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Enhancing the lives of women and youth

in our community and the world.

Michelle Aguilar Ficara of Small Pumpkin Productions

We had a great program today by Michelle, a South Lake Tahoe native who is independent documentary film maker. She started off making film in high school, then after college graduation from Cal Poly SLO she went to Panama with the Peace Corps where she found the power of visual storytelling. She went on to India with Tibetan refugees, and during an interview with one of them when she said, "I need to learn how to do justice to their stories." Michelle then finished her studies in film at UC Santa Cruz. So far, Michelle has completed El Cacao, the Prospector, No Place to Grow, Space to Explore, Ben's Story, and perhaps her most famous one, Momentum - several of them are award winning. Momentum has been picked up by PBS and will be seen on television in May. Next up for Michelle, after the birth of her twins in May, is the inaugural Lake Tahoe Documentary Film Festival Oct. 4-6. For more information on her company, visit HERE, and on the film festival, take a look HERE.

Our Online Auction, Mad Hatter Tea Tickets, and Destination Raffle Tickets Information can all be found at www.SITS2024.com !

Good day to ALL!

President Shelly called our meeting to order just before heading to Las Vegas to celebrate her brother Joey's birthday. Happy travels! She welcomed guest Joey Wolfe.

Lydia's invocation today was a reminder to have your goals and to make plans, but don't forget to pay attention to the small hints along the way.

Sunshine goes out to Laurie Flesher after painful kidney stones, and to Paula's daughter Abby after her car was stolen in Sacramento just 21 days after moving there.

Meeting Notes: Next week is a celebration of our Challenge Day STMS essay and poster contest winners. We will have a few continental breakfast treats so sign up if you haven't done so. Not a big breakfast event. Thanks to Andi for making up the certificates (the kids got their checks in December). Wendy said it is scholarship season, and still not too late if you'd like to join the Youth & Education committee (sign up in the committee area). Three emails of scholarship applications will be mailed out soon, with a March 20 deadline. Presentation at STHS is on April 18. Flyers are available to be distributed throughout town for Mad Hatter. Have two more tales at the event to be "adopted" so let Paula, Amy or Lisa C know if interested. We are looking for some baskets to be raffled off during Mad Hatter as well - let them know if you'd like to make up one (or more). Bunco is at Shelly's next Thursday. Respond to her emails if interested.

REMINDER TO FUN LADIES EVERYWHERE! Looking for something to put your heart into this year? Interested in hanging out with fun and hard working women? Then join us at our meeting from 7:30 - 8:30 AM on Thursdays at the SLT Senior Center. It's a great way to begin your morning! Check out our website to see our fabulous calendar of speakers at www.sitahoesierra.org

SITS Member Items & Our Projects

MEMBER Weekly Contribution or Quarterly Contribution can be paid online here! It's fast and easy! It can go through your Paypal or Credit Card. Get er dun!

From our TECH Committee!

If you need tech help, contact: techhelp@sitahoesierra.org

HWHW has a meeting scheduled for February 22nd at the Coldwell Banker office in Zephyr Cove at 4 pm. A zoom link will be provided for those who can't make it in person.

The Awards Committee want to remind everyone to attend the March 21st Award breakfast where THREE Live Your Dream awards will be given out as well as our Ruby Award and our GIVE Awards (Girls into volunteer experiences) This will be a very impactful ceremony and you will have the chance to rub elbows with some big wigs in the Soroptimist community who are coming to support us.

Fundraising Efforts!

Our MAD HATTER event at Valhalla! Several committees need several ladies.

  • Mad Hatter Kitchen Crews. Contact Jeanne P at jeanneprestella@sitahoesierra.org directly to sign up.
  • Decorations. We all know how amazing everything looked last year. We'll have that and more! Contact Amy Simons directly at amysimons@sitahoesierra.org to sign up. There are things you will do as a group and also things you can do at home on your own schedule.
  • Table Hostesses. These are the ladies who ADOPT a table at the event. All quite fun and you get to visit with those party goers at your table as you are their server! Let your inner decorator come out in style! To sign up for your table, contact Lisa Cali directly at lisacali@sitahoesierra.org
  • Online Auction! Thanks to our Sponsors/Donors and community who purchase our items, we are able to do a lot to enhance the lives of others here and around the world. We are a hands-on club but we also provide financial support throughout. How does this happen? WE secure items and support for our ONLINE Auction. Please add your name to the listing and Lisa H will create individualized letters that you can print out at home. Secure those donations ASAP to ensure that those generous people get all the recognition they deserve on the auction site, on Facebook and on Instagram! Questions? Contact her at lisahuard@sitahoesierra.org and direct all your friends to our fundraiser site www.Sits2024.com . Donation letters are also available here. on our club website.

SITS COMMITTEE Signup Portal!

Our SITS club and all that we do are driven by the committees that we maintain. All members are asked to join at least ONE Service Committee and ONE Technical Committee. Service is what we do and Technical is how we roll! Please signup for your committees here. And remember, you are not limited to participating in any of the fun. YOU can attend any committee meeting or event!

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!

Attend the free screening of South Lake Tahoe filmmaker Sara Lafleur-Vetter in the Barn Room at South of North Brewing for a free exclusive sneak peek of “Sign My Name to Freedom” on Wednesday, February 28 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. This is a feature documentary about iconic National Park Ranger Betty Reid Soskin, her hidden life as a singer-songwriter, and her family’s experiences confronting Jim Crow-style segregation on the West Coast. For more info and to get a free ticket, visit HERE. Sara is on the board of what our guest speaker talked about today - the Lake Tahoe Documentary Film Festival.

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.

Important information for your family from TASK (Tahoe Alliance for Safe Kids)


A Guide to Healthy and Responsible Practices for Families During the Holidays.

This month TASK www.tahoesafekids.com has collaborated with our partners at Barton Health to share a guide for responsible holiday practices around substances. Aislynn Soave, the Substance Use Navigator at Barton, has put together some tips for parents and children to remember during this holiday season.

Click here for the full article

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







How would you like to make 100x the difference with your donation!

Great way to spend your donation tax deduction dollars.

Click here for full details and to donate

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 Learning Haven - Click here for all their information and a link to each month's newsletter.

League to Save Lake Tahoe's Keep Tahoe Blue Volunteer Portal!

For all of those who want to help keep our Lake Tahoe prestene, here's a portal which you can now see the events and programs which are available to volunteer for! SHARE this with your family and friends! Portal here!

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 seventh anniversary of the Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless (TCH) providing warm beds to the most vulnerable in our community.

They are also in great need for warm clothing items and will accept donations at their office

The office hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 12-4 at the Red Lodge, 1137 Emerald Bay Rd.

More details here

Bread and Broth needs volunteers for Mondays and Fridays:

 Thank you so much for your current or past involvement with the Bread & Broth organization. Without you, our food outreach services which help ease hunger for hundreds of our community neighbors would not be possible.

Currently, Bread & Broth needs individuals who would be interested in assuming leadership roles in the organization.

Bread & Broth’s Advisory Board is seeking an individual for the position of board Secretary. B&B’s Advisory Board meets quarterly, and the Secretary is responsible for recording the meeting minutes and ensuring that all documentation from the meeting is compiled and filed with the meeting minutes. 

Bread & Broth’s Second Serving (weekly Friday meals served at the LT Community Presbyterian Church) serves a simple entrée and a hot soup which are provided by various local community restaurants. Currently B&B is seeking 2 to 3 individuals to coordinate and pickup soups from restaurants and deliver them to the Presbyterian Church on Fridays. The soup coordinator is responsible for interfacing with the existing list of restaurant soup providers to schedule soup donations and drivers are needed to go on Fridays and pick up soup from the week’s designated soup provider. 

Second Serving is also looking for assistant cooks to support the Lead Cooks at their Friday meals from approximately 2 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. once a month. The meals are simple entrées like meatloaf, pasta dishes, and sloppy Joes.

For those of you with leadership skills, B&B is looking for individuals to train as Lead Assistants for the Monday Meal dinner (2:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m.) and the B&B 4 Kids program (Thursdays from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.) Training is provided and you will be assisting the Team Leads in overseeing and managing the duties of the team volunteers. Lead Assistants are assigned to a Team that volunteers once per month.

If you are interested any of the volunteer positions mentioned above, please contact Carol Gerard at 310-256-1019 or carolsgerard@aol.com


Blood Donations are Needed!


Our Nation continues to have a blood shortage everywhere. Giving blood is giving life. So GIVE!


Vitalant Blood Donations. Click here to find a blood draw near you!




Wed - Mon Carson City Vitalent Donation Center

256 Winnie Lane, Carson City, NV.


Click here to find more dates and locations in other areas


Upcoming Blood Drive Locations Tahoe


South Lake Tahoe Fire Department - SLTF Training Center

1195 Rufus Allen Blvd

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CA, 96150

Open 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Get Directions


Harrahs Lake Tahoe - Harrah's Harveys Special Event Center

15 Hwy 50

STATELINE, NV 89449

Open 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Get Directions


South Lake Tahoe Community - Gymnasium

1180 Rufus Allen Blvd

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CA 96150

Open 11:30 AM - 5:00 PM

Get Directions


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!

Medical Equipment needed - Rotary's David Kurtzman is heading a new program for our community. Free, used, in home medical equipment, like shower chairs, wheelchairs, walkers etc.
He can be contacted directly, 530-545-3283 to request items or donate.
New website puts all Lake Tahoe road, weather, traffic information in one spot - click here to go to the site

Join us at the SLT Senior Center, Thursdays,

7:30 - 8:30 AM for information, friends, fun and a cup of coffee!


Want to know about our Speakers ? 

Click through here to our website to see our full calendar!


Click here to get a copy of our weekly newsletter sent straight to your email!

Thank you to our

2024 CLUB SPONSORS

This is a full year of fun!

Learn more here.

Thank you to our 2024 CLUB DONORS!


Barton Health

Online publication from Soroptimist International of the Americas
Are you taking care of your personal
business?

We're all guilty of putting off some of the most important things that take care of our family and ourselves.


Where are you at on emergency preparedness and providing that your estate is taken care of should something happen to you?


The only way to complete these tasks is to begin. Start with these links.


EVACUATION MAPS and More Specific to South Lake Tahoe!


Emergency Notifications


Emergency Planning

City of SLT Information


Grab and Go Emergency Bag List


Will or Trust?


More information helpful to you and your family!


AirMedCare Network

Quick Links

Did you miss a recent week's news?

No problem!


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Dec. 28

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July 27

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Wishing a very happy February birthday month to our SITSters!


Tina Mirada Feb 5th

Brenda Heldoorn Feb. 7th

Nina Gralak Feb. 8th

Jean Williams Feb. 12th

Lisa Swift Feb 18th.


Our age is merely the number of years the world has been enjoying us!


Thought For the Day


Consider beginning your Thursday with us!

Join us at the South Lake Tahoe Senior Center at 3050 Lake Tahoe Blvd. at 7:30am on Thursday mornings for our in person meetings. We are very excited to be getting together and hope to see many bright and shining, lovely faces.

2023-2024 Board of Directors



  • President-Shelly Martinez
  • President Elect-Lisa Cali
  • 2yr Treasurer-Andrea Solis
  • 1yr Treasurer-Jeanne Prestella
  • Recording Secretary-Nancy Muller
  • Corresponding Secretary-Jackie Kerby
  • 2yr Delegate-Laurie Flesher
  • 1yr Delegate-Amy Simons
  • 2yr Director-Theresa Papandrea
  • 1yr Director-Margie Kovarik-Maxhimer
  • Past President-Paula Peterson


Learn more about our club on our website at www.sitahoesierra.org

Laurel Society Members

  • Norma Poole (in memory)
  • Irene Morris (In memory)
  • Irene Radford (2006)
  • Lucille Holmlund (In memory)
  • Joanne Shope
  • Dilys Evans (in memory)
  • Kathy Southern
  • Teruyo (Terry) Kunibe
  • Marilyn Milholland
  • Doris Groelz (2011)
  • Wendy David (2012)
  • Pat Papp (2013)
  • Lydia Rogers (2014)
  • Trudy Mills (2015)
  • Cookie Rork (2015)
  • Diane Imbach (2016)
  • Lisa Huard (2017)
  • Nancy Muller (2023)

What is the Laurel Society? Go here to learn about it!


Post Office Box 18727,
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96151

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