Donner Memorial State Park offers a variety of Winter interpretive programs. Visitors are welcome year-round at the Emigrant Trail Museum and at the Pioneer Monument, built to commemorate those who emigrated to California from the east in the mid-1800s.All programs are free; there is a $7 per vehicle parking fee which also includes museum entrance.Participants in outdoor activities must bring their own equipment (snowshoes or cross country skis). Be sure to dress for winter conditions and carry water.For more information call 582-7892 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.Museum Tour1:30 p.m., Saturdays, Jan. 24, Feb. 7 andamp; 21, March 14, March 28.Meeting place: Museum lobby.Leader: Gayle GreenVisit the Emigrant Trail museum with Historian Gayle Green for an in-depth look at the Donner Party, and related Truckee area history. One hour.Railroad History Snowshoe Hike 9 a.m., Sundays, Jan. 25, Feb. 22.Meeting place: Museum parking lot.Leader: Don SchmidtJoin State Park Ranger Don Schmidt on a snowshoe trek through the summit tunnels and learn about the trials of constructing the transcontinental railroad over Donner Summit in the 1860s. The hike will begin at the park then carpool to the summit. Participants should come prepared for very cold conditions inside the tunnels. Dress in layers and include a warm hat and gloves. Bring a flashlight; it is dark in the tunnels. Snowshoes only no skis. Moderate difficulty, three hours, two miles.Shoreline Cross Country Ski Tour10:30 a.m., Saturdays, Jan. 31, March 7.Meeting place: the trailhead by the park entrance station.Leader: Veneta StewartGrab your skis and camera and join Veneta for a 2 _ mile off track ski tour from the east end of Donner Lake along the shore to China Cove, then back through the forest to your starting place. OK for beginners with some ski touring experience. No skating skis. Two hours, two miles.Donner Party Snowshoe Hike10:30 a.m. Saturdays, Feb. 14, March 21.Meeting place: The flagpole in front of the museum.Leader: Veneta StewartExperience the winter wilderness through the eyes of the Donner Party who were stranded here in the winter of 1846-47. Visit the sites where they camped then snowshoe through the woods to the shore of Donner Lake for a glimpse of the barrier of Donner Pass. Two hours, one mile.Junior Snowshoe Hike Junior Rangers age 7 to 1211 a.m., Saturdays, Feb. 28, March 28.Meeting place: Nature Trail in back of museum.Leader: Veneta StewartPut on your snowshoes and explore the Nature Trail. Find out how the animals and plants survive when their world is covered with snow. This hike is easy and fun, one hour.

Do you love to work with animals? Then volunteer for the Humane Society of Truckee Tahoe (HSTT). Children 10 to 15 years and older may volunteer if accompanied by a parent. The HSTT is located at 10382 Donner Pass Road, above the Fair andamp; Green Store next to Blue Sky Construction. Please park on Donner Pass Road. Contact Erin Ellis for more information at volunteers@hstt.org or 587-0667. Truckee Band telethon supports outreachTruckee High School Band students will raise money during the 8th annual telethon Saturday, Jan. 24, from 3 to 9 p.m. on public access stations 6 and 24. The telethon includes live performances and concerts. Proceeds will benefit the Band Tour.On the tour, the band plays for veterans hospitals, convalescent hospitals, childrens hospitals and elementary schools to inspire memories in the old and passion in the young.What we are doing on tour is a profoundly important community service that few organizations would be capable of accomplishing, said Truckee High Senior Shawn Conway. We tap into lost memories and help bring a smile to the faces of those less fortunate than us. That means just as much as dollar bills.The band hopes to raise $8,000 by putting on the annual telethon.Truckee High Senior Taylor Morfett said, Not only do we give back to the community but we get a chance to bond with each other and create timeless memories.Donate to the Truckee High Band by calling 582-2777 during the telethon or visit http://www.tempohigh.org.Rotary commits $100 millionRotary International, the Bill andamp; Melinda Gates Foundation, and the British and German governments today committed more than $630 million in new funds to fight polio, a crippling and sometimes fatal disease that still paralyzes children in parts of Africa and Asia and threatens children everywhere. In addition to pledging needed funds, leaders urged additional donors and leaders of countries where polio still exists to join them in aggressive push for eradication. The Gates Foundation is awarding a $255 million challenge grant to Rotary, which Rotary will match with $100 million raised by its members over the next three years. At the same time, the United Kingdom is giving an additional $150 million (100 million) and Germany is giving an additional $130 million ( 100 million), both to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). Contributions from the U.K. and Germany over the next five years will not count toward Rotarys match of the Gates Foundation challenge grant.The Truckee Sunrise Rotary Club successfully concluded its PolioPlus fund raising raffle awarding a First Prize of a Samsung 50-inch, high definition plasma television and a Super Bowl party for 20. The prizes were won by local resident Scott Berry. Chief Berry recently retired as the Police Chief of Truckee. As a spearheading partner in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), Rotarys chief role is fundraising, advocacy and mobilizing volunteers. The announcements came during the Rotary International Assembly, the humanitarian service organizations annual leadership conference.Besides raising funds, over one million women and men of Rotary have donated their time and personal resources to help immunize nearly two billion children during National Immunization Days (NID) in over 122 countries. Rotary volunteers provide necessary assistance in the field where immunizations are taking place by promoting national immunization days through mass communications, transporting the vaccine to immunization posts, and by squeezing countless drops of the oral polio vaccine into the mouths of children.Remembering RandyWhat a truly special community we live in. The outpouring of love and support shown to the Davis family was overwhelming. A memorial service was held on Jan. 3 after Randy died unexpectedly on Christmas morning in an avalanche at Squaw Valley. The memorial was touching, listening to his friends speak about their special memories and how Randy loved life. Randy will be missed by all those whose lives he touched.Here are some suggestions for friends and acquaintances who would like to honor Randys memory with a contribution: The Randy Davis Scholarship Fund, c/o El Dorado Savings Bank, P.O. Box 5067, Tahoe City, CA 96145 Tahoe Lake School V.I.P.s, Box 1372, Tahoe City, CA 96145 The Squaw Valley Avalanche Education Fund, c/o Squaw Valley Ski Corp., P.O. Box 2007, Olympic Valley, CA 96146