Police Activities League Boxing - Through a series of youth and South Lake Tahoe Youth Task Force (YTF) planning meetings held in the Spring of 2008, local youth decided they wanted a boxing program. A collaborative effort between the YTF, El Dorado County Public Health (EDCPH), the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD), and the Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) decided to adopt the effort. As a result, the South Lake Tahoe Police Activities League (PAL) emerged as a foundation for the program.
 
Beginning in the Summer of 2008, local youth and volunteers, EDCPH, and the SLTPD,  began meeting and created the PAL Boxing Club.
 
Several local service organizations, foundations, residents and agencies have provided funding to launch and sustain this program. The Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority (in conjunction with the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship), Kiwanas, Soroptomist, El Dorado County Community Foundation, SLTPD Police Officers Association and anonymous donors have all provided funding for the club. Over $2,000.00 in boxing and conditioning equipment has been purchased for the PAL Boxing Club.
 
The PAL Boxing Club is designed to provide local youth with positive adult role models, training, conditioning and a chance to compete in amateur boxing. In addition, all PAL boxers are screened for academic needs and alcohol and drug related risk factors. As a commitment to the club, participants agree to accept tutoring, if recommended, attend EDCPH Sembrando Salud alcohol prevention classes, if recommended, and abide by all rules and regulations of PAL.   
The PAL Boxing Club is open to all local youth between 12 and 18 years old. Adults may volunteer as coaches.

Contact: Dee Maddox, Administrative Assistant, South Lake Tahoe Police Department, 1352 Johnson Boulevard, South Lake Tahoe, CA  96150-8217, 530-542-6139, dmaddox@cityofslt.us

Police Activities League Bicycling - The PAL Bike Club, a group of passionate volunteers about cycling created a space and structure to help youth in the community to enjoy cycling safely. PAL Bike Club began in fall of 2008.

PAL Bike Club is built on and will develop program centered on:

1 Provide a positive environment for learning the basics of bicycle mechanics
2  Repair and distribute pre-owned bicycles
3 Built Community
4 Promote cycling and safe riding
5 Keep kids in school
6 Improve academic achievement

Click here to see some photos of the PAL Bike Club!

Featured in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 5/14/2009

Contact: Dee Maddox, Administrative Assistant, South Lake Tahoe Police Department, 1352 Johnson Boulevard, South Lake Tahoe, CA  96150-8217, 530-542-6139, dmaddox@cityofslt.us

Sports Connection - Sports Connection was founded in June 2007 in response to the many children in South Lake Tahoe who were not participating in community activities which typically foster a sense of identity, self esteem, and belonging.  There are many barriers to their participation some of which include finances, language, and transportation.  It is the goal of Sports Connection to play an early prevention/intervention role in the lives of youth in order to decrease gang involvement and teen-age pregnancy.  A secondary purpose is to build unity amongst youth in this community where currently there is division due to segregation in the classrooms and invisible lines segregating neighborhoods. 

The program works by connecting a financial sponsor to a child.  Sports Connection sponsors are typically given a scholarship rate by the provider as most candidates would qualify for this adjusted rate.  Once placed on a team equipment as well as transportation needs are dealt with.  Sports Connection will work with the coach/instructor as well as parents on the team to ensure a participants success.  The child is asked only to give 100 percent as a team player and to keep their grades and behavior at school positive in return. 

Sports Connection has served 100 local kids through AYSO, Marcia Sarosik dance, Kahle Park Basketball, ASA softball, South Lake Tahoe Little League, City of South Lake Tahoe Snowboarding program, City of SLT ice hockey program, and Pop Warner football. The program is continuing to grow through on-going referrals of students by teachers, neighbors, and relatives, as well as through connections to different activities by various providers It is our hope that every child in this community will find a place to feel a sense of belonging where they are a piece of the greater good and a valued member of South Lake Tahoe.

Contact:  Amy Jackson, korujacksons@sbcglobal.net, 530-307-4046