To the community,

We live in a remarkable community where there are several active service organizations, all working to better the lives of those in need and to celebrate those doing exceptional work. For such a small community it’s remarkable how many service organizations we have. In fact, it’s sometimes quite confusing.

Just here in Tahoe we have two Kiwanis Clubs, Lake Tahoe and Tahoe Sierra; a Moose Club; an Optimist Club; two Rotary clubs, Tahoe Douglas and South Lake Tahoe, just to name a few. There are also two Soroptimists clubs, Tahoe Sierra and South Lake Tahoe.  

All of these organizations work hard to raise funds to enhance lives, and build community and All of these organizations would love to have you join them to make Lake Tahoe all it can be.

Most of these clubs each hold large fundraisers to complete the many tasks they identify as needs in or community and their work throughout the world. The club I am directly connected with is Soroptimist International of Tahoe Sierra (SITS) and our annual event is Elegant Evening. In fact, it’s coming up shortly and it is with much hope that the citizenry of Lake Tahoe join us by purchasing tickets (only 500 available) and/or bidding on our online auction site.

Our club is so grateful to the amazing donors here, and throughout several states, who believe that much can be accomplished at the grassroots level; that’s what your service clubs do. We fill gaps and provide where no state agency does. We work to help people rebuild their lives, become productive citizens, and contribute to society. Every time you purchase a ticket to an event, donate to a club, or win a bid, you are an active contributor.

SITS, like many other clubs, works hard to raise funds one year to then fully expend those raised funds the next.  Last year’s event, donors and guests alike, provided these remarkable opportunities this year in our community:

·      43 cash grants and scholarships.

·      50 middle school students participating in Junior S Club at STMS.

·      500 middle school students and adults participate in the Drug Store Project.

·      50 Mother’s Day baskets created for shelter and women in need.

·      Funding for training of 600 Kenyan youth in self-defense and AIDS awareness.

·      17 micro-loans for Kenyan women to establish their economic self-sufficiency.

·      2 Batwa Pygmy youth, full scholarship to school.

·      3,000 books to Lake Tahoe students for summer reading.

·      50 backpacks for children in need.

·      35 students weekend nutritional assistance.

·      50 Bread and Broth clients.

·      BATS, Bringing Art to the Schools, to our elementary sites

·      Water Quality Day: survey of water quality in Lake Tahoe.

·      100 dresses made for Dress a Girl Around the World; sewn by 12 SITS members and have hand delivered by members, at their expense, some to Cuba and Mexico

·      Ongoing funding and assistance to CASA El Dorado, 80 senior project students, Coalition for the Homeless, Tahoe Education Foundation, Choices for Children, 40 member Club Literario, 80 students kindergarten welcome, Barton baby book bags, family of our transitioned from homeless through St. Joseph’s Land Trust, two student scholarships to Camp Buck (living with diabetes), a grant to Awaken Reno anti sex-trafficking program, two scholarships for TECH TREC (Girls and Science), Lake Tahoe Wildlife Center, and the Sugar Pine Foundation.

Please join us by attending our event on April 21 at Harrah’s. It’s a complete night of food, fun, and entertainment. Tickets are $75 each (they do go up after April 1) and your attendance is helping to enhance the lives of women and youth in our community and the world.  You can read more about our club, Soroptimist International of Tahoe Sierra online to see if your heart matches ours.

Respectfully,

Lisa Huard, SITS member