EDCF hosts first nonprofit speed matching event in South Lake Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There was laughter, good conversation, and a strong sense of community at the Boys and Girls Club of Lake Tahoe last week. Fifty South Shore community members got together during the first "speed matching" day on September 28, half representing local nonprofits, and the other half were community members interested in joining the nonprofits as possible board members.

El Dorado Community Foundation (EDCF) sponsored the inaugural event.

The evening resembled speed dating where organizations told their story to one participant in 2.5 minutes. Then that community member responded with their interests and asked questions in 2.5 minutes. Each nonprofit and each community member had eight “dates” in 40 minutes, and then a little mixer allowed everyone to pursue those they were interested in.

Some second “dates” were planned, some numbers exchanged, and hopefully, in a few months, new faces will be seen on some of those boards. This will mean success for the first event for the nonprofits who work so hard to serve the community.

“Since moving here, I’ve been looking for ways to volunteer for local community/environment/education-related organizations … and tonight I felt like I had hit the mother lode,” according to one community member in attendance.

Big shoutout to South Lake Brewing, Boeger Vineyard, and Barsotti Juice Co who all donated refreshments. EDCF would also like to thank Jude Wood and the Boys and Girls Club for allowing them the use of their amazing building.

"Thank you to everyone who participated in this entertaining evening in an effort to become more engaged and more community-centered as we all continue to strive to make Tahoe a better place for its residents, the environment, and our livelihoods," said organizer Kathy Haven of EDCF.

To learn more about El Dorado Community Foundation and its educational efforts to “build better nonprofits”, please visit eldoradocf.org.