Author Tim O’Brien
ARTS AND CULTURE
Friday, Sept. 21 | Winner of the National Book Award for fiction for his 1979 novel “Going After Cacciato,” and perhaps more famously known for “The Things They Carried,” his award-winning novel of the Vietnam war anthologized in John Updike’s “Best American Short Stories of the Century,” author Tim O’Brien will be speaking at Sierra Nevada College at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 21 and hosting a craft lecture on writing about war the following morning at 10 a.m. The evening lecture is free, and the craft talk costs $50. Reservations required for either at: sierranevada.edu/read
Calling All Artists
ARTS AND CULTURE
Deadline: Friday, Sept. 21 | What makes your heart sing and your passions burn? The Truckee Donner Recreation and Park District is inviting all artists to submit their work for this upcoming “Burning Hearts” exhibit. The fall exhibit of the Truckee Public Arts Commission will feature the “passions that make our community thrive.” The show will open with a reception on Friday, Oct. 5 at 5 p.m. For guidelines and entry forms, go to the latest news at tdrp.com
International Peace Day
COMMUNITY
Friday, Sept. 21 | The Tahoe Truckee Peace Project has a day of fun and educational activities mapped out for celebrating Peace Day beginning at 5 a.m. with a Meditation Marathon. The all-day event at For Goodness Sake will feature a variety of practices including outdoor Tai Chi, Falun Gong, Deep Yoga, Tibetan singing bowl meditation, drumming meditation and meditative prayer. At 3 p.m., the celebration moves to Truckee Regional Park for raffles, children’s activities, and music by Emily Tessmer and her band, the SELS chorus, Glenshire Elementary, and Inner Rhythms Dance studio. Check out the labyrinth, hula hooping, and face painting. Organizers will also announce the winner of the Truckee Tahoe Peace Prize. Info: truckeetahoepeaceproject.org
Cyclists Pedal to the Pacific
SPORTS
Friday, Sept. 21 | Six cyclists plan to hop on their bikes in front of Truckee’s Coffeebar for a marathon ride to the ocean to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters. The riders will start at 7 a.m., pedal 300 miles, and if all goes to plan, arrive in time for lunch the next day in Sausalito. For board member Hardy Bullock, who organizes the ride, it’s all about the kids: “I feel a deep connection to kids who need guidance and support. I feel that as a community we can affect their lives in a positive way now and create a better society in the long run. It is also important that my children understand the value of helping others. They inspire me in a profound way; I want to be their hero.” With $40,000 raised for the kids over the past three years, Bullock and his buddies already are. Info: (530) 273-2227, firstgiving.com/fundraiser/300miles
Do You See What I See?
ARTS AND CULTURE
Sunday, Sept. 23 | Bona Fide Books is hosting a unique workshop to benefit local youth literacy and the leadership program, Adventure Risk Challenge. “Three Ways to Look at a Landscape” will bring together three talented presenters from different disciplines to lead a workshop/walk through the woods at Sagehen Creek Field Station, just 8 miles north of Truckee. Learn how an artist, a biologist, and a poet all look at the same landscape, and how they translate that observation into their projects. Each of the day’s sessions begin with an introductory talk, followed by time in the woods and then an exercise or experiential piece to encourage engagement with nature and self. Draw, write, observe, take field notes — learn new ways to look at the landscape and translate it into your work. Info: $60 includes sack lunch and snacks, special rates for students, (530) 573-1513, bonafidebooks.com
Mystery Musical to Help Buy Royal Gorge
COMMUNITY
Sunday, Sept. 23 | Are you the kind of person who would sign up for a ride without knowing exactly where you’re going to end up? Love the outdoors? Dig on awesome music? Then this might be for you — a fundraiser at $50 a head to help buy 3,000 scenic acres atop Donner Summit, including the Royal Gorge Ski Area, for what will amount to hugely expanded public access. The event kicks off at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 23 in the parking lot of Donner Ski Ranch, one of the event sponsors. A concert follows at 2 p.m., after which the audience will be led to some spot around Lake Mary, where supporters will enjoy samplings from many local restaurants including Dragonfly, Moody’s, and The Pour House. The night will include music ranging from percussion to brass to the Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra. Bring your walking shoes! Minimum tax-deductible donation is $50, and reservations are required by Sept. 15. Info: (530) 426-7002, donnersummitareaassociation.org
Money for Nevada Trails
COMMUNITY
With $1 million in state funding, the Nevada Division of State Parks is soliciting pre-applications for its 2013 funding round. Trail organizations and private individuals are invited to join government agencies in applying. Past projects include the multi-use Jumbo Grade trailhead in Washoe Valley, Shoshone off-highway vehicle trail, Tahoe Pyramid Bikeway, and the Blue Tree trail system. Info: Jenny Scanland, (775) 684-2787, jscanland@parks.state.nv.gov
Rebates for Eco-friendly Erosion Control
COMMUNITY
The Truckee River Watershed Council is offering a $400 rebate for property owners interested in working with a conservation specialist to implement eco-friendly erosion control measures. The River Friendly Landscape Program offers a free site evaluation for older and established neighborhoods along the Truckee River watershed. Info: (530) 550-8760 x3, truckeeriverwc.org/river-friendly-landscaping
Dining for Schools
COMMUNITY
Thanks to the Excellence in Education Fund, $50 gets you 50 percent off the cost of a meal at many of your favorite Tahoe eateries. The card works most Sundays through Thursdays at more than 40 participating restaurants, excluding ski season at many locations, through next spring. The card sales raise more than $35,000 a year for the foundation, which has given some $155,000 to the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District over the years. The cards are available at Porters Sports in Truckee, Save Mart (Truckee & Tahoe City), Safeway (Truckee & Kings Beach), Mountain Hardware, and at ExinEd.org. Info: (530) 550-7984
Baby & Me Classes
FAMILY
Fridays, Sept. 14 to Oct. 19 | The Family Resource Center of Tahoe Truckee is offering fun, educational classes for parents with infants under 12 months old. Cindy Bansen, a registered nurse and lactation consultant, will lead the group with organized activities to include music, speakers, and informal discussions. Info: $72 for six Friday sessions, 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., scholarships available, (530) 587-2513 (x110) or ruth@truckeefrc.org
Safe Drug Disposal
HEALTH & WELLNESS
The Tahoe Truckee Future without Drug Dependence Coalition is looking for community volunteers who would like to help with an Rx Drug Take-back event scheduled for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 29 in Truckee and Tahoe City. The event is designed to provide the community with a safe, convenient, and free method to drop off unused, expired, or unwanted medications. At previous take-back events, Tahoe-Truckee has collected and disposed of over 500 pounds of prescription medications, helping to prevent youth drug abuse and the contamination of our waterways. Info: devin.bradley@co.nevada.ca.us, (530) 546-1924, www.ttfwdd.com
Where the Buffalo (Can’t) Roam
COMMUNITY
Wednesday, Oct. 3 | Montana activists are taking their cause on the road with an evening of song, storytelling, and video that highlights the struggle of the buffalo to survive around Yellowstone National Park. Organizers from Montana’s Buffalo Field Campaign are trying to raise public awareness in an effort to protect the buffalo’s habitat. Given the state’s deep snowfall, the buffalo migrate to lower elevations during winter, where they can be killed. Almost 7,000 have been killed outside the park boundaries over the past 25 years, according to the campaign. Info: free, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Sierra College, 11011 College Trail, Truckee, buffalofieldcampaign.org/aboutus/roadshow2010.html
Discounted Blood Tests
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Wednesday, Oct. 10 & Thursday, Oct. 11 | Tahoe Forest Hospital District is offering six more days of discounted blood tests this year. Starting at $11 for a complete blood panel and up to $79 for a prostate antigen tests, the community screenings cost less than half of the hospital’s regular rates. Patients must pay in full at the time of the test, and insurance is not accepted. Fasting required. Info: 10956 Donner Pass Rd (inside the medical building) in Truckee, and Incline Village at 880 Alder Dr. Additional dates in November and December at both locations. Call (530) 582-3277 or (775) 833-4100 for additional information and prices.
Bocce Ball Tournament
SPORTS
Sunday, Sept. 23 | Forty teams are invited to compete in the 4th Annual Bocce Ball Tournament to benefit the High Fives Foundation, a nonprofit supporting athletes injured in winter sports. For $100 entry fee, two-man teams will compete for prizes awarded to the top 10 such as season passes to Squaw Valley, $200 gift certificates to Truckee River Winery, and GoPro Hero 2 HD cameras, among others. Info: (530) 562-4270, www.highfivesfoundation.org
Fat Tire Festival at Squaw
SPORTS
Sept. 20 to 23 | Mountain bikers from all over will come to Squaw Valley for the return of the Tahoe Fat Tire Festival. Presented by New Belgium Brewing, Barefoot Wines, and the North Lake Tahoe Convention and Visitors Bureau, the festival will include five race events, a mountain bike stage race, group mountain bike rides, skill clinics, vendors, movies, trail work classes, and music. Squaw Valley will be opening its bike park and trail network for the four days of the festival. Info: tahoefattirefestival.org
