President Lisa Cali opened our meeting, welcoming guests Debra Noorba and speaker Vanessa Wood.

Invocation: Lydia Rogers explained Schadenfreude - taking pleasure in another person's misfortune. Japan has the same perverse joy "The misfortune of others tastes like honey" Lydia always brightens our day and makes us smile as well as laugh.

Sunshine: Much love and prayers to Hellen Barkley on her husband Doug's passing and Amy Simons speedy recovery.

Thank you Vanessa Wood, supervising deputy probation officer for the El Dorado County Probation Department, for being our speaker today. Your story was not unlike so many of us coming here for a year, loving it and then staying for a lifetime. Who knew jury duty could change someone's life in such a profound way. Of course it was a 3 week jury trial.

Vanessa started as a Juvenile Corrections officer in the probation department. She has done every job probation has to offer, mostly in field services and now she is the supervisor here in South Lake Tahoe. Early on she was playing hangman with a client in a jury room waiting for the judge. Her words were of the towns surrounding us, the child couldn't get one town. That game helped her understand what population she was working with.

Most of the job is social work and states she is "fascinated with human behavior." Ten years ago a MOU was written that Probation and CPS need to share information with each other, game changer. She is very thankful for the cooperation, so they all can help individuals the best way they can. Her wish is to have our youth have more access to fun things to do here in our community. ie ropes courses, zip lining etc.

At Thanksgiving she gets two letters from past clients thanking her for all the help she gave them. Vanessa Wood thank you for helping the youth and adults in our community.

SITS Member Items & Our Projects

BACKPACK ATTACK

For the 25th year, Soroptimist of Tahoe Sierra members, along with young women from the Lake Tahoe Community College SITSters club, put together 150 backpacks to distribute to requesting schools and agencies. This year SITS partnered with Mtn. House Church and the Marcella Foundation. The Marcella Foundation's wish list items were delivered to Mtn House where items were upacked and organized. Mtn. House is also storing any extra items and packpacks. A HUGE thank you to them and Marcella Foundation. We look forward to this joint endeavor next year.

Jeanie from CASA thrilled to receive backpacks.

Healthy Women/Healthy World Committee invite all members to play!

Sept. 15, 5 - 730 PM at Round Hill Pines, YOGA on the beach with Susan Glasson. All donations will go towards needed supplies for her sponsored school in Cambodia. Susan is our speaker on the 19th and you'll learn more about the Cambodia trip then! If you don't want to do Yoga, you can just come and hang out with your SITSters! There's no charge for parking after 5:00 PM. Yoga will be 5:30 - 6:30. Bring a large towel for beach yoga. The other moments are for friendship and fun and food/drinks! Roundhill allows you to bring in food and drink or to buy it at the counter.

SAVE the DATE! Sierra Nevada Region's FALL DISTRICT MEETING will be on September 21st, 2024. More Details to follow soon here!

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!

COMMITTEE Signup Portal!

This is how we get things done.

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! Our Committee Signup portal is ready for members to sign up on! Simply click here! Newsletter Team sign ups are here and all are welcome to learn a new skill and join in!

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!

There are TWO South Lake Tahoe Community Blood Drives, available for you to participate in, Friday Dec. 6th, 11:30 am - 5:00 PM at the Parks and Rec Center Gym. 1180 Rufus Allen Blvd. To schedule an appointment, call Vitalant at 775-329-6451

Non Profit Speed Dating Returns to South Lake Tahoe

El Dorado Community Foundation will be hosting this free event on Wednesday, Oct. 2 from 7-9 p.m. at the Boys and Girls Club. This event introduces nonprofits to interested and dedicated community members to help nonprofits find board members. The event is looking for 24 nonprofits and 24 community members who might want to be board members. To sign up, click HERE

Get your tickets now for the October 4-6, 2024 Documentary Film Festival here.

Set amidst the natural beauty of South Lake Tahoe, CA, a captivating Multi-day Documentary Film Festival comes to life. 

We provide a welcoming space for filmmakers, industry professionals, and audiences to connect through screenings, discussions, workshops, and vibrant parties.

Our mission is to entertain, enlighten, and inspire by showcasing remarkable films, building community, and igniting a passion for storytelling that transcends boundaries, empowers, and fosters compassion and awareness.

TAHOE ARTS PROJECT announces its 2024 Dancing with the Tahoe Stars lineup.

For more information click here.

Tickets go on sale to the public September 10 at 9:00 am.

tahoeartsproject.org

Join SISLT for

Diamonds& Denim

on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024 from 6 - 9 PM.

Purchase your tickets now by scanning the QR code and get ready for a wonderful evening.

Marcella Foundation Partners with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to Offer FREE books to Local Children

Marcella Foundation is thrilled to announce the launch of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in El Dorado County. Each month, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library will provide an age-appropriate book for each registered child, absolutely free to the family. All 8,000 children ages 0 to their 5th birthday living in El Dorado County can enroll now to receive a free monthly book. Any child in the home can register, and books are available in both English and Spanish. In a show of support for early literacy for all children in our region, First 5 El Dorado, El Dorado County Library, Friends of the Library, El Dorado Community Foundation partnered with Marcella Foundation to help launch Imagination Library. Additionally, United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra is providing the initial funding to bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to each of the communities surrounding Lake Tahoe. 

Committed to FEED, READ, and LEAD

Click here for details on how to enroll your child

Looking for up to date resources in our community? Barton Health has a list for all of us and it is actively updated! SHARE this link with others!

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)

TASK's mission is to prevent and reduce youth substance use and related harm - Keeping kids safe in collaboration with our community partners.TASK's mission is to prevent and reduce youth substance use and related harm - Keeping kids safe in collaboration with our community partners. For more information click here.

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

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.

TAHOE LEARNING HAVEN: Are you aware of the FREE monthly educational forums that Kathy Haven has set up for students, parents, and all interested community members? These are great! Most TLH forums are the second Wednesday of the month from 6:45pm-9pm at the Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe! See here or tahoelearninghaven@gmail.com. Mark your calendar:

·      

·       9/11 – Adulting 101: Responsibilities and choices

·       10/9 – Student winter job fair

·       11/13 – College application tutorial

·       12/18 – Student/alumni college panel & fair

·       1/8 – Scholarship application tutorial

·       2/12 – The college track: A-G requirements

·       3/12 – Playing at the next level: Athletics after high school

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.

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

More details here

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

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!