Community is invited to take part in capital fundraising campaign
LAKE TAHOE, CA/NV (February 21, 2023) – The League to Save Lake Tahoe announced it is building a new environment and education center designed around opportunities for the public to learn, appreciate and take part in protecting Lake Tahoe. The 65-year-old environmental nonprofit’s future home will be the Tahoe Basin’s premiere environmental facility and a hub for collaboration, volunteering, and community engagement focused on fulfilling the League’s mission to Keep Tahoe Blue. The site will feature an outdoor amphitheater, native plant educational garden, citizen science laboratory, and environmental center open to the public, located at the busy intersection of U.S. Route 50 and Al Tahoe Boulevard in South Lake Tahoe.
Tahoe enthusiasts are invited to take part in creating the only facility dedicated to protecting the Lake Tahoe Basin. Contributions to the capital campaign can be made at keeptahoeblue.org/new-home.
“We couldn’t be more excited about the project and sharing our vision with the Tahoe community,” said Darcie Goodman Collins, CEO of the League. “As the threats to Lake Tahoe have grown, so has our team and our work. The new building gives us the space and tools we need to do more for the Lake, and to open our doors to everyone who wants to learn about Tahoe and keep it blue.”
The League’s recently announced capital campaign has been met with a huge outpouring of support, including an initial $1.6 million from cornerstone private donors, as well as generous in-kind contributions from Meeks Lumber & Hardware and Fireclay Tile. Those funds are added to the League’s own strategic savings and proceeds from the sale of its current building. After more than four years of careful financial planning and consultation with industry professionals, $4 million has been secured to create a space for everyone to take part in the movement to Keep Tahoe Blue.
“The League is vital to Lake Tahoe,” said Chet Pipkin, founder and former CEO of technology company Belkin International, owner of the Desolation Hotel in South Lake Tahoe, and long-time donor to Keep Tahoe Blue. “I’m proud to help them build a new home where they can do even more for the community and our environment.”
To complete its vision for the new environment and education center, the League has set a fundraising goal of an additional $1 million, and is inviting the community to contribute what they can. “With your donation, you can leave your mark on Tahoe’s premiere environmental facility,” said Kristiana Almeida, Chief Operating Officer for the League. “Your legacy will be a healthy, vibrant Lake Tahoe for future generations.”
The former professional building at 2877 Lake Tahoe Boulevard – the League’s new Tahoe Blue home – has been completely reimagined and is being rebuilt thanks to expertise from Ward | Young Architecture & Planning and Sierra Sustainable Builders, both Tahoe-Truckee area businesses. The property is currently undergoing renovations that will make it South Lake Tahoe’s only LEED-certified office building and a showcase of Lake-friendly urban redevelopment. The League is aiming to move into their new space this fall.
“Our volunteer programs, advocacy work and citizen science have yet to reach their potential, simply due to lack of space,” noted Goodman Collins. “The new building is an open invitation for locals, visitors, and everyone in between to join us in caring for the Tahoe Basin.”
The public is invited to view renderings, learn more about the project and support the capital campaign at keeptahoeblue.org/new-home.
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Media Resources: Architectural renderings
Media Contact: Chris Joseph, Communications Director, League to Save Lake Tahoe; cjoseph@keeptahoeblue.org, 805.722.5646
The League to Save Lake Tahoe, also known by the slogan “Keep Tahoe Blue,” is Tahoe’s oldest and most successful nonprofit environmental advocacy and action organization. The League is dedicated to community engagement and education, and collaborating to find solutions to Tahoe’s environmental challenges. Through the League’s core campaigns, its expert staff and dedicated volunteers A.C.T. to Keep Tahoe Blue: we Advance restoration, Combat pollution and Tackle invasive species. Learn more at keeptahoeblue.org.