September 20, 2013 | Tim Hauserman

We’ve seen it dozens of times before in the Lake Tahoe-Truckee area. A community member is in need, and the folks respond. They go to a fundraising party, then dig deep into their wallets, to help out someone they know. It warms the cockles of your heart and is one of the things that makes this area a very special place to live.

The latest example is a fundraiser to be held Friday, September 27th  at 5 pm at The 101 Live, 10152 Church St., Truckee to help local Tahoe Lake School kindergartner Julian Gaube. He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and Lennox-Gastuat, a rare form of epilepsy, and faces frequent seizures.  I’ve actually not met Julian yet, but this past winter, at a local writer’s get together in Tahoe City, I got a chance to talk to Julian’s mom, Kara Fox.  If you don’t know Kara, you should. She’s that energetic loving the outdoors type woman that we seem to breed in large numbers at Tahoe.  Formerly a writer at the Tahoe World and Sierra Sun, her life was turned upside down when her baby was born. The fundraiser, which will help with Julian’s medical expenses is free and includes music, food, beer, wine, face painting, balloon twisting, and a silent auction. How can you help? Attending is great, but you can also donate online or provide an item for the silent auction. For information on how you can help go to www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/vzx2/fundraiser-for-julian

Many Tahoe area businesses operate on a shoestring, and face the vagaries of a two season tourist economy based on weather, but they still pay back to the community in a big way. For example, Sunnyside for a number of years has given scholarships to those entering the culinary field, as well as regular donations to Project Mana. Their popular Wednesday night Taco Nights have become a great opportunity for non-profit organizations in the area to raise money including High Fives, Tahoe Safe Alliance, Tahoe Nordic Search & Rescue, North Tahoe Family Resource Center, Big Brother/ Big Sister and the Tahoe Cross-Country Ski Education Association. Sunnyside is just one of the many local businesses that give money or products to local causes time after time. Once again we are reminded, when you support Tahoe businesses, you support Tahoe people.

Kara Fox told me that since they travel frequently to Reno and the Bay Area for Julian’s treatments, it might be easier on them to move out of Tahoe, but this community has been so incredibly supportive, she can’t imagine living anywhere else.