Groundbreaking at Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe with the Angel of Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Angel of Tahoe, Lisa Maloff, officially got things rolling at the new Boys and Girls Club of Lake Tahoe’s (BGCLT) clubhouse on Tuesday afternoon during an official groundbreaking ceremony.

Lisa's donation of $3M was the catalyst for the construction of the 12,000 square-foot building that is going in next door to their current home on Lyons Avenue in South Lake Tahoe. Fundraising efforts are underway for the final $3M to complete the project.

The new clubhouse is a 30-year dream of the organization. They are currently in the old Al Tahoe Elementary which the Lake Tahoe Unified School District wants to reopen. They were going to be placed in the new recreation center but it was decided a new building would better fill the needs of the kids that use the club. There are about 100 children in session this summer and some more will be accepted starting July 1. The new club will have space for 300 students.

Lisa enjoyed the ceremony from her car and overlooked the gathering of BGCLT board members and clubhouse construction partners. She was presented with a special pink shovel (pink is her favorite color), pink facemask and pink roses for the occasion.

BGCLT Executive Director Jude Wood said they were delighted Lisa could attend and enjoy a socially distanced groundbreaking, ably assisted by Ricky Reich.

Also in attendance were BGCLT Board President Terri Arnold, founding member and past BGCLT President Jeff Tillman, Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) Board President Larry Reilly, , Steve Morales who is the pro-bono Project Manager, and Tom Haen, General Contractor and longtime supporter of children’s charities.

LTUSD provided a 50-year ground lease for the new building.

“This is a monumental day,” said Tillman. “I and the rest of the Board have been working towards having our own building since the Club was founded in 1991 and it is incredible to see it finally starting to take shape.”

“We are just so grateful to Lisa,” said Arnold. “She is providing three million dollars towards the project and without her help, we wouldn’t be starting construction today.”

Other organizations and individuals who have been extremely helpful to the project are Hillary Roverud from the City of South Lake Tahoe, the whole TRPA Board and staff, and all the local contractors and agencies who have provided project support and donated time.

“This is going to be a building for community kids, funded by the community and built by the community,” said Wood. “We are hiring locally as much as possible for the construction, and love the idea that Lisa’s gift, and all the other donations, will be helping support the South Shore region in multiple ways”.

Steve Morales, who is donating his years of experience in managing projects for the school district, and Larry Reilly both commented on how this is a great example of public, private and non-profit partnership and how for them it continues their lifetime of work on behalf of children in our community.

Lisa wore a pink facemask and used a pink shovel. Community supporter Christina Contreras and Club member Natalia Hanson both sewed masks for the Angel in honor of the occasion and Club Board Member Kathi Jensen donated the shovel. Lisa was presented with a bunch of pink roses by Matthew Borchers, nephew of Club Director Ashley Hall.

Haen Constructors said they are delighted to be a part of the project, especially given Tom’s long involvement with the Optimist Club, who support local non-profits and especially those working with children. Robert Haen won over the selection committee back in 2019 when he said it would be an honor and a privilege to work on one of ‘The Angel’s’ buildings.

Now that the Club has broken ground, the next step is to continue fundraising so that the project can be completed. The Club is conducting a Capital Campaign to help raise the remainder of the funding. The Club hopes to complete work in 2021 and is keeping fingers crossed that by then everyone can hug, sing and cheer to celebrate a thirty-year dream coming true.

More information on the Club’s building fund and plans can be obtained from Jude Wood, Executive Director, on 530 542 0838 or jwood@bgclt.org

Contractors pictured above include Kris Johnson, Robert Haen and Tom Haen of Haen Construction; Sierra Valley Electric; Colin Radach of Radach Construction; and Steve Morales.

Other Photo: L-R: Jeff Tillman (in back), Terri Arnold, Piper Arnold, Brandi Brown, Larry Green, Nicole Marsel and Jude Wood.