gifts

The holiday season can be a happy and joyous time, bringing family and friends together. But for some, it can be a stressful and lonely time, leading to symptoms of depression. When stress is at its peak, unhealthy behaviors, such as drinking alcohol, using drugs, and overeating, tend to take over. Though people use these behaviors to cope and escape difficult emotions, they tend to make things worse.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Lisa Maloff, the "Angel of Tahoe", continues to support agencies, institutions and the South Lake Tahoe community with her generosity and year-round holiday spirit.

If you're like most this holiday season, you've been busy trying to find the perfect gift for loved ones on your list. You've hit the malls, shopped online, browsed the catalogs and spent your free time shopping.

For some it's easy to figure out what to buy them, but for those who already have everything, it's not so easy.

Instead of searching for what to give, especially for the adults in our life, how about doing something that will help those who lost everything and now need everything?

LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - On the heels of their successful supply drive for the victims of the recent Camp Fire in Paradise, Liberty Utilities is now collecting new toys and new clothing for the youngest of the displaced residents.

The local power company is collecting new and unwrapped clothes and toys for kids ages 0-17 Monday through Thursday, December 3-6 at both of their Lake Tahoe offices.

All collected gifts will be delivered to children in the Paradise area on Friday, December 7, just in time for the holidays.

In an effort to help children in the South Lake Tahoe community enjoy the holiday season, local U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots organizers will be collecting toys at several locations including a big event on Saturday, December 1 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Bring an unwrapped toy or book and help put a smile on the face of a local child.

Volunteers will be in front of Kmart at the Y in South Lake Tahoe with a vehicle from Jim Bagan Toyota and the goal is to stuff it full of toys for local youth.

Bring a toy and enjoy tasty treats from Sugar Pine Bakery.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - One of the most popular golf tournaments on the South Shore is the Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe’s (BGCLT) Golf Classic held annually at Edgewood Tahoe. As always, this year's tournament will feature 18 fun-filled holes, and for those who can't attend, an online auction featuring golf outings, vacations and hotel stays, events and gifts.

Judy Simmons, or “Teacher Judy” as we all knew her, left us on August 28, 2018 to become an angel above. She was a teacher, friend, mentor, listener, consoler and counselor to hundreds and hundreds of children and parents over the last 40 years. Teacher Judy was the co-director of Tahoe Parents Nursery school (TPNS) for 30 years and an educator of the youngest students in our community for more than 40 years. She loved her job, she loved the preschoolers, their families and her co-workers. Each became her friend.

It may still be August on the calendar, but plans are already being made for local philanthropist Lisa Maloff to play Mrs. Santa again this December, the event that earned her the name "Angel of Tahoe" in 2017.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There's a brand new shop in town that offers an original brand, Vintage Tahoe Clothing Co., as well as a full selection of rustic decor, backpacks, caps and gifts.

You can call it a crossover store with "one of a kind" vintage garden art and "one of a kind" vintage home decor, and don't forget the quality branded apparel! There is something for everyone inside (and outside) the doors.

Vintage Tahoe's new shop is the summer replacement for Rock House Ski Shop on Ski Run Blvd.

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The Lake Tahoe Historical Society turns 50 this year, and to help celebrate this occasion they are holding a gala presentation of Chautauqua at Lake Tahoe 2018 on Saturday, August 18 at Lake Tahoe Community College.

Duane L. Bliss (DL BLiss), George Whittell, Jr. and Lillian Virgin Finnegan will come back to life through their character portrayals by the esteemed cast of Doug Mishler, Kim Harris and Steve Hale.

Chabad at Lake Tahoe, will be hosting two unique and exciting “Purim in NYC” themed Purim parties. The events will take place Wednesday, Feb 28, 2018 at 5:30 p.m. at the Ritz Carlton at Northstar and Thursday, March 1 at 4:30 p.m. at South Lake Brewing Company in South Lake Tahoe.

Celebrants at “Purim in NYC” will get a taste of all parts of Manhattan, including a NY Style Deli, Pickle Making in the Lower East Side, L'Chaim in Times Square, NYC Caricature Artist, Megillah Reading in Manhattan, and a “Masquerade in Manhattan” as it is traditional to dress up on this holiday.

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The following 24 businesses took out a license to operate in South Lake Tahoe in the month of December, 2017.

12/4
ALMAS HOUSE CLEANING
BEAR'S DEN INN
COMFORT CLEANING

12/5
INFINITE DESIGN SOLUTIONS INC
LAND DRAGON LLC

12/6
DEL SOL
EXCLUSIVE TAHOE GIFTS

12/7
ZEBRA RESTORATION SERVICES

12/8
ADS CORP
R.F. MACDONALD COMPANY
RICHARD IANNETTA CONSTRUCTION

12/9
ROOT OUTDOORS LLC

12/11
FOREST INVESTMENTS LLC

12/12

Following on the heels of her generous donation to Tahoe Youth and Family Services and to the children of South Lake Tahoe during the holiday season, Mrs. Lisa Maloff this week presented Tahoe Youth and Family Services (TYFS) with a check for $150,000.

As she gave the check to TYFS Executive Director Karen Carey, and Board President Pam Wheeler and Board Treasurer Virginia Berry, Mrs. Maloff said, "The work you do for our children and young people is so important. I'm happy to help!"

Overnight, some elves went through South Lake Tahoe, hanging bags of mittens, scarves and hats from trees near bus stops on Highway 50. The anonymous good Samaritans want those who need to keep warm to grab a bag and keep the contents.

A card accompanying one of the bags by 7-11 said "I am not lost. Please take me if needed and keep me warm. From Your Tahoe Family."

Getting new coats as gifts and need a place for your gently used old ones? The South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue Department is holding their annual Coats for Kids Drive starting December 26, 2017.

Bins will be set up at the two stations, Station 1 at 1252 Ski Run Boulevard and Station 2 at 2101 Lake Tahoe Boulevard from December 26 - January 31, 2018. The donated coats will be distributed to Choices for Children and Tahoe Youth & Family Services and will keep kids, from the little ones to teenagers, warm and protected from Tahoe's cold winter.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Live Violence Free has a special Christmas tree full of ornaments to help make a local person's (both children and adults) holiday special. Pick an ornament from the tree until December 11, go shopping and select gift(s) on their wish list and return them to the non-profit's office by December 15.

Adult gifts can be wrapped but please leave children's gifts unwrapped. The suggested amount spent on a person is $50 (but you can always spend more!).

An old-fashioned “Holiday Open House” returns to Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park Saturday, December 9 and 16 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm both days.

The exhibit includes toys from the 1870s through the 1890s that were played with by Fred Dangberg, Jr., and his siblings, as well as numerous toys enjoyed by Fred’s five children and one grandson from the 1900s through the 1940s.

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South Tahoe High School students were honored for their award winning photography during Tuesday's Lake Tahoe Unified School District board meeting.

Guadalupe Ruiz and Tristan Klasko received recognition for their first-place award winning photographs submitted to the California Streaming Photo Contest sponsored by the California County Offices of Education. They each won a camera, tripod and other gifts. Their award winning photos will be used on a calendar distributed to teachers across the state.

Carson Valley Medical Center, a strong supporter of the Douglas County Community & Senior Center has renewed their pledge again to be the Douglas County Community Services Foundation 2017 Naming Rights sponsor for all eight scoreboards in the Douglas County Community Center gymnasium located on Waterloo Lane in Gardnerville.

May the frost be with you! Special Olympics Nevada and Northern California will host the annual South Lake Tahoe Polar Plunge fundraiser beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 18, in the icy waters of Lake Tahoe at Zephyr Cove Resort. The 2017 Polar Plunge will feature a “space odyssey” theme and raise funds and awareness for Special Olympics and its athletes.

The vacation home rental (VHR) businesses in South Lake Tahoe have joined together in an effort to address, not only issues residents have with their homes, but to address their relationship with those who control and vote on their regulations.

"Our biggest fear is that the City has changed the intent of the ordinance without the council approval," said Josh Priou, Director of Product Development at Lake Tahoe Accommodations and a member of SLTVRA, South Lake Tahoe Vacation Rental Alliance.

As we are fast approaching the biggest giving season of them all I wanted to remind our wonderful Tahoe pet lovers what to avoid as gifts for your furry family member this year. I would like to thank the folks at Pet Plan Pet Insurance for the following great advice. Speaking of pet insurance, if you’re looking for a practical gift for your pet owning friends pet insurance would make a nice gift!

Toys for Tots returns to the South Shore! This annual collection of new, unwrapped toys benefits less-fortunate families in our community.

The Lake Tahoe Historical Society is inviting the whole community to come out to the museum on Saturday, December 10 for their annual Holiday in History.

While the main event starts at 5:00 p.m., children are invited to come by and use their antique World War II phone to make a call to the North pole between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Then, starting at 5:00 p.m., Santa and Mrs. Santa will arrive by sleigh, then everyone can jump on board for free rides.