Culture Quest

by Chérie L. Turner

Quietly over the past four years, Squaw Valley Institute (SVI) has been building its reputation for bringing quality lectures and cultural presentations to the mountains. Operating on a shoestring budget, this small nonprofit—consisting of roughly 150 members, a 6-person board of directors, and a newly-hired executive director—recently embarked on a new campaign to increase both the quality and quantity of its programs, moving toward the goal of providing world-class cultural events, much wanted by our sophisticated yet rural mountain communities.

Modeled loosely after the Aspen Institute in Colorado and the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, SVI grew out of study commissioned by the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association in 1999, which suggested that such an institute would increase visits to Squaw Valley during the off-season. In 2002, SVI was founded by Karen Beal (formerly with Squaw Valley Chapel), Lynne Everling (formerly with Intrawest), the late Joe Hasulak, John Moberly, Russell Poulsen, Keith Vogt and John Wilcox—who spearheaded SVI's early operation and is still board president. In addition to Wilcox, current board members include Squaw Valley Fire Chief, Peter Bansen; General Manager of Squaw Valley Ski Corporation, Ernst Hager; realtor and former telecommunications executive, Valerie Forté; and General Manager of the Resort at Squaw Creek, Stan Kantowski.

To date, the organization has held over 50 events, ranging from lectures and slideshows to musical performances and movies. Many presenters have been culled from our local community of accomplished individuals. But SVI now aims to attract more nationally- and internationally-recognized names from outside the region. SVI's recently-formed collaboration with the Community of Writers at Squaw Valley has resulted in a series of high caliber literary offerings, including: best-selling authors Amy Tan, Alice Sebold, Elizabeth Rosner and Mark Childress reading from their most recent works; Gill Dennis, screenwriter of Walk the Line, discussing his interviews with Johnnie Cash and June Carter Cash; and a multi-media presentation by Buzzy Jackson, author of A Bad Woman Feeling Good, about the lives of Aretha Franklin, Etta James and Tina Turner.

Earlier this year, the institute acquired their first paid staff member, executive director Raine Howe. Most recently having served as Executive Director of the Parasol Community Foundation in Incline Village, Howe brings both experience and energy to the organization.

"My board is highly engaged," says Howe, by way of explaining how SVI works, and how it has accomplished so much to date. "They are a working board. They really work as hard as I do."

SVI has received support from the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association, Truckee Tahoe Community Foundation and Lahontan Community Foundation. Howe has overseen an increase in distribution of SVI's newsletter from 400 to 18,000, by including it in the Sierra Sun, and has started a membership drive. Within one week of sending out letters about the drive, "we already doubled what we brought in last year," notes Howe.

The author lecture series was pursued because a recent survey and focus group indicated that people wanted more literary programming, as well as environmental and fine art presentations. SVI plans to bring more lectures and presentations in all three subjects. And on the second Tuesday of every month, their program committee meeting is open to the public for input. Many a fine speaker has been brought to the institute through the community networking found at these meetings, says Howe. "That's really one of the ways we've come this far, because of somebody who knows somebody."

Howe and her board have numerous plans in the works, hoping to bring in Nando Parrado, co-author of Alive: The True Story of the Andes Survivors, and communicating with Sacramento-based Capital Public Radio to bring Jeffrey Callison, host of Insight, up to Tahoe for a live broadcast. In conjunction with art shows such as the temporary contemporary group art exhibition "remoteviewing"—scheduled to appear in The Village at Squaw Valley in early October—SVI plans to present lectures about fine art and art collecting. Howe would also like to form alliances with the California Lecture Series and Nevada Humanities to be able to bring their presenters to Tahoe. Ultimately, SVI also intends to bring theater to area venues.

It is ironic that an organization initially created to bring visitors to the area has become such a favorite of local audiences. Embraced by the people of Tahoe, SVI appears to now be receiving from them, and from local organizations, the increased financial support required to move forward with its lofty goals.