To our clients, partners, vendors, friends, and family,
South Lake Tahoe, where DAE&Co is headquartered, is a town in distress. I’m sure many of you have been watching the devastating wildfire news and our town is only one of many currently being affected by fire. Currently, the town has been evacuated and as I write this, the fire is moving into my neighborhood. We certainly could lose our home.
But what hits me is not the four walls we raised our children in, or the kitchen counter where we shared laughs and stories with friends and family while making dinner, or the area of respite where we sat outside in our “wine garden” to talk about future plans or challenges we faced.
What hits me is the incredible people: our neighbors who stayed in Meyers at their restaurant to cook and feed emergency workers; the firefighters that are risking their lives to protect our lands & homes; our friend whose husband works for Cal Fire and gave us regular updates to make sure we had good information; the city leaders that are staying in town to help those in need and provide news to others; the neighbor in Carson Valley that offered up her land for evacuated horses, dogs, cats, people and campers; the local & regional media that are providing thoughtful, sensitive and real coverage; the safety and law enforcement personnel from our area and from far away that are working to get people out safely, directing traffic and keeping people calm; the evacuees that are group texting words of encouragement, love, and prayers; my son’s friend’s dad who is a reporter on-site (I don’t even know his name) who drove past our house and sent us a photo letting us know it is still standing; and the outpouring of people, like our friends at E/Power Marketing in Wisconsin, asking where they can give money and/or support.
The trauma in our community was weighing heavy on me. To start the climb out of the COVID19 impacts only to be pushed down about by this fire was a sobering thought. But a strange thing started happening as I began writing this letter…my heart shifted and filled with hope and a passion for the place I call home. As I reflected on our community spirit and what makes South Lake Tahoe so wonderful, it hit me hard: South Lake Tahoe is going to be okay. Maybe not even just okay. South Lake Tahoe will actually thrive.
Why? Because the rising up of the human spirit makes all things possible and I see that in every little thing this community has done to band together during this difficult time. Buildings can be rebuilt, businesses can re-open, visitors will come back, the lake will still be beautiful, the trails and forests will heal. And the community will be even stronger.
We have a marketing saying that we use internally about South Lake Tahoe whenever we are writing creative briefs for our clients in Lake Tahoe: “it’s about the lake.” But I think I’m going to shift that for DAE&Co. From now on…It’s about the community that just happens to be alongside an incredible lake.
Thank you to all for your support.
Diana Evans
President
DAE&Co.