New Carson Valley group receives American Century Championship grant

A new group dedicated to improving the lives of adults with developmental disabilities in Carson Valley and surrounding areas was one of 10 Douglas County recipients of $75,000 in grants distributed to 26 area nonprofits raised at the 35^th annual American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament.

“Our goal is to help these individuals become more independent through fun activities, education, skills training, and personal coaching,” said Expand-Able Horizons’ Keith Lewis. “Right now, we serve about 35-40 participants at the Douglas County Community Center. We offer engaging programs like art classes, dance and ukulele lessons, and our popular Library Fridays. Each Friday, participants can enjoy activities such as reading, writing, puzzles, sports, and gardening, all aimed at building important life skills in a fun way.”

Expand-Able Horizons is supported by a board of directors, including Lewis, Suzanne Towse, Mary White, and Neal Falk.

“We are looking for volunteers who can help with our programs or bring new ideas for activities,” Lewis said. “We want to say a big thank you to Douglas County Community Services, especially Director Brook Adie, for their amazing support of our program.”

The group also received a $10,000 from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

So far, the golf tournament has distributed $124,000 to nonprofits that include Between Horses and Humans, Carson Valley Arts Council, Family Support Council of Douglas County, Heavenly Ski Patrol Fund, Suicide Prevention Network, Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District Explorers, Tahoe Youth & Family Services, Whittell Boosters Club and the Zephyr Cove Parents Club.

The distributions were announced at a meeting of the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority.

“It’s a pleasure to continue an annual tradition of assisting many nonprofit organizations that enhance our community,” said Authority President and CEO Carol Chaplin. “We appreciate the incredible, long-standing partnerships with American Century Investments, NBC Sports, Edgewood Tahoe, Harrah’s/Harveys, and our lodging and casino properties to positively impact our town in such a meaningful way.”

Since 2009, donations exceeding $2.25 million have been distributed to more than 90 Tahoe area nonprofits to assist 12,000-plus people.

“We have cultivated a tremendous appreciation for the South Lake Tahoe community over the past quarter century,” said American Century Investments President and CEO Jonathan Thomas. “Our firm directs more than 40 percent of our profits to medical research annually, and we are delighted to also support local Tahoe charities every year.”

To be considered, local organizations were required to meet 501(c)3 certified nonprofit status, provide an outline of their mission, and describe how the donation would be used and indicate its impact in the community.

The 36th annual American Century Championship is July 9-13, 2025. For more information, visit: www.AmericanCenturyChampionship.com or www.visitlaketahoe.com.