The Take Care Tahoe Campaign uses humor to share stewardship messages

TAHOE CITY, Calif. (Jan. 10, 2020) – This month, a new digital billboard campaign has been unveiled on behalf of over 50 partners who have collaborated on the “Take Care Tahoe” effort to encourage more responsible behavior while in Tahoe. Designed with messages that use humor, the campaign was created to capture the attention of visitors when they are en route to Tahoe to encourage stewardship and responsible recreation during their stay. Thanks to financial support from the Tahoe Fund on behalf of the Take Care Tahoe partners, digital billboards carrying the Take Care™ messaging are visible on I-80 Eastbound in Colfax, California.

“With the ‘Take Care Tahoe’ digital billboard campaign, our goal is to educate visitors before they arrive about how they can take care of the environment when they’re here,” said Amy Berry, Tahoe Fund CEO. “This includes things like cleaning up after their dogs, not leaving broken sleds behind, eliminating the use of plastic straws, and blazing a trail of kindness on public trails throughout the region.”

The concept for the Take Care Tahoe campaign was developed by a collective group of organizations that love Lake Tahoe and want to see more people connect with the beautiful natural environment. Via the Take Care website, visitors and residents can find out more about Earth Day festivals, beach cleanups, nature walks and more. In an effort to encourage sustainability and responsible recreation, the campaign also includes ways people can help “Take Care” of Tahoe using humor to poke fun at the mistakes that are made. The campaign was developed by the creative team of Nate Laver and Meg and is directed by BRONTOSAURUS! Los Angeles.

With more than 100 destinations around the world grappling with negative impacts from tourism, according to a European Union report, Tahoe is not alone in asking visitors to be part of the solution to protect the environment. Lake Tahoe is one of the clearest large lakes in the world and the second deepest in the United States. “We’re hoping the millions of visitors to Tahoe will become part of the solution to protect this special place,” said Joanne Marchetta, Executive Director of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.

The digital billboards will be active throughout the winter season, cycling through the campaign’s humorous but informative messages regularly.

Learn more about Take Care Tahoe online at takecaretahoe.org or via Instagram @takecaretahoe. To see all the environmental projects supported by the Tahoe Fund, visit tahoefund.org.

Local nonprofits, private sector and government agencies unite in effort to commission a local artist to create permanent art installation in the tunnel on the path

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. (Jan. 6, 2020) – Since its opening in June 2019, the new Tahoe East Shore Trail connecting Incline Village to Sand Harbor State Park has quickly become an attraction for both residents and visitors interested in exploring Tahoe’s famed East Shore on foot or by bicycle. To augment the natural beauty of the immediate surroundings and transform a utilitarian tunnel into an enjoyable, relevant art experience, the Tahoe Fund and Tahoe Public Art have joined together to commission a mural that will be unique to the space. An official call for artists has been issued, with the deadline for submissions requested by 6 p.m. PST on February 1, 2020. Raley’s is generously providing a $5,000 stipend to the winning artist.

“The Tahoe East Shore Trail has quickly become a popular way for pedestrians and cyclists to access Lake Tahoe and many of the public beaches between Incline Village and Sand Harbor,” said Julie Teel, member of the Tahoe Fund and Raley’s board of directors. “Raley’s is honored to support this new piece of public art in our community, as it will compliment Tahoe’s natural environment to contribute to the unique sense of place the trail offers to our community and visitors from all over the world.”

“We welcome the opportunity to incorporate a public art project along the Lake Tahoe East Shore Trail, within one of Nevada’s most stunning State Parks,” said Robert Mergell, administrator for Nevada State Parks. “This mural will be a way for the local community to contribute creatively to the iconic Lake Tahoe East Shore experience, and with a rich pool of talented local artists, the result will surely be a vibrant art installation that will inspire and connect with visitors for generations to come.”

Artists are encouraged to focus the theme of their submissions on community and the surrounding environment. A committee comprised of representatives from the Tahoe Fund, Tahoe Public Art, Nevada State Parks, Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) and Raley’s will manage the selection process and decide on an artist to complete the project by mid-February. NDOT and Nevada State Parks will have final approval of the selected artwork, with the installation likely to be completed in spring 2020.

Requirements of the project artist(s) include:

• Incorporation of art into an important trail infrastructure element, depicting of local life
• Involvement of local youth in the creation of the mural
• The ability to complete the art within a 2 to 3-day period during limited hours determined by the Tahoe Fund and Nevada State Parks (as portions of the path may need to be blocked off for completion)
• UV protective coating of the art (by the artist) to prolong the lifespan of the art
• Recommended maintenance plan for the art, including how often the UV-protectant coating needs to be reapplied, whether any other maintenance is required, and replacement timeline
• The honorarium will not exceed $5,000, including labor, transportation and material costs

Submissions should include a project description including a sketch of the proposed art and description of materials, artist(s) statement of interest, resume or short biography, up to five high resolution images of previous pieces, annotated list of previous projects and budget breakdown.

The Call for Artists request for proposal can be found online at https://www.tahoepublicart.com/opportunities.html. Artists with questions or interest in requesting the complete application requirements are encouraged to email Tahoe Public Art program administrator, Marina Lowe, at tahoepublicart@gmail.com.

Tahoe Fund Partners With Local Filmmaker to Release “Twain” Inspired Time-Lapse

Short film featuring narration of Mark Twain’s writings about Lake Tahoe highlights the region’s majesty

TAHOE CITY, Calif. (Jan. 1, 2020) – A new short, time-lapse film of Lake Tahoe, with a narrative inspired by the thoughts of American writer, satirist, publisher and lecturer Mark Twain, has been released by Reno-Tahoe local filmmaker Justin Majeczky in partnership with the nonprofit Tahoe Fund.

Created to showcase the awe-inspiring majesty of Lake Tahoe, once called the “fairest picture the whole world affords” by Twain, the film is also intended to generate awareness of the Tahoe Fund and the environmental projects it supports around the lake.

“Partnering with the Tahoe Fund on this project was a natural fit because of the fact that they’ve generated significant funding for and have led so many great environmental projects around the lake that perfectly align with what Mark Twain valued about Lake Tahoe,” said Justin Majeczky, filmmaker at Varient3 Productions. “I hope those who see ‘Twain’ will be introduced not only to the beauty of Lake Tahoe, but to the efforts of the Tahoe Fund so that more people are encouraged to become stewards of the environment and to care for Tahoe.”

“Justin is an incredibly talented local filmmaker who through his work, has helped raise awareness for Lake Tahoe,” said Amy Berry, CEO of the Tahoe Fund. “By partnering with him as presenting sponsor of ‘Twain,’ our hope is to make more people aware not only of Tahoe, but how they can give back and ensure this special place can be appreciated by generations to come — just as it was by Mark Twain over 150 years ago.”

Video content for “Twain” was captured over the course of five years from a variety of vantage points, and throughout all seasons by Majeczky and other talented local filmmakers. The 3.5-minute film can be viewed online at “Twain.”.

Nonprofit seeks projects that offer solutions to environmental challenges impacting Lake Tahoe

TAHOE CITY, Calif. (Dec. 4, 2019) – The nonprofit Tahoe Fund has opened its annual call for projects that offer solutions to environmental challenges that impact Lake Tahoe. Specifically interested in supporting projects designed to improve lake clarity, expand outdoor recreation opportunities, reduce wildfire risk, and promote healthier forests, the Tahoe Fund will also consider funding projects that improve transportation and enhance stewardship opportunities in the Tahoe Basin. Organizations can submit projects for consideration by January 31, 2020 at tahoefund.org/challenge.

“Our goal is to support projects that improve the environment within the Tahoe Basin and encourage greater stewardship of this place that is treasured by so many,” said Allen Biaggi, Tahoe Fund Board Vice Chairman. “There are so many organizations doing great work in our region, we look forward to considering the projects they put forward and understanding how they can help increase the pace and scale of environmental improvements that are needed in Tahoe.”

Eligible projects must be able to demonstrate that necessary environmental permits will be obtained, that it has strong community support, and that other sources of funding have been identified. All submissions will be reviewed by the Tahoe Fund Projects Committee, which is responsible for developing the Tahoe Fund’s Signature and Premier Projects Portfolio. Project selections are expected to be made in late spring or early summer 2020.

Project submissions for early-stage grants that bring innovative solutions to Tahoe’s environmental challenges are also being accepted through Tahoe Fund’s Environmental Venture Trust. These projects should be able to demonstrate how an early investment can be leveraged to secure significant funding in the future from public and/or private sources.

Since 2010, the Tahoe Fund has raised funds from private donors for more than 35 environmental improvement projects including new bike paths and trails, watershed restorations, removal of aquatic invasive species and environmental stewardship programs. In 2019, financial support was provided to projects including the Spooner Lake Trailhead and Amphitheater, Bike Racks for Businesses, Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care Outdoor Learning Center, Lily Lake Trail and more.

Project guidelines and the request for projects submission form can be found at tahoefund.org/challenge.