X Share This Email
LinkedIn Share This Email

Enhancing the lives of women and youth

in our community and the world.

Wishing you all good health and happiness this New Year!

icy-landscape-skiers.jpg

President Shelly called the meeting to order this morning followed by the Invocation from Lydia. Always uplifting, Lydia's message reminded us that even amidst the bad news and suffering of our times, we should always try to find one thing to bring us joy each day,even if we have to resort to enjoying pictures of frolicking puppies on the internet!


Our Guest Speaker today was Diana Turner from the Hope Full Lunches outreach program. Diana and her husband, Ted, started the program before COVID when they saw a need in the community for people on the streets to be fed more often. Bread and Broth offers dinners on Mondays and Fridays, but there was nothing in between for folks who did not have cooking facilities. Thus, the idea turned into reality when they were able to get a grant and buy a van, a meat slicer and a refrigerator.

Along with a few volunteers, they took their van and 30 bagged sandwich lunches to the Library on Wednesdays. At first they had trouble giving the meals away, but soon the word got out and they were inundated with requests for more days and more locations. They added the Rec Center to their route and Monday to their schedule. They closed briefly during COVID but resumed serving in May of 2020. They stayed as long as they could during the Caldor Fire evacuation because the homeless did not leave until they were eventually transported out of the basin.


They added Fridays to their schedule and now travel all through town starting at Hope Lutheran Church, Raleys, CVS, Rec Center, Senior Center, Red Lodge, El Nido, and the transportations centers along Hwy 50. People began to donate sundries and now that is a big part of what their clients request. Shampoo, conditioner, soap, feminine hygiene products, lotion, nail polish and lipstick are all popular items. They also buy new hats and scarves and get socks donated by Bomba. They run strictly on donations and are not supported by any government agency, therefore, there is no criteria for receiving a lunch. No questions asked! Over the years, many of the regular clients have become like family. They notice when one of the volunteers is missing and talk about their own families. When asked why they stay here during the cold winter months, (Diana is no fan of winter), they reply that this is their home. She noted that they are all very appreciative of the food they receive and the people who provide it.


The bag lunches that are given out, include a sandwich, bag of chips, piece of fruit, nutrition bar, and sometimes a sweet treat donated by Starbucks. Hard boiled eggs were on the menu until the price made them unaffordable recently. Last year, the volunteers gave out 6,785 bag lunches to hungry community members. We want to thank Pastor Diana for taking time out of her busy schedule to bring us up to date on the Hope Full Lunch Program. To help continue her good work, Soroptimist of Tahoe Sierra has donated $1000 to this worthy cause. If you want to find out more information, or donate yourself, please email pastordianahlc@gmail.com

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!

SITS Member Items & Our Projects

Soroptimist of Tahoe Sierra members enjoying a social hour (or two) at the Chart House recently.

From our TECH Committee!

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

For anyone who wants extra, hands on, help, with all that's going on in town and the holidays, Laurie F will provide a personal, private tech lesson for you! Simply contact our SITSter and she'll get you in the know! Please check your "SITS Calendar" and make sure you can access it, if not, call or email Laurie.

From our HWHW Committee!

Our Club will be supporting St. Theresa's Bread and Broth program again this year. Our first opportunity will be on February 12th. We will be teaming up with Lasagna Love to provide the funding, lasagna and workers for the night. SITS is requested to have 3-5 Adopt A Day crew members (minimum age of 14) and they will be needed at St. Theresa's Grace Hall from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. to help the B&B volunteers with the meal's setup, serving, and cleanup. Mark your calendars, this is a wonderful way to help our communities' less fortunate and create camaraderie with your SITSters. We currently have 4 volunteers, if you are interested in being the 5th, please reach out to Kim to sign up as a crew member ASAP.

From the MIDDLE SCHOOL PROJECT COMMITTEE: This year, this committee, in addition to supporting the Challenge Day and Challenge Day Assembly also instituted an Essay contest. We received 50 Essays from the kids on what Challenge Day meant for them. What a wonderful way to help kids reflect on the change they can make in the world and in their fellow students lives.


The Fundraising committee will be meeting on January 31st at the Coldwell Banker office in Zephyr Cove at 4 pm. Everyone interested is invited to attend. .


Healthy Women, Healthy World committee 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.


Education Committee: Shelly is coordinating once again a Senior Project Reception on January 26th at the High school and needs volunteers to make 2 dozen cookies.. Also, if you'd like to join her at the reception, please get in touch with Shelly.


Letterhead, business cards and new brochures have been printed and available to any member who needs them. See Jeanne P.


Mad Hatter planning meeting will be held next Wednesday, January 31, at 4pm at Coldwell Banker, Roundhill. If you are interested in any phase of panning, please come, even if you have not signed up.


The Social Committee is hosting an outing to cheer on the STHS Girls Basketball team on Friday, Feb. 9 at 6pm. All are encouraged to make signs for the event. After the game, you can stay to watch the boys, or go out for a bite to eat with your SITSters.

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!

The Tahoe Institute for Natural Science is sponsoring several outings in January. For more information on how to sign up for these events click here.

·   January 25 - Full Moon 

·   February 2 - Carson Valley Raptor Tour - Carson Valley, NV

Alias Brass

In Schools February 5-9, 2024

Public Performance Friday February 9th 6:30 PM - LTCC Duke Theater 

Admission at Doors: $10 Adults $5 Children

Doors Open at 6pm

Click here for more details

Click here for flyer

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

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

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

Great way to spend your donation tax deduction dollars or make a huge difference donating on someone's behalf for Christmas!

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


Upcoming Blood Drive Locations




Thursday, 01/25/2024

TMCC Redfield Campus - Bloodmobile

18600 Wedge Parkway

RENO, NV, 89511

Open 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Get Directions



Friday, 01/26/2024

Carson City - Vitalant Donation Center

256 Winnie Lane

CARSON CITY, NV, 89706

Open 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Get Directions



Tahoe Forest Hospital - Eskridge Conference Room

10121 Pine Ave

TRUCKEE, CA, 96161

Open 8:30 AM - 2:30 PM

Get Directions



Saturday, 01/27/2024

Carson City - Vitalant Donation Center

256 Winnie Lane

CARSON CITY, NV, 89706

Open 7:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Get Directions



Sunday, 01/28/2024

Carson City - Vitalant Donation Center

256 Winnie Lane

CARSON CITY, NV, 89706

Open 7:00 AM - 2:00 PM

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!


Jan 11

Jan. 4

Dec. 28

Dec. 21

Dec. 14

Dec. 7

Nov. 30

Nov. 23

Nov 16

Nov. 9

Nov. 2

Oct. 26

Oct. 19

Oct. 12

Oct. 5

Sept. 28

Sept. 21

Sept. 14

Sept. 7

Aug. 31

Aug. 24

Aug. 17

Aug. 10

Aug. 3

July 27

July 20

July 13

July 6


Wishing a very happy January birthday month to our SITSters!


Maria Del C Martinez, Jan. 8

Mireya Ortega, Jan. 16

Christina Frohlich, Jan. 17

Jeanne Prestella, Jan. 18

Mandy Kendall, Jan. 19

JoAnn Tillson, Jan. 22

Amy Simons, Jan. 25

Laurie Brazil, Jan. 27


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


Thought For the Day


Lazy is such an ugly word. I prefer to call it selective participation

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

Email Us
Facebook