How about The Tom and Cheryl Center for Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care? Some of the individual centers and/or buildings could be dedicated to others who have left legacies or property.
Just my 2 cents.
Sorry, I meant The Tom and Cheryl Milham Center for Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care.
This is such fantastic news for all concerned. This has been a long time coming and a lot of work for some local folks. This will be another Jewel in the Sierra Crown; a shot in the arm for the local economy, a major benefit to wildlife and an opportunity for children and adults to learn more about nature.
This is very possibly the best news that I have heard in years. What Tom and Cheryl have done over the years with LTWC will be exponetially magnified with this new facility!
Paul Middlebrook, Yes, the new site for Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care is great news! I’d like to see a tour of the area with poster boards showing what’s planned and where. This would also be a good time to ask for donations to LTWC and get more of the community involved.
Something positive for wildlife and for all of Tahoe as well as a bump for our economy! It does’nt get much better. I also agree with Mama Bear and TahoeKaren, it should be named after Tom &; Cheryl Millham and perhaps with a photo tribute showing their years of dedication and hard work of rehabing animals.
Normaly, I wish the years would not roll by so quickly, but for this? I wish the ground breaking was right now, so we’ll just have to wait.
Smilin’ , Old Long Skiis
This is great news! Very exciting!
Thank you to the Springmeyer Family. This is something Tahoe has needed for a long time. The Milihams have given their lives to the animals. Thank you to everyone who help make this happen. I hope to be able to help with the project when they get going. I called and made a donation to Tom and he was on his way out to help a baby bear yesterday.
Cinda Beeman
Long overdue, Great thing for our mountain!!!
Fabulous! What a great organization for such a great cause!
Fantastic news!
This is the best news! LTWC is such a great asset to Lake Tahoe and a new and larger facility will allow visitors and locals alike to learn about the wildlife.
I’m so excited for Cheryl and Tom.
This is a very ambitious project, and one that has been long in the making with various exciting moments followed by setbacks. The Lake Tahoe experience will definitely be enhanced by a LTWC as envisioned in this article.
Education is the most important element we need to help us preserve the wildness we love about our area, and Tom and Cheryl along with their many volunteers have a sterling track record in returning injured and orphaned animals to the wild where they belong.
I am so hopeful that this time, things will fall into place, and this will be the winner we’ve been hoping for.
WAY TO GO. Our town needs something like this.
Community Education and Awareness about Wild Life issues and habitat will no doubt increase with this new project! I am very thankful for ALL parties making this happen. It gives me even a greater sense of urgency to donate to LTWC.
This is absolutely fabulous news. Not only have Tom and Cheryl provided a terrific service to the community, their newsletters, videos and wildlife education have been a wonderful resource to our children, teaching them to respect the environment, habitat, and the value of preserving nature. What a wonderful opportunity! I am so excited for them.
This is just the most wonderful news. Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care where firefighters took ‘Chips’ the bobcat kitten found wandering around by a wildfire-charred stump, singed to the skin, nearly blind from soot. More acreage means these highly effective wildlife rehabilitators can continue care for more orphaned/injured wildlife until the animal or bird is big enough to be released near where it was found.
Super awesome news! I’m so excited that LTWC is going to grow and be able to provide even more care and unconditional love to wildlife and animals. This is a dream come true for SLT.
Very exciting!
congratulations Tom and Cheryl. ithWith all of our support I’m sure you’re great plans for Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care will come to fruition. Yahoo!
Way to go Tom and Cheryl! This is the type of organization and movement that makes our community so interesting and relevant.
I think this the best news we could have. Knowing that our community is going to play an even bigger part in keeping the animals safe and hopefully creating a place for them to heal and grow is amazing and we are looking forward to being a part of this new adventure.
This is the best news! I moved to this town three years ago to volunteer with Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care. Though not a Board member, I attended many Board meetings just to listen and learn. It was fantastic hearing all these bright people poring over maps and discussing pipes and drainage and permits, impact on neighbors — all the complex ins and outs. Now, finally, a beautiful longtime dream will come to fruition!
Bravo to LTWC. No organization could be more deserving of this opportunity, having sacrificed so much and worked so long to help wildlife. This will also be a great asset to the community and the region. Educating people regarding stewardship is critical to fulfilling Lake Tahoe’s claim to sustainability. Our current policies allowing trash to be available to bears is shameful. Our current policies regarding these animals to be hunted is also shameful. Much of what LTWC takes on in rehabbing bears is the result of bad policy. Hopefully this center will also educate officials who fail to set good policy.
Very glad to hear – fabulous!
So very excited and happy to hear about the move!!! Although many people commented correctly – this is only the tip of the iceberg as far as costs go so I hope the community will step up and get this project funded! Thank you Tom and Cheryl for all of your hard work :)
Fantastic annoucement! Looking forward to the groundbreaking and grand opening of such an important facilty!
Congratulations Tom and Cheryl! Incredible news for an organization that is dedicated to rehabilitating wild animals. Thanks for all you do!
Tom and Cheryl do a great job in helping the injured wildlife and with the added size of the new facility I think it will speed up the recovery of the animals. Great to see there new location.
I was thrilled to hear about this !!
LTWC is the absolute best !!
Great news. My wife and I went to a similar type of place just south of Seattle Washington.it was clear that the animals were well cared for. It looked like enough people came to help offset the costs of vet care. And the people learned about the environment and the dos and dont’s of interacting with animals. It was a win win win. Im all for the concept.
duane wallace
I was privileged to volunteer at Lake Tahoe Wildlife care back in the 1980’s when I lived in Lake Tahoe for six years. I’ve never encountered a more caring and professionally run wildlife care since that time anywhere. I have continued to support LTWC ever since that time because of the deep dedication I saw in Cheryl and Tom. This expansion and new location for LTWC warms my heart and to see the community support is wonderful.
This is SUPER Good News for all of us who support Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care !!
I’ve been working around Tom and Cheryl and LTWC Staff for a little while and watching them ride this rollercoaster attempting to secure a new property.
NOW it’s done ! NOW we’re getting somewhere !
Thank You Marjorie and Bonnie Springmeyer for making it come true !
This blasts open the door for a whole new chapter for Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care and Tahoe residents as well – for pride, participation and education in a whole new level of care for wildlife.
The next exciting step is planning and development of the exciting new facility and educational center.
Let’s hope everyone at Tahoe embraces the New LTWC Facility and generously offers assistance both financially and with community spirit !
Congratulations Tom, Cheryl, and all of you at LTWC !
Congratulations! An amazing achievement. Can’t wait to visit…
What awesome news … What super dedicated lovers of wildlife the mighty Millham’s have been … So exciting to hear the legacy will live on and on ;)
This facility is a treasure for the area. So happy to see it built!
Great news! As someone said below, I wish the land had been donated rather than sold to LTWC as this serves our whole community not just a private business. This is, however, a great step forward and I am excited for LTWC.
I strongly believe that the center should be named after Tom and Cheryl rather than the Springmeyers. Tom and Cheryl have put in 36 years of dedication. No one else deserves this honor.
That’s great news! And it’s a great thing you have in SLT. I’m from the flatlands and had some business in Tahoe. Unfortunately, about a week before I found two baby doves in their overturned nest in the back yard. Featherless and eyes barely open, we nursed them back to health. But there was this Tahoe trip I needed to take so I packed up the doves and away we went. I was planning on hanging out in my hotel room with the doves when a friend suggested I take them to LTWC. So I did. I dropped them off for the day/night and picked them back up on my way out of town so I could continue caring for them and integrate them back into the dove populatin in the valley. I was so grateful they were able to help, I gave them a cash donation before I left.
A HUGE congratulations to LTWC!!! Thank goodness for all that they do, both for the wildlife and the public, as well, sharing with us the experiences of rescue, care, and release of these amazing creatures! I have learned so much, just viewing the live cams, and so appreciate what they do! This is going to be a wonderful boon to a great community!
Very glad to hear!! LTWC is such a great organization for wildlife, our local communities and the region. Congratulations – may the planning and building processes go smoothly!
This is a wonderful new location. The animals can have bigger enclosures, and Tom and Cheryl can see their dream come to fruition!
We are so happy for you and your new endeavor! We definitely will want to bethere for the Grand Opening!
After all of the years of Tom and Cheryl’s hard work along with the Wildlife community, I am so thrilled to see this happen! Congratulations!
Thank you to everyone who is making this happen! The Millhams have shared their home with the wildlife and volunteers for decades. This is a “win-win” for all!
SO EXCITING!! Last year was my first year volunteering at LTWC with my 15 year old daughter. Tom and Cheryl are amazing people and I have never personally seen anyone work harder for something they believe in. The caring of their animals is 24/7 for 30 plus years!! I am constantly in awe of their stamina. Wonderful news for them, the animals and everyone who values the beauty of wildlife.
What a wonderful and meaningful gift to the residents and visitors of South Lake Tahoe! It’s a beautiful, central location as well. This facility will allow LTWC to showcase their efforts to rehabilitate and release our treasured wildlife. The center will also be the perfect opportunity to educate the public and allow them to see native wildlife up close. Thank you to the Springmyers, Hartoonians and of course, Tom and Cheryl Millham, who are in need of a much deserved retirement.
Congratulations! I know this has been a long time dream. I was raised in Tahoe and was a long-time resident. We personally took a few homeless animals and birds to LTWC. My daughter and granddaughter have been volunteers for the past 3 years and I love hearing their stories of the love and care that goes into each animal; and making them ready to be released back into their natural habitat. How exciting this next phase will be.
This has been a long time coming, and will be great for South Lake Tahoe. I’ve been a volunteer with LTWC for over 25 years, and they do great, valuable work. We often have injured animals and birds of prey that can’t be released back into the wild. The new wildlife center will allow us to keep them in a permanent care educational facility, which will educate the public and generate revenue for the wildlife center.
Great news for a great organization- standing up and helping those creatures who cannot help themselves ! Hurray!
Most excellent news Tom and Cheryl. I mentioned this news to my daughter with the glee that it will now be close enough that we can ride our bikes to the center to volunteer.
That’s great news! Tom and Cheryl have been doing such wonderful work. It’s nice to know that their efforts will pay off into the future with a new facility that can help educate people and continue to care for wildlife in need.
Looking forward to visiting the new LTWC..will be a huge asset for not only the wildlife of Lake Tahoe and California but a wonderful educational asset for the whole state
Congratulations Tom and Cheryl-a reward for all your years of amazing dedication and hard work for a cause to benefit Tahoe, and many other areas who have called on your help. I am behind you and your dream all the way!!
Congratulations LTWC, I can’t wait!
I am so darn excited about all of this. You two are my heroes and I still marvel at all the work, hours, and soul you continue to put into the LTWC. I am honored to be a volunteer there and look forward to the move. It will be closer in town and I can ride my bike!!!
A well deserved congratulations to Tom and Cheryl for the years of hard work and effort they’ve put in to get to this stage. Having worked for a similar organization in the Bay Area I can attest to what a great thing this center will be not only for the local wildlife but for the local community young and old. I’m over the moon!
Awesome news for a great cause. Congratulations to Tom and Cheryl and all the animals that will benefit from the new facility.
What a wonderful location. So many animals have been given a second lease on life and now many more will be able to be helped. Tom and Cheryl have done a wonderful job.
Congratulations Tom and Cheryl!
Excellent news. I can’t wait to begin volunteering there.
So excited for LTWC’s new home! It is a wonderful organization that has done so much good over the years. I look forward to watching its new home grow.
As a former volunteer with LTWC I can say this move is long overdue. Tom & Cheryl’s home has served as the animal care center for too long. God bless them for their tireless work and dedication to the animals in need. Both Tom & Cheryl as well as the animals need more room. I have moved away from Tahoe but still follow LTWC on their FB page. I dearly miss the work I did there. It was one of the most rewarding volunteer experiences I have ever had. Best of luck LTWC – your work is invaluable!
This is such Great news for LTWC, and the people who love n live in our community! Cheryl n Tom have built this organization up to it’s current size n strength, but it will take the whole community to help it get to the next needed levels. THANK YOU Cheryl n Tom, for doing such an Amazing job for these last 37 year’s!!
Great job Tom and Cheryl. You guys have been in need of an actual facility for so long. Keep up the good work. You love what you do and it shows!
awesome news!
Congratulations, LTWC!!! I am so excited for you! This is long, long overdue and couldn’t be happening to more deserving folks.
I have known and been friends of Tom and Cheryl for over 30 years.
All I can say is that this new chapter is long awaited and very deserved for two people who have dedicated most of their lives to wildlife rehabilitation. It’s been a dream of theirs for so long. Can’t wait to see it become a reality.
“Spoons”
Awesome opportunity to have a one of a kind facility right here in south Lake Tahoe!
So glad this is finally happening for a new location! Very excited to hear of this.
As someone who has followed LTWC’s wonderful work for years from 3000 miles away, and who’s got friends watching from around the world, this is great news. Having LTWC get a new site and be able to help rehab more animals is just wonderful. Thank you to all the LTWC folks for your hard work. Looking forward to watching you grow.
so happy for everyone—the millhams, LTWC, the animals, tahoe, the hartoonians and springmeyers—this is a great community!!! i take baby food jars of fruit to LTWC to help with the animals getting their medications down and it amazes me how they have made it work there for so long–but like any growing family, it time for new “digs”, congratulations!!!
Of all the places on Earth, Lake Tahoe most deserves a state-of-the-art wildlife facility. Tom and Cheryl and their dedicated volunteers have worked for many years to make this happen…and now, finally, it is becoming a reality. It honestly is a dream come true and I could not possibly be more thrilled or supportive. Let’s show the World we care about our wildlife. Donate, help build, offer expertise, volunteer as a docent when it opens, bring food for the animals, help feed orphans…the list is endless and it will take many of us working hard to make this be the best it can be. But we can do it and we Will! Cheers to everyone who refused to give up! And special blessings to the memory of Barbara Hartoonian.
This is a much needed expansion. Tom and Cheryl have been rescuing wildlife inside their home for more than 3 decades so it’s time they and the wildlife had a larger facility. Please help contribute to the building fund!
I look forward to being able to visit the new facility!
Tom and Cheryl have provided an invaluable service for the wild animals in the Lake Tahoe area that have come under their care. I am so happy that they are having the opportunity to expand their facility. As a fellow rehabilitator, I know the time and commitment they have made over the years. They are terrific people who work very hard to provide an excellent opportunity for the wildlife that comes to them to be raised, rehabilitated and set free to live their lives as they should-wild.
Rescue, rehabilitate, and release are the words used by Cheryl and Tom Millham to describe Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care but there is so much more that goes on there. Li’l Smokey’s story raised awareness to this facility and the passion to get this little one back to the wild was inspiring. Thousands of animals have benefited because of the loving care given by the Millhams and their volunteers.
What a fitting way for the story to continue to the next level. It will be a place of healing and learning about wildlife and showing how the animals and humans can coexist for the benefit of all.
It will be a wonderful legacy for the Springmyers and the Millhams.
Absolutely wonderful news! Tom and Cheryl and the whole staff at LTWC so very much deserve this and all have worked very hard to finally make this happen. It is very exciting news.. the community needs to embrace this news and show their support…I am grateful for the many years they have helped Wildlife in need..very happy for them!
Great news for Cheryl & Tom & of course Tahoe. What a wonderful rescue & sanctuary they have created for our beloved animals.
Thanks to the person for donating the property. I especially thank Cheryl & Tom for the years of hard work and giving.
Wonderful, exciting news! This facility will be educational and entertaining! Many locals and tourists will visit and enjoy the wildlife up close. It has been a long time coming for Tom and Cheryl! So many times they thought they had land available to move from the current facility (their home and backyard), and then it not happen for one reason or another..
Tahoe doesn’t need another retail shop or restaurant,… this will be a nice alternative!
The future guests will become informed and view our local wildlife, with a permanent facility for housing animals that could not be returned to the wild. They will learn how to care for them, if they want to get involved as a volunteer, as I did many years ago.
Congratulations LTWC! Yeah!!!
This has been a long time coming. It’s exciting that LTWC will finally be able to expand and I think it will a wonderful addition to our community. And it’s great that eventually there will be a place for the animals that cannot be released back into the wild.
I first encountered LTWC when they started caring for the baby bobcat rescued from the big plumas county fire on west shore a lake almanor a few years ago. he was able to be re-introduced to the wild some months later. It is great for rescued animals to find sanctuary, great for the community to be able to see these animals. happy trails, LTWC!
What a blessing a new facility would be for Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care. They give animals a second chance…don’t we all want that? I’ve seen firsthand their wonderful work with wildlife. Tom, Cheryl and all the staff are so dedicated to wildlife, and helping them (rescue, rehab and release). God Bless them all in their care of these critters!!!
If you have ever witnessed a rehabbed eagle release, you realize the importance of the work of LTWC and its volunteers. They need and deserve more space. I hope this is possible.
Wonderful news for LTWC, our community and particularly our wildlife. Thank you Tom and Cheryl. I know we will come together as a community in support of this project so we may continue “giving mother nature a helping hand”. Count me in for helping with fund raising in any way I can.
Rescue, rehabilitate and release for a second chance at life is the goal of Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care for each and every orphaned or injured animal that comes through their door but there are a very few that cannot be released back into the wild. This new facility will give these animals the opportunity to live out their lives and be ambassadors of local wildlife for people to learn about. What a great way to learn about Lake Tahoe’s wildlife whether you live there or are a visitor. Cheryl and Tom have dedicated their lives to helping these animals and especially bear cubs.
Congratulations to the LTWC and the Millhams. This move and new facility will put Tahoe in the forefront of wildlife rehabilation and a much-needed educational resource for our community. It is about time the Millhams, their staff, and volunteers be recognized for their unbelievable commitment to our wildlife. All of us should support this project— it is good for the environment, our economy and the Tahoe community as a whole!
Congrats to LTWC! They are an amazing facility and deserve this. Can’t wait to volunteer again!
This move is a wonderful opportunity for LTWC. Several years ago, I brought up a young Merganser to Cheryl and Tom’s facility. He was transported there so that he could be with another Merganser, slightly younger, already in care. I was impressed with the enclosure for the two ducklings. They even had their own pool! They became new best friends and were released together. I had a brief tour of the facilities because I volunteered at IBRRC in Fairfield, CA. The public can see exhibits and be educated about wildlife at the new place. After all, we love what we know! Wildlife that cannot be released back into the wild could be affection-trained to become education ambassadors. Furthermore, the new facility will mean more room to take care of more wildlife. I believe LTWC is the only wildlife care facility in the area, so moving to a new, larger place makes sense. The whole project is very exciting and I can’t wait to see it!
What a blessing this acquisition will be! Having helped at LTWC for a few days last August, I know that this move is much needed. Greetings and best wishes from the great State of Missouri!
Congratulations to Cheryl and Tom and thank you for the effort you put in every day to help our precious wildlife. Al/Tahoe & Pioneer–a perfect location on the big acreage the center needs. This is great news!
This is great news!! What a wonderful thing for Lake Tahoe to have a state of the art wildlife care and educational center. No one is more deserving than Tom and Cheryl to see this dream become a reality. They have dedicated their lives to these precious creatures. Much fund raising must be done and the idea of having someone with celebrity status give a boost to fund raising efforts would be awesome. It would have to be on a grand scale in order to raise the amount of funds that would be needed to complete this project. Congrats to Tom and Cheryl for a dream finally realized.
Great! Look forward to visiting again!
This is so great, not just for this organization but also all the other wildlife rehabilitation organizations all over California who send their injured and orphaned bears to be cared for by Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care. I can’t wait to see the new facility as it progresses.
I can’t even express how excited I am for this news. I am constantly in awe of what Tom and Cheryl do and the knowledge they have in caring for our wildlife. This is a long overdue expansion and I am so excited for our community to have such a place. Just awesome!
Out of sight! They are such wonderful people to have worked so hard for our wildlife for so long. I am so glad the animals will have even more space to heal- what a great thing!
Finally! this has been a long time coming, and it is definitely a win-win situation: the community wins, the animals win, and LTWC gets a state of the art facilty!
This is such great news! The Millhams have accomplished so much with limited resources, it’s wonderful to see their hard work pay off in such a wonderful way. This will be a state of the art facility and will allow even more successful wildlife rehabilitation. Congratulations, Tom and Cheryl!
Love and blessing to the dear Lady of Tahoe. Thank you Marjorie Springmeyer. Thanks to the wonderful team who protect our wild friends.
This is good news. We are now in Brookings OR ..but lived in Lake Tahoe for over 28 years. Lovely there..lovely here. SMILE. On two occasions in our early years there my husband had occasion along with our sons to take two injured birds for help to the former location. Once it was a Flicker. (We have those here too, I am pleased to say). The fellows made a small donation there for food. This is a lovely Tahoe memory…and a good work you are all doing!
Wonderful news!
Congratulations on achieving an amazing dream!
This is a wonderful outcome for LTWC due to the graciousness and generosity of the donors who will leave a legacy for all of California, and the nation, to enjoy for generations to come — to say nothing of the wildlife which will be saved! Thanks to the Lake Tahoe News for running this article!
This is wonderful news for creatures in need. The new facility will make it possible to help so many more animals. Congratulations to all involved.
Yay! This has been a long time coming and is so exiting. Tom and Cheryl have been caring for injured and orphaned wildlife for over 35 years and it’s about time they get a break! It will be so nice to have a place where locals and visitors can see and learn about the local wildlife as well.
What wonderful news. This new facility will make it possible to help so many more creatures and educate even more people. I hope the new facility will be up and running soon.
So happy to see this! A facility that benefits our community as well as our wildlife is a win-win. Very exciting!!
As a Tahoe newcomer and first time volunteer at the center this season, I have to say I’m very impressed with what Tom and Cheryl have accomplished, and I too believe in LTWC! While their future center definitely has a long way to go, I’m excited to see what is in store. It has after all been 35 years in the making…
This is great news for Tahoe and all the animals!
It’s an step in the right direction. Cheryl and Tom have done so much with so little and have been great stewards of every contribution. Each bear and other creature that has been rehabilitated by them is a miracle.
Wonderful news, Tom & Cheryl!!! I know the wonderful work you are doing for the wild life in need in northern Nevada and California. Keep up the good work and I hope your move is an easy one!
Well deserved and long overdue. Congratulation to Tom, Cheryl and the wildlife.
Congratulations Tom,Cheryl and all of LTWC. Your tireless efforts are finally paying off. Such wonderful news for this community. Bless Barbara for her special gift, she so loved all animals and thank you to the Springmeyer family for helping this dream come true. Perhaps this new center should be THE MILLHAM WILDLIFE CENTER, named for the two people who made this happen. All the out buildings and central area could be named after specific donors. The Millhams have invested their lives in this effort and they deserve this honor.
WOW! that’s Awesome and exciting,Seems unreal after all the years of hard work, you see there is a GOD, that’s why your prayers have been answered.
Way to go Tom and Cheryl.
Well deserved! Just think of all the animals that will be saved that may not have had a place to go. Many congrats!
LTWC, LTN and to all the good folks who wrote in. 134 comments(so far!) and all positive! I haven’t seen this kind of support for something in SLT in all the years I’ve lived here. Makes me proud to say, “I live in South Lake Tahoe!!!”. Best thing for LTWC and SLT in a very long time. Still smilin’, OLS
LTWC is a critical ally of California Department of Fish and Wildlife in the care, and return to natural habitat. Without LTWC the rescue of many young bears, mountain lions and bobcats from both northern and southern California would not be possible. Keep up the good work
This project deserves support from the community as well as from everyone who loves wildlife. Tom and Cheryl have given their utmost to foster and grow this endeavor; now it’s up to us to support it. Please donate!
These are good people doing GREAT work. I am so proud of Cheryl, Tom and all of their volunteers and supporters. This truly is a worthy cause!
This is great news for the wildlife here in Lake Tahoe. Tom and Cheryl have worked so hard to bring this to our community. They are passionate about what they do…..ever seen Cheryl feed a baby bat?
How fabulous! Cheryl and Tom have worked so hard for our community and deserve to retire! I think the location sounds ideal, being centrally located and so much bigger than what they have now. I hope that Marjorie Springmeyer is giving them a super deal, because LTWC is totally non-profit and so much has been provided by Cheryl and Tom themselves. Everyone, please help out financially as much as you can.
Congratulations Cheryl and Tom, Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care and the animals. Thank you to the Springmeyer’s for making this happen for our community. We all have to remember to support this venture as it is non-profit. Please donate whatever you can, it will all help.
This is awesome news for Tom and Cheryl I attended the class on may 17th to become a new volunteer I am from the Reno area so this was all new to me the facility. The dedication Tom and Cheryl have for the wild life was a good warm feeling, having a bigger place to care for the animals is awesome.
This is such a wonderful development for the critters. Congratulation to Tom and Cheryl on this wonderful achievement after their years of dedicated service. Their vision will assure that the wildlife of this area will be served and valued for many generations to come. What a great benefit to Lake Tahoe this facility will be!
What a fabulous announcement! This will be a great asset to our community. I look forward to its completion.
Great Idea to increase the size of the wildlife care facility. Tom and Cheryl have worked long and hard for this day.
This new wildlife center plan is wonderful, especially for our native wildlife. Wildlife rehabbers are really special people!
I have heard such great things about this facility! What wonderful work they are doing, and how fabulous that they will have more room to work now.
What a blessing, in so many ways!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nobody deserves this more than Cheryl & Tom! They’ve devoted their lives (& home) to better our wildlife community and in doing so they’ve improved the lives of all of us who love living in Tahoe. Their contribution to this effort will never be matched with any amount of money but we all need to do our part to help move this next step forward. We love you Tom & Cheryl!
What a wonderful opportunity for the entire community! Can’t wait to our the new facility! Congratulations!
They are yes people, always willing to help out.
This is amazing news and I am so excited for all involved! It is really nice to see all of the comments and read how enthused everyone is about this finally happening. Thank you, Tom and Cheryl!
How exciting! Can’t wait to see the new facility and education center.
What an amazing asset for our community. Tom and Cheryl have been dedicated for years taking care of injured and displaced wildlife and LTWC will now have a home that it deserves. Lets get everyone in the community and beyond to rally and contribute to making this an incredible project. Thank you Tom and Cheryl for all your incredible work!
What a beautiful site for the new Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care facility and education center. Thank you Tom and Cheryl for all the incredible work you have done caring for injured wildlife. This is wonderful news for the South Shore community.
Having lived in South Lake Tahoe for about 10 years and now in Pasadena–the two places I have always loved–the work done by Cheryl and Tom Millham fits right in with my undying love for animals and the greatest of respect for the Millhams. They deserve the love and respect from all of us to allow them to retire knowing they have done an outstanding job. Something big should be named after them in Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County, and even California for the hard work and dedication they have put forth to this cause.
I would love to see them reach out to Betty White and offer her the opportunity to get involved. She has such a love for animals, and she knows a lot of well-to-do people who love and respect her so much. I would love to see this all work out. Thanks Cheryl and Tom.
I have know Cheryl and Tom for over 20 years and this has been a dream for so many years. I am so glad that they can move forward to a new facility. They deserve a wonderful place to care for the wildlife in the Lake Tahoe area.. Congratulations….
This is a huge moment in history for LTWC, and for the greater Lake Tahoe community. Tom, Cheryl, and the wildlife of the basin have been deserving of this for so long. This facility will be a great asset for the community. Congratulations!!
It is an honor and a privilege to be a volunteer at Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care. The devotion that Tom and Cheryl Millham have for their calling is astounding. May God Bless this new facility and bless the lives of Tom and Cheryl Millham as they continue their amazing work.
So glad to see the great response to this news. Getting this done is at the top of my list. Every little bit helps. Large or small, lets go Tahoe. Fasten your seatbelts, were in for a wild ride.
As a former volunteer at Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care, I saw first hand how much work goes into running this wonderful place. Tom and Cheryl have put all of their heart and soul into taking care of animals here in the Tahoe Basin. They have outgrown the present sight and have been using their personal home to keep this place running. A new center will be a dream come true for them and all the people that work to keep the place running. Everyone will benefit from a new Wildlife center, the animals who are cared for, the local people who will have something to be proud of, and all of the tourists who will be able to see how it operates. We all need to make sure that this happens, by donating money, time and whatever it takes to make this dream come true!!!!
This is great news. Thank you Tom and Cheryl.
So glad to hear the news! Tom and Cheryl have worked so hard to keep the LTWC alive and have cared for so many animals and have trained so many people… The Tahoe Basin is so fortunate to have people who care about the animals and the enivornonment. This is the next step in continuing the good work that Tom and Cheryl started so many years ago.
I love the Tahoe Basin and its beauty which includes all its wildlife……
I hope everything goes smoothly.
So happy for Cheryl & Tom, a dream come true!!! Especially for our treasured wildlife! And what wonderful education for the public, so we all know what to do & what not for to & for our wildlife!!! Best wishes, Robin Hunt
What great news. Can hardly wait to see the plans. The Center does such wonderful work in caring for the animals. Hope to be there when they break ground.
I recall learning that the LTWC would have to move–back when I was working at the Post Office with Tom before I returned to Pasadena after a decade in Tahoe. I am glad that something is finally coming into reality–and a center so much grander than the mountain back yard. Congratulations to all involved.
So happy to see this opportunity for the Lake Tahoe Wildlife Center. I remember when our Humane Society expanded to wildlife and what a blessing it has been here in Milwaukee, WI. This expansion of space for the LTWC would provide huge benefits for the natural citizens of your beautiful area. It is also a very positive message for all regarding the love of all living things for the community of people who made this possible.
Fantastic news!! couldn’t have happened to nicer people!!
So well deserved…
Wow! Can’t wait to See the new building.
Wonderful news! So glad to see this happen, for all the rescued wildlife and for Tom and Cheryl, who have worked SO hard all these years, donating not only their time and talent, but their own home. Congratulations!
So happy for LTWC. Keep up the great work for the wildlife in our area. They need you:)
My son David and I just finished their weekend training section and we had a wonderful time. The people at the training center were very knowledgeable and friendly. We had a great experience. Thank You, Tom and Cheryl!
Cheryl and Tom are amazing people who never gave up on their dream. Not only do the animals benefit, so does the entire community.
This is great news. Every community needs a wildlife rehabilitation center ~ especially those blessed with such abundance as Lake Tahoe. I hope they will be able to raise the additional funds ~ that’s a big chunk of change.
GREAT NEWS! SPREAD THE WORD! I support this 100% as should everybody in our community! Ditto to all the comments above.
Hopefully there will be some press coverage in the near future which will help to generate some donations. I think the idea of getting a few celebrities involved is also a great idea. Someone mentioned Betty White. Great choice, especially knowing of her love for and dedication to animals.
This has been a long time dream for Tom and Cheryl and I am so very happy to see it coming to fruition.
I am so happy to hear this news! LTWC does so much for the wildlife in this area, and beyond. The compassion mixed with a true grip on the reality makes a perfect combination. I am proud to be a part of the LTWC!
This is so wonderful!