The El Dorado County Library, the South Lake Tahoe Women’s Center and CASA are partnering together to offer the sixth annual Giving Tree.

The tree is up in the library (on Rufus Allen Boulevard) and decorated with the wishing ornaments of children who are part of the court system, perhaps in foster care, or living in a shelter as a result of domestic violence in their family.

The community can help their wishes come true by buying gifts and returning them unwrapped to the library by Dec. 10.

River Ranch Restaurant will donate 30 percent of diners’ total food bill to the Truckee Donner Land Trust on Dec. 9 from 6-9pm.

Make reservations (530.583.4264) at least a day in advance, and be sure to tell the person you are dining for the Truckee Donner Land Trust.

The River Ranch is on Highway 89 at Alpine Meadows Road.

Champagne brunch and fashion show on Dec. 5 at 11am is part of annual Festival of Trees and Lights put on by the Barton Foundation.

The event is at MontBleu in Stateline. Proceeds from the $35 tickets benefit the Barton Community Clinic.

For more information, go to www.festivaloftreeslaketahoe.org or call (530) 543.5909.

The California Highway Patrol is once again partnering with KCRA 3 in Sacramento for the 12th Annual CHiPs for Kids Toy Drive.

Now through Dec. 20 the CHP will be collecting new, unwrapped toys for hospitalized and disadvantaged children. Also being collected are on-perishable foods, and new or lightly used jackets, hats and gloves.

The collected items will stay within our community and will be delivered just before the holidays.

You can follow the drive on Facebook.

There are collection barrels at the CHP – South Lake Tahoe Office and the Lake Tahoe Environmental Science Magnet School.

If your business would like to be a collection site, contact Officer Jeff Gartner at (530) 577.1001.

The Optimist Club will set up its annual tree lot at El Dorado Beach in South Lake Tahoe on Nov. 24, with sales beginning Nov. 26.

Normal hours are weekdays noon-8pm and weekends 10am-8pm.

Snow can play a role in the hours. Shaking off the naturally flocked trees and clearing the lot can take some time.

The proceeds go back into the local community.

The Brotherhood Motorcycle Club is working with Christmas Cheer to help local families in need this holiday season.

The club will be giving out the fixings for 50 Thanksgiving dinners at 10am Wednesday at the American Legion Hall, 2748 Lake Tahoe Blvd., South Lake Tahoe. Families will receive a grocery bag with one 16-18 pound turkey, stuffing, 5 pounds of potatoes and a pumpkin pie.

The Brotherhood is helping families in need. Photo/Provided

Families must be registered with Christmas Cheer to participate.

Call (530) 308.5265 for information.

• South Tahoe Police Chief Brian Uhler has issued a press release warning people his department will be ticketing and towing people if vehicles are in the way of snow removal equipment.

• Sample the Sierra 2011 is Aug. 20 on Ski Run Boulevard in South Tahoe. Call (775) 588.1728 to be involved.

• The El Dorado County clerk’s office will not issue or accept passport applications as of Jan. 1.

• Truckee’s Elijah Bleu’s House of Coffee & Good Eats is celebrating its one-year anniversary Nov. 30 with $1 coffee and espresso drinks all day.

• Lanza’s in Kings Beach is expanding to have a restaurant in Stateline in the Nugget Building. Orchid’s Thai of South Lake, which has changed owners, is opening a second location later this month in the same building.

• Harrah’s Entertainment canceled its IPO on Friday, citing market conditions not being optimal. The casino giant has been privately held for the last three years since it bought Caesars Entertainment.

Two-time Olympic medalist Shannon Bahrke, who was raised in Tahoe City and mastered moguls in her years on the Squaw Valley Freestyle Team, will join Mr. and Mrs. Claus at the Resort at Squaw Creek in Olympic Valley to launch the Magical Memories holiday celebration Nov. 26 from 5-8pm.

This event also includes The Gingerbread Village Unveiling and Grand Tree Lighting Ceremony.

The annual Tahoe Adventure Film Festival offers gnarly footage from BASE jumping, skiing, downhill mountain biking, rock climbing, kayaking, surfing, deep water soloing. All risk – no gear, no ropes, climbing rocks over water describes the fast paced, high energy that premieres Dec. 11 at MontBleu in Stateline.

Doors open at 6:30pm, show starts at 7:30pm.

Click here for more info.

El Dorado County has a Storm Closure Information hotline that will list all county facilities that have closed due to severe storm conditions. That number is (530) 573.3050.