Here’s an idea.
What if this community had a center?
by Melissa Lanitis Gregory
I‘m not talking about a shopping area, or a place to put the City offices. What if this community had a place where you could go and reflect, go and remember, go and walk your way to the center, literally?
Labyrinths are a 4,000 year old idea, and a new one for South Shore… Maybe.
When I first conceived of “Tahoe: Lost & Found”, the idea was to put together an art show that would remind us of the effects of fire, and of just how amazing our community really is. Then Becky Bell brought in a bigger vision: in addition to the show, Tahoe: Lost & Found would work to promote local businesses AND raise money at the same time. It could be used to inspire our entire lake wide community: encouraging locals to find their own way to let those most affected by the fire know that we’re still out here, thinking of you.
But what to do with the money raised? I insist on replacing the Dead Man’s Curve Christmas tree, but that won’t cost much. And when we found out that the library lost over $2,000 worth of books in the fire; well, that was a no-brainer… but what if we raised a Huge Amount of Money? What if there was something we could do that would serve the whole community? “Hmmm“ we thought… “what to do, what to do“?
We thought about this a lot. We wanted it to be a Really Good Idea, one that would 
inspire! One that would, above all, Make Sense, and fit in with our intention. A lot of things were bandied about, and I’d like to say that I had a Great Idea. But it was more of a process, including input from the Underground Artists and others like Shelley…and here we are, with the idea of a commemorative labyrinth. A Fire Walk, if you will.
A labyrinth, traditionally, is a place to heal; the patterned circuits offer a place for people to walk, think, and reflect. A place to come back to center… Say you like it? Say you want to help make it a reality?
You can.
This is what we are talking about: a community effort with a communal result. Get involved by creating your own version of a “fundraising event” something that benefits your business as well as the Lost & Found Fund. Or create a piece of art for the Lost & Found Art Show and Auction.
You’ll be featured here on Tahoe Arts and Mountain Culture, which will be promoting this event extensively. Or contact us at info@tahoelostandfound.com and tell us that labyrinths are your special area of expertise, and you were just waiting for somebody to ask! Or just let us know what you think of the labyrinth idea by commenting below.
Thank you!
♥
Labyrinth Meditation by North Shore artist, Cathy McClelland
Tahoe: Lost & Found Sponsors
♥ South Lake Tahoe Lodging Association
♥ Tahoe Fracture & Orthopedic Medical Clinic
