TRUCKEE, Calif. — In a meeting marked by recognition and gratitude, the Truckee Town Council issued three proclamations Tuesday, September 24, honoring advocates for domestic violence survivors, translation services that bridge language barriers, and a tourism leader whose vision reshaped the way visitors experience Truckee.

Shining a Light on Domestic Violence

Mayor Jan Zabriskie proclaimed October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Truckee, presenting the recognition to Elizabeth Balmin on behalf of Sierra Community House. The proclamation acknowledged the nonprofit’s support for survivors across the North Tahoe region.

“It’s so important to acknowledge and celebrate the hard work of our team,” Balmin said. “Each team member represents a continuum of services a survivor in North Tahoe may access on their path to healing, independence and safety.”

Sierra Community House provides a 24-hour helpline, emergency shelter, therapy, housing assistance and legal aid. Its emergency shelter is also pet-friendly, a small but vital detail that removes a barrier many survivors face when deciding whether to leave unsafe environments.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage

The council also recognized National Hispanic Heritage Month, Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, underscoring the essential role of language access in creating equity. The proclamation was presented to Barbara Kane on behalf of the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District’s Bilingual Services team.

The team provides translation, interpretation and community liaison services that connect families with limited English proficiency to classrooms and community resources.

“Our work is driven by a simple belief — that everyone in our community, regardless of the language they speak, deserves to be heard and understood,” Kane said. “Families should have access to the information they need to be co-leaders in their children’s education.”

Honoring a Tourism Visionary

The final proclamation honored Colleen Dalton, founding chief executive officer of Visit Truckee-Tahoe, as she steps into retirement. With more than three decades of experience, Dalton helped shift Truckee’s tourism industry from traditional marketing toward sustainable destination management.

“Colleen Dalton is hereby recognized and honored for her exceptional service, her steadfast dedication to sustainable tourism, and her unwavering commitment to the Truckee community,” the proclamation read.

Dalton extended gratitude to all the partners who worked by her side and emphasized that true stewardship means finding balance. 

“We can welcome everyone to access our beauty and experience our community authenticity,” she said, “and we can keep it that way when solutions to some of Truckee’s greatest social challenges are created in collaboration with the tourism industry.”