GREAT SIERRA RIVER CLEANUP

Join hundreds of volunteers for the 7th annual Great Sierra River Cleanup this Saturday, Sept 19. This cleanup is an annual event to remove trash and restore the health of our beaches, rivers and meadows in the Sierra Nevada region. Last year almost 200 volunteers from Lake Tahoe communities picked up 1,300 pounds of trash.

This year there are 10 cleanup sites available. The League to Save Lake Tahoe will be hosting the following site on the South Shore: Zephyr Cove from 2-5 p.m.

Let the parking attendant know that you are there for the cleanup. Once you enter the parking lot, go right and you will see a big blue pop-up tent where the cleanup will be stationed.

Everyone is encouraged to carpool or bike to the cleanups if possible.

The league will provide cleanup materials, refreshments and prizes. Be sure to bring your reusable water bottle, comfortable clothes, sunscreen and friends.

Sponsoring organizations include: Clean Tahoe Program, League to Save Lake Tahoe, California Conservation Corps, Sierra Nevada Americorps Program, Sierra Nevada Alliance, California Tahoe Conservancy, and South Tahoe Refuse & Recycling.

SENIOR CENTER HAPPENINGS

A pancake breakfast and rummage sale is planned for Saturday, Sept. 19, at the South Lake Tahoe Senior Center, 3050 Lake Tahoe Blvd. It will run from 8-11 a.m. The breakfast costs $5 for teens and adults, and $3 for children. Call 530-542-6094 for information about signing up for rummage sale tables.

Everyone is invited to a “Back to School Dance” by the 17-piece Tahoe Dance Band, on Friday, Sept. 25, from 7:30-10 p.m., at the South Lake Tahoe Senior Center. It is not necessary to come with a partner. Appetizers, desserts, beverages and a free door prize ticket is included in admission, which costs $10. Those under 21 years of age only pay $5. There will be a raffle. For more information, call Jim Grubbs at 530-541-3285 or Francine at 530-541-8380.

A Celebration of Life is planned for Vern Lee on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will be held at the South Lake Tahoe Senior Center. It will offer a pot luck luncheon. RSVP to Arline June Gordon at 530-545-1277 by Thursday, Sept. 24. There will be music, singing, a video, slides and an opportunity to speak about your experiences and feelings about Vern (2 minutes each).

HISTORY COMES ALIVE

Do you want to mingle with the people who shaped Lake Tahoe’s history? Would you like to hear their stories conveyed in a colorful and dramatic way? Then you can’t miss Chautauqua at Lake Tahoe 2015 on Sunday, Sept. 20, at the Valhalla Grand Hall. Doors open at 4:45 p.m. Proceeds of the event will benefit the Lake Tahoe Historical Society to support our museum.

John Muir will recount his expeditions in the Sierra Nevada. Yank Clement will divulge how he and other Tahoe pioneers partied hardy. Julia Bulette will describe her ornate brothel in Virginia City. Kit Carson will regale you with mountaineering tales. Charley Parkhurst will enlighten you about the rigors of stagecoach driving and divulge a historical secret.

To purchase tickets, visit the Lake Tahoe Museum on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 3058 Lake Tahoe Boulevard in South Lake Tahoe. You may also reserve tickets by calling 530-541-5458. Additional information can be found at http://www.laketahoemuseum.org. Tickets are $60 for Lake Tahoe Historical Society members and $70 for nonmembers. Ticket price includes dinner, dessert, wine, beer, non-alcoholic beverages, and entertainment.

TORCH RELAY POKER RUN

Torch Relay Poker Run, a poker run fundraiser around Lake Tahoe, is scheduled for Sept. 26 at Marriott’s Timber Lodge in South Lake Tahoe, Calif. (1 Bellamy Way). The event supports the Renown Children’s Hospital through the Children’s Miracle Network. Funds raised will purchase medical supplies and pay for medical treatments. The entry fee is $30 per rider and $10 per passenger. Email TorchRelayTakeTahoe@gmail.com or call 530-542-6699 with questions. Register online at http://www.torch-relay.org/laketahoe.