The Run for the Roses Kentucky Derby Fundraiser takes place Saturday, May 2Provided/Tahoe Ballet and Performing Arts Foundation
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – It’s time to whip out your wide-brimmed hats and pastel suits for the second annual Run for the Roses Kentucky Derby Fundraiser at Lake Tahoe Golf Course, hosted by Tahoe Ballet and Performing Arts Foundation on Saturday, May 2.
Starting as a class of just three children taught by Kelly O’Fallon at her studio to now a successful nonprofit foundation holding 62 kids in its program, the Tahoe Ballet and Performing Arts Foundation strives to bridge the gap of accessible, high-quality ballet and performing arts opportunities to children in the community.
A big part of their success is their initiative to hold fundraising events that accelerate change.
“I love to fundraise, but it’s really important to be passionate about what you’re fundraising for,” said Kelly Tillson, Co-founder and Board President of Tahoe Ballet and Performing Arts Foundation. “Because it’s a big ask to ask people in the community to support something. We’re just so passionate about where our program has evolved from what was supposed to be a three-day camp to now offering classes.”
The foundation provides access to high-quality performing arts to children Provided/Tahoe Ballet and Performing Arts Foundation
As the foundation gears up for their big recital in June at Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC), Tillson notes how great it is to see the community come together to support their cause.
This year’s second annual Run for the Roses Kentucky Derby Fundraiser is a family-friendly event and provides the opportunity to sponsor a dancer. Folks can donate $100 for sponsorship and be entered into a drawing to win a lakeview room at the stunning property of Edgewood Tahoe Resort. Tickets can be purchased in-person only until May 1 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Tillson Law, located at 589 Tahoe Keys Blvd, Suite E4 in South Lake Tahoe, Calif.
Guests attending the event can sponsor a dancer in-person at the fundraiser for $50. The drawing will be held during the Kentucky Derby Fundraiser, and winners don’t have to be present to win.
In addition to sponsoring a dancer, the event will be teeming with fun things for everyone to enjoy, including children’s activities like Ever After Production characters and facepainting, a live auction and raffle with opportunities to pick your winning horse, appetizers, a cash bar, and of course the excitement of watching the Kentucky Derby races at the beautiful Lake Tahoe Golf Course. “Guests are encouraged to come dressed in Derby best.”
Items for the live auction and raffle include a stay at a Santa Cruz vacation rental, a helicopter tour, SLT Police Department tour, Reno Ace’s tickets, gift cards to amazing local restaurants, nature walk with Tahoe Toogee, boat and jet ski rentals, Sunset Sail, LTCC Connect Camp, hotel stays and more.
“The Tahoe Ballet and Performing Arts Foundation is deeply grateful to our Derby Sponsors and the many local businesses, individuals, and attendees whose generosity fuels this event. Because of you, we are able to provide no-cost, high-quality performing arts opportunities to children in South Lake Tahoe,” Tillson said.
The Run for the Roses Kentucky Derby Fundraiser starts at 1 p.m. and ends at 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 2.
Tickets are $65 per adult and $30 per child under 18-years-old. Funds raised directly support the Tahoe Ballet and Performing Arts Foundation’s mission.
“Our mission comes to life through the dedication of our board, the talent of our instructors, the commitment of our families and dancers, and the support of our community organizations—including SLT Arts, Culture, and Tourism Commission, Caesars Foundation, Tahoe Arts Project, Soroptimist International of Tahoe Sierra, Edgewood Ladies Golf Club, Tahoe Women’s Community Fund, MVMNT Dance Studio, and the incredible team at the South Lake Tahoe Recreation and Swim Complex,” said Tillson.
Sponsors for the event include Goal Foundation, Tahoe Immigration Law, Tillson Law, Pelodog, BFD/Key Architecture, Diamond Woodcraft, Barton, and Liberty Utilities.
“Together, as a community, we have come together to open doors, inspire creativity, and shape a brighter future for the children of South Lake Tahoe,” Tillson added.
To learn more about the Tahoe Ballet and Performing Arts Foundation, find them on Facebook or Instagram: @tahoeballetpaf
Foundation board members from left to right: Kelly Tillson, Eddi Beaty, Kelly O’Fallon, Heather Coleman, Nicole Bardzell, and Dr. Audry DaSilva (several other board members not present in photo)Provided/Tahoe Ballet and Performing Arts Foundation
“Beyond Awestruck: The Scientific Search for Connection” studies the feeling of awe roused by participants in Lake TahoeMaya Duhl / Tahoe Daily Tribune
LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – The pressures of life, whether they come from the struggle to pay your bills, the workload you’re carrying, or while experiencing the negative aspects of things you can’t control, there’s a moment for many where all of that slips away – it’s just you as you are and the nature around you. For those of us living in or visiting Lake Tahoe, that relief can be found just outside the door. “Beyond Awestruck: The Scientific Search for Connection” is a three-part docuseries studying the feeling of awe a person experiences, what invokes that feeling and the benefits imposed. The study’s muse? One-of-a-kind Lake Tahoe.
“Awe and experiences in nature are pivotal to the human experience. They matter for people’s well-being. They matter for people’s social relationships, and here we’re really trying to map out the ways in which experiences of awe and experiences in nature help people solve essential problems in their lives,” said Paul Piff, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Irvine and leader of the experiment to measure moments of awe.
The 2025 project took approximately nine months, from brainstorming and planning to the completion of filming. Among the very few challenges Dr. Piff and his team faced during the project, he told the Tribune, “Personally, I felt like it was an embarrassment of riches in terms of trying to pick which of the many, many awe-inspiring locations to run studies and film in.”
Dr. Paul Piff has been studying the psychology behind awe for more than a decade Provided/Visit Lake Tahoe
So what is awe and why did Dr. Piff and his team choose Lake Tahoe to study it? Awe can be described as many things – profound reverence, wonder, or inspiration. Lake Tahoe, known for its deeply rich history and its intricate and vast array of nature, seems to possess all the ingredients needed for such a unique research project.
Over the course of seven studies while using what they call the “awe meter”, researchers in “Beyond Awestruck”conduct experiments that test the many impacts awe can have on a human being.
In the series, complex topics are touched on including anxiety, depression, suicide, and spirituality, with live accounts and first-hand experiences from people who used nature as a way to heal. For some, it was Tahoe’s nature that provided relief.
“I met so many folks that shared their love for Tahoe, and the personal impact it has on them,” said Piff. “One couple recounted how, in looking over the entirety of the lake, it reminded them of all the different experiences they’d had around it, in their many decades together. It brought them closer to one another, by virtue of reminding them of all the times they’d shared in and around Tahoe. This really touched me.”
One participant in the study during episode two of the series noted how overwhelming it was to see the forest, the mountains and the lake – all in one view, saying, “It didn’t seem real.” It invokes the question: do locals forget they live in one of the most sought-after places in North America? Do they lose that sense of awe after getting used to the views?
Participants are not only observed hiking, paddleboarding or overlooking the lake on the Heavenly Observation Deck, they’re talking about their experiences, how they feel during those moments, and we get to watch. For locals, we can connect to these familiar places – Inspiration Point in Emerald Bay, Echo Lake, the Tahoe Rim Trail, the Heavenly Gondola, and even some familiar faces, such as Adrian Ballinger, Founder of Alpenglow Expeditions, and some of the faces of the Washoe Tribe.
Interview of Adrian Ballinger during the filming of “Beyond Awestruck: The Scientific Search for Connection” Provided/Visit Lake Tahoe
The beauty of the study isn’t just about the singular moments in which awe is felt, it’s also about the longevity in which that feeling curates a beneficial influence on the participant.
Results of the study are profound, showing that experiences of awe in Lake Tahoe led to a 20% boost in environmental stewardship, and a 13% increase in confidence to have meaningful conversations. Over the course of the seven studies, Dr. Piff and his team found that over the span of more than 1000 participants, 34% found an increase of awe observed in and around Lake Tahoe. 33% found an increase in happiness from just two minutes of mindful appreciation of Tahoe.
Dr. Piff notes that the work is still on-going, and plans to return to Tahoe to continue the study will take place in the coming months.
When asked what he hopes the audience takes away from this docuseries, beyond exploring the science of awe and the search for connection, Piff said, “To go out in search of awe, for the betterment of their individual lives and the world around them.”
“Awe can help you find better health, more happiness, stronger relationships, and a deeper connection to the world. And, importantly, awe is relatively easy to find, even in your own backyard if you look for it.”
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – On Monday morning, April 27, South Lake Tahoe police and fire crews responded to an incident that left a Subaru Hatchback in the shallows of Lake Tahoe near Timber Cove Beach.
“Sounds like it was an honest mistake,” said Sergeant Matt Morrison with the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (STLPD). “Somehow the gentleman’s car was not in park which caused it to roll into the lake.”
Stuart Bogle, Firefighter Paramedic at South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue, waded out to the vehicle to hook it up to a tow line before a tow truck fished the Subaru out of the water.
No injuries were reported.
A Subaru Hatchback rolled into Lake Tahoe Monday morningProvided/South Lake Tahoe Fire
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