SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — A pair of Nonprofit Speed Dating events held recently by the El Dorado Community Foundation on the east and west slopes of the county were successful with many committing to join boards.

The events held on Sept. 28 and Oct. 5, were geared toward connecting local nonprofit organizations with community members interested in learning about serving as board members. Each evening started off with a quick overview of how the event would progress, what the purpose of the event was, and why the need existed. 

Over the course of about 45 minutes, participating community members moved from seat to seat speaking to different nonprofits within their area of interest for about 6-7 minutes each. After the speed dating component of the evening was over, all participants had another hour to mix and mingle over drinks and appetizers, allowing them an opportunity to talk further with anyone they wanted some additional time with.

“The events were met with initial praise from nonprofits and community members alike who all felt the events were well executed, efficient, and a ton of fun,” said the Foundation in a news release. “Now, less than a month after the events took place, that initial sense of successfully executed events has turned into tangible success as we have learned that several community members have committed to join boards of local nonprofits they met during the events.”

The concept for the events was the brainchild of Foundation Impact Officer Avis Jolly and Foundation Program Coordinator Kathy Haven.