The Local Lens – Community Holiday Tree Lights Up on Saturday!
December 2, 2025 | Linda Offerdahl
This year’s dilemma of finding a tree to designate as the official Incline Village Holiday Tree was solved by the fire district’s fuels crew! While reducing hazardous fuels in the First Creek drainage area, they found a beautiful 12-foot White Fir. They cut and installed it in front of the Prim Library on the UNR at Lake Tahoe campus. Thanks to Sheila and Ken Leijon, the tree is decorated with solar lights. The lights will be officially turned on this Saturday, December 6, at the Northern Lights Community Celebration.
The (free) festive event on Saturday starts at 2 pm when Prim Library opens its doors to the community to view the 30+ nonprofit “giving trees”. There are multiple contests; locals are encouraged to vote for their favorite tree, along with enjoying a multitude of entertainment and activities sponsored by service clubs and nonprofits.
Whittier Trust is the premier sponsor of Northern Lights. Raleys is donating sandwiches. IVCBA, UNR, IVGID, North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, and the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office are all active participants in organizing the event.
Think of it as a giant open house in Incline Village. You will want to stop in every center. The Do Not Miss places are The Potlatch in Raley’s Incline Center and Tahoe Gifting Company at the Christmas Tree Village.
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IVCBA is the Community and Business Association that promotes our local businesses and nonprofits, organizes community events, and produces the Weekly SnapShot! If you are a subscriber and regular reader, please join as a Community Supporter for $50. If you are not a subscriber, do for free! Go to IVCBA.org. We are financially supported by our local agency “investors”, and our business community and residents. Please help!JOIN HERE
Giving Tuesday: Supporting the Nonprofits That Strengthen Incline Village & Crystal Bay
December 1, 2025 | Kristin Derrin
Celebrating community generosity with IVCBA Member Nonprofits
Giving Tuesday is a powerful reminder of the generosity that defines Incline Village and Crystal Bay. Nearly all of our local nonprofits are proud members of IVCBA, working every day to strengthen our community. As you consider where to give this season, remember that the Tahoe Community Foundation serves as a central hub for nonprofit resources and philanthropy across Incline Village and the greater Tahoe Basin, making it easy to support the causes you care about most.
Below are just a few of the many IVCBA member nonprofits participating in Giving Tuesday this year. For a complete list of local nonprofit organizations serving our community, visit the IVCBA Community Resource Page, non-profit section: https://ivcba.org/resources/community-resources/ or visit the Tahoe Community Foundation for the complete list around the Basin.
Giving Tuesday Opportunities From IVCBA Member Nonprofits
Food Bank of Northern Nevada — Triple Match Opportunity
This Giving Tuesday, your generosity can go three times as far. Thanks to Dermody’s 2025 Thanksgiving Capstone Award, every gift to the Food Bank of Northern Nevada is tripled. Each dollar helps provide nine meals for children experiencing food insecurity, at a time when many families are feeling the strain of keeping dinner plates full, especially during a season symbolizing warmth, care, and community. Give here: https://fbnn.org/
Lake Tahoe School — Winter Market and Nonprofit Showcase
Lake Tahoe School proudly kicks off the giving season with its annual Winter Market celebration on Giving Tuesday. This festive initiative launches Raffle Ticket Sales and the Silent Auction, culminating in the public Winter Market event on Tuesday, December 5. This year’s Winter Market website will also feature a dedicated section spotlighting local nonprofit partners, amplifying the spirit of giving across the community. Learn more or give: https://www.laketahoeschool.org/
AAUW Tahoe/Nevada — Matching Challenge for Women and Girls
AAUW Tahoe/Nevada supports the advancement of women and girls through scholarships, grants, and volunteer service. In honor of Giving Tuesday, four AAUW members are matching donations up to $10,000, doubling the impact of every contribution. Your support fuels educational, leadership, and career-building opportunities for local women and girls. Donate: https://tahoe-nv.aauw.net/donate/
Tahoe Family Solutions – Strengthening Local Families
Tahoe Family Solutions provides essential resources, mental health services, and youth programs to ensure every child, individual, and family has the opportunity to thrive. As a Family Resource Center, TFS offers most services at little to no cost. Since 2021, emergency support needs have risen 261 percent, and in 2025, TFS is on track to provide more than $40,000 in rental and emergency assistance to stabilize families and preserve housing security. Please consider supporting TFS this Giving Tuesday—your contribution directly supports neighbors in need. Give Here: https://tahoefamily.org/donate-today/
Diamond Peak Ski Team (Ski Education Foundation)
This Giving Tuesday, the Diamond Peak Ski Education Foundation invites the community to invest in opportunity. Donations support the Steiner Scholarship Program, ensuring that young athletes, regardless of financial circumstance, can pursue competitive snowsports and develop resilience, confidence, and leadership. A contribution of any size makes a difference. A gift of $3,000 sponsors a full season for one athlete in need. Give here: https://dpst.regfox.com/donate
Wildwood Open Land Foundation
Wildwood Open Land Foundation is committed to preserving the natural and cultural resources of the Tahoe Basin. As a 100 percent volunteer organization, Wildwood relies entirely on community generosity to protect open spaces, support ecological stability, and provide education around local land conservation. You can support in three ways: donate, become a member, or volunteer. Learn more: https://www.wildwoodopenlands.org/
CYMBAL – Supporting Music Education in Incline Village Public Schools
Since 1991, CYMBAL has proudly supported music education in Incline Village public schools. Giving Tuesday donations help “Keep the Music Playing” by funding music education and outreach programs, purchasing instruments and equipment, repairing instruments, and providing sheet music and accessories. CYMBAL also helps ensure access to affordable instrument rentals, mentorship programs, workshops, performance opportunities, and transportation to festivals and competitions.
Newton Northern Nevada – Supporting Neurodivergent Students
Newton Northern Nevada is the region’s only non-public, non-profit school serving students with autism and other neurodivergent learning differences. With no state or government funding, the school depends on community generosity. Giving Tuesday gifts to the Promise Fund help provide an affordable, individualized, and compassionate education for students who thrive in a school designed for the way they learn. Give Here: : https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E351574&id=36
Pet Network
This year, Pet Network is raising funds for a generator for our shelter and community hospital so that animals in our care stay safe and warm—even when Tahoe’s winter storms knock the power out.
Fuel the Mission is our Giving Tuesday campaign to replace our retired operations vehicle so our dive team can keep cleaning Lake Tahoe year round. A dependable used vehicle allows us to haul tanks and kayaks, tow the jetski, reach remote coves, and launch in snowy winter conditions. Donors can sponsor specific parts of the vehicle from tires to safety gear to help power the pieces that keep our work moving. Every contribution (NO MATTER THE SIZE) fuels the mission and keeps our divers in the water protecting the lake from the bottom up.
This Giving Tuesday, we invite you to support the organizations that make our mountain community strong, connected, and compassionate. Every contribution, large or small, helps uplift local programs and the people they serve. To discover additional nonprofits doing important work in Incline Village and throughout the Tahoe Basin, visit the Tahoe Community Foundation, which provides a comprehensive directory and trusted pathways for giving. Together, we can make an impact.
Disclaimer: This Giving Tuesday roundup highlights IVCBA member nonprofits that reached out with information to share. It is not a comprehensive list of all local nonprofits. For the full directory of Incline Village and Crystal Bay nonprofit organizations, please visit the IVCBA Community Resource Page or reference the list of members below.
The Local Lens – Help kick-off Northern Lights the first weekend of December!
November 19, 2025 | Linda Offerdahl
IVCBA is bringing the “reason for the season” to its annual event that has most recently been named Candy Cane Village. This year’s Northern Lights Community Celebration on December 6 brings a “forest of giving trees” to the Prim Library on the UNR at Lake Tahoe campus. Over 25 nonprofits will bring a decorated (under 4 feet) tree complete with their wish list on ornaments and tags. There WILL be a community tree lighting outside, thanks to the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, who will also be delivering Nevada Santa and Mrs. Claus. Nonprofits and schools will provide activities for all ages and entertainment, including the traditional concert by Incline Elementary School students led by their teacher, Shauna Righellis. As usual, Cocoa with Captain Cola from the Incline Substation.
Northern Lights Tahoe is a month-long celebration of holiday events by our businesses and nonprofits. IVCBA.org Northern Lights Calendar covers EVERYTHING, including faith-based services and New Year’s Eve events.
IVCBA is the Community and Business Association that promotes our local businesses and nonprofits, organizes community events, and produces the Weekly SnapShot! If you are a subscriber and regular reader, please join as a Community Supporter for $50. If you are not a subscriber, do for free! Go to IVCBA.org. We are financially supported by our local agency “investors”, and our business community and residents. Please help!JOIN HERE
Housing insecurity seems to be a chronic problem in resort communities like Incline Village. It affects our business owners, business professionals, service workers, retirees, and the young singles we hope will settle down and start families here. When temporary assistance is needed, our family advocacy organizations, such as Tahoe Family Solutions and Sierra Community House, are the boots on the ground. Their resources for financial assistance are limited. Recently, St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church introduced the Sally Fund to raise funds and encourage collaboration among all providers. Some of you may remember Sally Hammell, a longtime resident. The Sally Fund is her legacy. Donate directly to St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church.
I know it’s a trite phrase, but it is so true. It takes a Village…here’s how some other organizations are involved in workforce housing.
IVCBA Housing Committee educates and convenes the community on housing issues. Sign the housing pledge and get on the mailing list. Go to the Housing page to learn more about housing programs in Incline Village. Both Rotary clubs help fund IVCBA’s housing committee.
IVCBA businesses such as Sun Bear Realty and Incline Vacation Rentals also handle long-term rentals. Something not often discussed but deserving of mention is the assistance and forbearance that landlords quietly offer to local tenants who are in a bind.
PLACEMATE is a program funded by Washoe County that gives assistance to landlords willing to lower the rent for locals.
TRPA Living Communities is the regional agency that works to implement policies that would open up and enable multi-family dwellings to be built in the basin.
Word of mouth and social media will always be the ultimate go-to network!
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IVCBA is the Community and Business Association that promotes our local businesses and nonprofits, organizes community events, and produces the Weekly SnapShot! If you are a subscriber and regular reader, please join as a Community Supporter for $50. If you are not a subscriber, do for free! Go to IVCBA.org. We are financially supported by our local agency “investors”, and our business community and residents. Please help!JOIN HERE
Take a moment next Tuesday to honor the men and women who wear a military uniform to serve our country in the United States Armed Forces. Veterans Day originated with Armistice Day to mark the end of World War I. Incline Village/Crystal Bay has several organizations serving veterans, all of whom invite the general public to attend their meetings, events, and fundraisers. Perhaps the largest is the Incline Village Veterans Club, which meets monthly on the last Thursday at the Chateau for lunch. The Military Officers of America Association has a speaker series. The upcoming leadership series is on November 20 and features District Attorney Chris Hickman as the speaker. President of the Lake Tahoe Chapter, John Hoffman, is also Chairman of the Onward Opps Foundation, a nationwide group that offers mentoring and other support for vets, both active and inactive. PTSD Now! focuses on suicide prevention in Nevada (and other states) National Guard with a program called “Purple Resolve”. Rotary Club of Incline Village celebrates Veterans Day at their lunch on Monday, November 11. If you are interested, reach out to Speeslaw@aol.com.
Join the Incline Village Crystal Bay Veterans Club at Eastside Memorial Park in Minden or the Rotary Club of Tahoe-Incline at Lone Mountain Cemetery in Carson City.
Donate here.
HUNGER RELIEF
There’s a lot of buzz around town right about the potential increase in food insecurity due to cuts in the government SNAP “digital food stamps” program. Among the numerous groups ready to help, Sierra Community House is the first line of support. They are connected to our local markets and have the best buying power with sources like Northern Nevada Food Bank, so better to donate money than food. Walk-up food distribution in Incline takes place on Thursday from 2-3:30 at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church. For more detailed information on all of their food-related services and to donate, visit: Hunger Relief – Sierra Community House.
How to help….lots of people are asking. In addition to Sierra Community House,
Tahoe Family Solutions’ family resource center is the “boots on the ground” for SNAP recipients. They are busy finding additional ways to help.
Sierra Senior Services delivers Meals on Wheels in Incline Village, funded by Washoe County. Kristin, give URL
Food Bank of Northern Nevada supports us locally through Sierra Community House and the Vincent DePaul branch at St. Francis Catholic Church. (give URL)
Faith-based: every local church offers assistance to those in need!
Well-Behaved Women Rarely Make History!
As you can imagine, I relate to this phrase quite a bit. I may not make any history book, but I am doing my best to share my time, talent, and treasure with this community! I am not alone. I have been reminded of this phrase recently with the passing of two strong women who made a difference, not just in Incline Village but also across the country.
Nancy Siebens Binz and her family’s foundation were passionate about small private colleges and many other institutions like the Mayo Clinic. As a longtime resident, we benefited from her generous and regular support of Sierra Nevada College( before it became a part of UNR.) Nancy was feisty and spoke her mind. Everyone knew where she stood. She passed away in October, just a month shy of turning 94. She moved to the Cayman Islands a number of years ago and pursued her lifelong passions of travel and deep-sea fishing.
Peggy Poindexter passed away suddenly in October, and many of us gathered to celebrate her life and support her husband, Jeff, and two daughters on Sunday at Burnt Cedar. Peggy had an illustrious career with the Department of Defense before she turned her talents to making Incline a better place. I cannot do her biography justice, but I can tell you from firsthand experience that she was an outstanding cook and shared this talent with AAUW and its garden party fundraisers and cooking clubs. When she was President of AAUW, she started a program at the high school to steer students toward vocational education and to develop skills and trades. As her daughter said, Peggy could be “prickly”, which to me is just another way of describing a strong woman who knew her mind and made stuff happen. Thank you Peggy!
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IVCBA is the Community and Business Association that promotes our local businesses and nonprofits, organizes community events, and produces the Weekly SnapShot! If you are a subscriber and regular reader, please join as a Community Supporter for $50. If you are not a subscriber, do for free! Go to IVCBA.org. We are financially supported by our local agency “investors”, and our business community and residents. Please help!JOIN HERE
The Local Lens – Conversations, Community, and Connection
October 14, 2025 | Linda Offerdahl
Politics, sex and religion are among the subjects not to be discussed in polite company or in public, “back in the day”. With all the social media and AI-generated content that requires great effort to verify, maybe face-to-face is a better way to have meaningful conversations. Notice I didn’t say confrontations! IVGID’s Conversation Café offers in-person chats every Thursday at 10 am at Aspen Grove. The Community Forum meets on the first and third Fridays at Incline Library at 10 am. THIS Friday is one of those days.
The topic on everyone’s minds this week is the weather! Get Meteorologist Dawn Johnson’s take on how the winter is shaping up. How DO they make the decision to call the upcoming weather a winter advisory or a warning?
We LOVE our local high school, but what if your child needs something different. Look at the flyer just to get a sense of all the choices there are, many of them local. Why not actually attend and learn more if you are a family with younger kids?
BEAUTY IS MORE THAN SKIN DEEP
Now that I have your attention, let me help you plan your Saturday (after Pet Net’s Puppy Plunge).… Go to Natural Grocer to learn why Detox is so important to your skin. THEN go to Tahoe Aesthetician’s one year anniversary to learn how she can fix those outer flaws that will help boost your confidence and make you feel beautiful on the inside too!
IVCBA is the Community and Business Association that promotes our local businesses and nonprofits, organizes community events, and produces the Weekly SnapShot! If you are a subscriber and regular reader, please join as a Community Supporter for $50. If you are not a subscriber, do for free! Go to IVCBA.org. We are financially supported by our local agency “investors”, and our business community and residents. Please help!JOIN HERE
IVCBA and the Village Center are starting a new tradition on Saturday. Fall Fest is a family event reminiscent of the Oktoberfest events that were held here several years ago. Instead of German food, Mexican food will be available at Lupita’s, Foursquare Church, and La Tienda Latina. Jacked Up will be playing instead of an oompah band. Highlights include a pumpkin patch (where you can decorate them on the spot) at Grocery Outlet and scarecrow making at Sierra Verde. The brainchild of owner Pam Aaron, stick scarecrows will be provided and can be decorated with clothing donated from the thrift stores. Families will be encouraged to stroll along the boardwalks on both upper and lower levels, grab some food, and hang out in the plaza created in the middle of the parking lot to enjoy the music. IVCBA will host lemonade and water. Many businesses will have games, crafts, or treats to enjoy. The fire district will be on hand, giving free flu shots. And if it’s cold, they will bring out the burn barrels!
As the oldest shopping center in Incline, Village Center holds a lot of history. Known best for the post office and Postal Express across the parking lot, it is the place “where locals shop and neighbors meet”. It has a diverse mix of businesses, including salons, 2 Mexican markets, and a restaurant, Fitness Loft, Wyld Peony floral shop, the only computer maintenance storefront in Incline, Wired Solutions and Tahoe Multi-sport with year-round sports equipment rentals. It is also home to Tahoe Family Solutions, a Family Resource Center, helping those in need and providing bilingual counseling.
INCLINED TO BLOOM
Dancing in daffodils is what we will be doing next spring if we ALL plant bulbs this fall! This is starting out as a grassroots campaign to beautify Incline in the spring. Daffodils are the first flower (yellow) to peak out through the snow in April/May and are hardy enough to survive an unexpected snowstorm. Once the bulbs are planted, the flowers come back every year. Locals are invited to plant bulbs along streets that have visibility in town. Donations can be made through Incline Tahoe Foundation. Anyone or any group willing to plant extra bulbs, reach out to Linda@IVCBA.org. More about this next week.
DEFENSIBLE SPACE
Time to rake up those pine needles. Homeowners should have received stickers in the mail. Chipping services are available through October. More info with NLTFPD.
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
DID YOU KNOW that Sand Harbor is getting a makeover? It’s a major effort. Find out the details at the Citizen Advisory Board (CAB) hybrid meeting on Monday, October 13 at Incline Library or on Zoom.
Tahoe Gifting Company has expanded their space and now offer specialty crafts weekly. This adds to the plethora of art activities offered by Incline Library and pottery classes at Karacotta Ceramics. Check the IVCBA.org calendar for specific classes and dates. The CUT
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IVCBA is the Community and Business Association that promotes our local businesses and nonprofits, organizes community events, and produces the Weekly SnapShot! If you are a subscriber and regular reader, please join as a Community Supporter for $50. If you are not a subscriber, do for free! Go to IVCBA.org. We are financially supported by our local agency “investors”, and our business community and residents. Please help!JOIN HERE
We’re proud to share that so many of our IVCBA members were recognized in the 2025 Best of North Lake Tahoe & Truckee awards. These awards celebrate the people and businesses that make our region such a vibrant place to live, work, and visit. From lively music venues and family-friendly entertainment to award-winning dining, unique shopping, and trusted local services, our members were highlighted across nearly every category.
Whether it’s enjoying a night out at Crystal Bay Casino, grabbing coffee at Happy Tiers, dining at Rosewood or Sage Leaf, exploring Thunderbird Lodge, or enjoying some fun at Bowl Incline or Iron and Wood, these businesses and individuals represent the best of who we are. Their recognition is a win for all of us — locals, visitors, and the greater community that supports them.
Here’s a look at the IVCBA members who were honored as winners and finalists this year:
Incline Village and IVCBA are welcoming the season with a brand-new community tradition. On Saturday, October 11, from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m., the Village Center will host the first annual Fall Fest, an afternoon of seasonal fun for families, neighbors, and visitors.
The event is designed to bring the community together through fall-themed activities, local food and drink, and live entertainment. Festival-goers can look forward to building scarecrows, decorating pumpkins, enjoying carnival games, and listening to live music on the Village Center steps.
One of the highlights of the afternoon will be scarecrow building, where families can collect clothes from Village Center thrift shops and head to Sierra Verde Designs to assemble their creations. Grocery Outlet will set up a pumpkin patch on site, with pumpkins available for purchase and decorating tables ready for kids and adults alike.
Local businesses are at the heart of the celebration. Lupita’s Mexican Restaurantwill be serving food, Glasses Wine Barwill feature wine specials, and community partners, including Tahoe Family Solutions, Incline High School’s Mi Cultura Club, YamiLeo’s Little Shop, and the Four Square Church, will host carnival-style games. Adding to the festive atmosphere, our local favorite Jacked Up will perform live music outdoors, surrounded by hay bales and autumn décor.
The event is free to attend, with food, beverages, and pumpkins available for purchase. Families are encouraged to stop by the Village Center at Mays Blvd. to enjoy an afternoon of fall fun.
Even though summer is not officially over until September 21, Labor Day weekend seems to mark the end of that vacation kind of lifestyle. Kids are back in school, and many people just stay in town rather than go somewhere. If the weather manages to end its series of thunderstorms, now is the time to go to the beach on the weekend or try for a parking space to walk the East Shore Trail in the middle of the day. Events that mark Labor Day weekend in Incline:
Selling yellow rubber ducks has been the fundraiser for the Rotary Club of Incline Village for a long time. A number of years ago, it switched from a race in the creek to a “duck drop” with the help of a fire truck from North Lake Tahoe Fire Department. 9:00 on Monday at Aspen Grove parking lot. Don’t be late or you will miss it.
BBQ AND PICNICS
Can you believe we have no smoke this year?? Every grocery store in town is promoting their picnic-style foods for the classic backyard party with family and friends. Just in case you haven’t noticed, there are THREE stores in town: Raleys, Natural Grocer, and Grocery Outlet.
Plan NOW to go to this classy event that also raises money for the Boys and Girls Club. It’s expensive, but I promise the venue and the high-end wines are worth it!
Don’t worry. There is still music every night, somewhere in Incline, for another week or two.
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IVCBA is the Community and Business Association that promotes our local businesses and nonprofits, organizes community events, and produces the Weekly SnapShot! If you are a subscriber and regular reader, please join as a Community Supporter for $50. If you are not a subscriber, do for free! Go to IVCBA.org. We are financially supported by our local agency “investors”, and our business community and residents. Please help!JOIN HERE
