President Paula welcomed everyone to our meeting this week.

This week was one of our favorite mornings as we celebrated our youth and awarded our annual scholarships.

Invocation - Another inspired piece by Lydia Rogers

A Chinese proverb states: “Learning is a treasure that will follow its’ owner forever”.

Today we celebrate fine individuals that distinguished themselves by working hard in school, setting high goals, and being a credit to their families, schools, and themselves.

We give recognize your efforts, the support you have received from family, mentors and teachers. And we give thanks to live in a place where education is valued and offered to all, being mindful that in some places, children are imperiled when they bravely seek

education - to better themselves and the world in which they live.

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CONGRATULATIONS to our award winners!

South Tahoe High School

Jorge Herrera-Uribe presented by Jeanne Prestella

Pasang Sherpa presented by Amy Simons

Parker Truscott presented by Karen Houser

Krystyna Schembri presented by Nancy Muller

Alyssa Skotvold presented by Paula Peterson

George Whittell High School

Faith Alverez presented by Colleen Pence

Soroptimist Judge’s Scholarship

Jan Harrison presented by Laurie Flescher

STHS Williams/Ennis Scholarship

Parker Truscott presented by Wendy David

STHS Trade School Scholarship

Jaxxon Moynihan presented by

Mt. Tallac High School Joy Rothschild Scholarships

Charles Moore presented by Amy Jackson

Andres Martinez Vilchis “

Elise Miller “

Mt. Tallac Compass Scholarship

Amalia Jiminez presented by Amy Jackson

KayliAnn Sanchez “

Most Improved 8th grade students

Edwin Galacia STMS presented by Larry Lambdin

Makala Melton STMS presented by Larry Lambdin

Liam Roper GWHS presented by Ashley Baker

Most Improved 12 grade students

STHS Odette Sosa presented by Kim Ilvento

STHS Jesus Valesquez presented by Kim Ilvento

GWHS Izzy Misselis presented by Ashley Baker

LTCC Student Scholarship

Emarie Howard presented by Leslie Amato

MEMBERS PLEASE READ: Please take a look at the auction website www.sitsfundraiser.org and verify that all the donations you have received are input correctly. If you have any donation forms that have not been turned in, please give paperwork (in person or via email) to Laurie Flesher, gift cards can go to Laurie or Lisa. If you have a physical item, please hold on to it for now. If it needs to be "basketized" please give it to Cookie.

YES Committee: For years, our club has been hosting the reception for the Senior Projects with homemade cookies and we're back at it again! The reception will be on June 6 but cookies need to get to Shelly by June 5. We also want to be sure that some of our members are present on the 6th so please coordinate with Shelly. STHS is still in need of Senior Project Judges and this is such a great thing to participate in. If you are interested, please email Ashley Aminian at aaminian@ltusd.org. (Note: school is on break this week!)

Members: If you would like to put together (alone or with friends) a basket or item to include in the Mad Hatter Tea Party on-site raffle, please get in touch with Paula or Kim and let them know what you're thinking. Remember, we used to do this for Elegant Evening and it was such a blast.

For your calendars

• SITS Installation: Mark your calendars now for June 22! This is such a fun event. No one does a better job at thanking their current Board and welcoming in their new one. It's always entertaining!
• SNR Conference: June 2 - 4, 2023 in Reno. Pres. Paula will send out information but this is not only a vital point of learning about Soroptimist and all that we do, but it's a load of fun as well. Remember ladies, it is our Happy Dollars (funds from our members each week) that we are able to budget funds to attend this conference.
• Mt. Tallac Prom: Our students at Mt. Tallac will be having their Prom on June 3. Stand by for help they may need with decorating! And thank you to our friend Keith Rogers, whose beautiful art that was auctioned off last year, is providing the funds for this wonderful occasion. We miss both our dear Sandy and Keith each day and appreciate their love.

2023 FUNdraiser Wow, do we have a lot to offer in the way of fun! We must be bonkers! We have FOUR things going on at once!

Come to the inaugural Mad Hatter Tea Party from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 30, 2023 at Valhalla! Tickets are available at www.sitsfundraiser.org. Only A FEW tickets left! You’ll enjoy an array of tasty treats, tea, and fun activities, and you’ll have a chance to bid on Signature Soroptimist Baskets all within the beauty of the Grand Hall at Valhalla Tahoe. Raffle tickets for our exciting vacation opportunities will also be on sale at the Mad Hatter event. (see below)

Our club has started two (yes two) raffles for exciting vacation destinations out of the snow. One is a week's stay in a Kihei, Maui condo, and the other is a week's stay at a timeshare anywhere in the world!

Your odds of winning are amazing ! Just 200 tickets will be sold for each vacation location! Tickets are $50 each and include six nights and seven days of accommodations (no airfare). To purchase raffle tickets, please email us at raffle@sitahoesierra.org. Winners will be drawn at 5 p.m. on May 12, 2023. No need to be present to win, and the club's president will call the winners that night!

Check out our club's famous ONLINE AUCTION We post new donations almost daily (we end up hosting about 350 donations annually!) and you can begin your bidding on April 30th as well! The generous business community is donating so there are many items to bid on, and they can be viewed HERE.

SITS is now a part of NASCAR'S DAY GIVEATHON!

We are excited to be joining @The NASCAR Foundation for the NASCAR Day Giveathon!

Created in honor of #NASCAR's 75th Anniversary, the NASCAR Day Giveathon is a joint effort of the NASCAR industry to provide much needed funds to communities across the country.

Starting May 16 at 5pm EST, you can help our organization by donating to us, or sharing our

fundraiser during the 75-hour period: Click here for details - more updates to come!!

SITS Member Items & Our Projects

Info for Challenge Day volunteers at Middle School: We have one all-day program day on Wednesday, May 3rd which will host 100 youth, mostly 7th graders, and an assembly for all 7th and 8th graders on Thursday, May 4th. Please volunteer so that all 100 kids can get this amazing opportunity.

Click here to volunteer- Middle School Challenge Day Sign Up

NON-SITS Fun and Opportunities in Tahoe

SISLT SOFTBALL FIELD WORKDAY

SATURDAY, MAY 6^th 12:30PM-4PM

Please join Soroptimist International of South Lake Tahoe volunteers to help clean up the softball field Soroptimist Stadium: Home of Girls Softball at the South Lake Tahoe Middle School 1066 Lyons Avenue on Saturday, May 6th from 12:30-4PM.

An assessment will be made as we get closer to determine what needs to be done. Odds are that we will finish earlier than 4PM (many hands make light work), but we are not sure yet what we have in store for us until we can see the field and surrounding property. Generally speaking, the job includes picking up trash and pinecones, raking and bagging needles, removal of weeds and graffiti, cleaning the bleachers, and possibly filling in gopher holes. You will need to bring work gloves and possibly some tools (rakes, brooms, weed trimmers, cleaning rags, etc. if you own them). More information will follow.

If you can help out, please let Rose Marie Ottman (rose.ottman@att.net) know you are available and provide your name and contact details. She will email volunteers closer to the workday with additional information.

May 6, Nationally, is Wildfire Preparedness Day: What You Do Makes a Difference.

Recreation Center, 11-3 PM and ALL of Tahoe is invited! More details to follow but get this on your calendar! For details to here.

TECH TREK - STEM CAMP APPLICATIONS

Nominations for seventh grade girls interested in STEM camp. The date for camp at UC Davis is July 9-15 this summer. Any girls now in 7th grade, granddaughters, parents of girls to inform, please spread the word and have them contact Jan directly and she will see about getting them applications. Contact details below.

Jan Lynds

Tech Trek coordinator for SLT branch of AAUW

jklynds@gmail.com 530 318-5903

Click here for full flyer

Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless seeks community support in keeping people warm this winter

As our Tahoe winter settles in with snow and frigid temperatures, most residents retreat to the inside for activities, comforts, and warm beds in a place we call home. Our South Shore community has been able to sleep better knowing that our homeless population has this option as well. This winter season marks 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 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. As the temperature drops they are in need of warm clothes and jackets, gloves, and hand warmers. 

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

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.