New Major Founding Donors Announced at Tahoe Fund Kickoff Dinner Event
LAKE TAHOE – August 16, 2011 – The nonprofit Tahoe Fund announced funding for its first Lake Tahoe environmental improvement projects last night at its kickoff dinner at the West Shore Cafe in Homewood (CA). The Fund will provide:
- $25,000 to support operations of the new Van Sickle Bi-State Park at the south shore state line,
- $20,000 for a portion of the Class 1 Lakeside Bicycle Trail at Tahoe City, and
- $5,000 to fund publication of the annual University of California at Davis State of the Lake Report.
The Tahoe Fund dinner, honoring its major founding donors and attended by 180 people including Senator Dianne Feinstein, California Governor Jerry Brown and Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval, also highlighted two major Founders Circle donations.
- Heavenly Mountain Resorts and Northstar-At Tahoe through Vail Resorts Echo, the Vail Resorts stewardship program, will provide approximately $75,000 a year through a guest donation program.
- The Robert S. & Dorothy J. Keyser Foundation of Nevada will donate $25,000 a year for four years to support Tahoe Fund operations.
The Tahoe Fund also announced that the Blum Family Foundation donated $50,000 to jump start the Fund. Dick Blum and his wife, Senator Dianne Feinstein, expressed early support for the Tahoe Fund concept of a public-private partnership to implement projects.
“Every single one of our major founding donors should be commended for giving us a solid start to funding on-the-ground environmental improvement projects in the Tahoe basin,” said Cindy Gustafson, Tahoe Fund chair of the board. “The three projects we announced are just the beginning. This year and in the years to come we will be funding many more projects, including some that are very substantial.”
The Tahoe Fund is currently analyzing potential projects to determine priority and feasibility. “We will very carefully consider projects that restore and enhance the natural and recreational resources available to residents and visitors at Lake Tahoe,” said Gustafson.
Founded last year, the Tahoe Fund raises private money to supplement the dwindling public funding available for recreation, conservation and education projects in the Lake Tahoe basin. The Fund seeks to help fund bike trails, public parks, restoration projects, interpretive programs, and other amenities that people use and enjoy at the Lake.
About the Robert S. & Dorothy J. Keyser Foundation
Bob and Dottie Keyser chose to live their life together seeking better conditions for humankind and by sharing themselves with others less fortunate. Through the love and generosity of its founders, the Keyser Foundation has been able to significantly help countless organizations that represent a much larger ideal of what it truly means to embrace one another with open arms and a full heart.
Bob Keyser passed away on December 16, 1994 in Las Vegas, and Dottie passed away on October 8, 2002. The Keyser Foundation has since been lead or stewarded by Blake Smith (cherished family friend and foundation chairman), Tim Cashman and Mike Melarky, and has donated to countless organizations though the Keyser family, charitable and foundation trusts.
About Vail Resorts Echo
Aimed at both protecting the beautiful natural resources that surrounds the resorts and helping build stronger communities where our employees live and work, the Company’s stewardship program encompasses three core efforts – environmental stewardship, charitable giving and community engagement.
Heavenly Mountain Resorts and Northstar-At Tahoe have committed to launching a new guest donation program to benefit The Tahoe Fund. Launching this fall, the program will raise funds through a voluntary guest donation program in which guests can contribute $1 on the purchase of a variety of resort activities and amenities including season pass sales, online tickets purchases, Northstar-At-Tahoe lodging and golf.