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w Rotarians! It is marvelous to be able to write this week’s Beacon for the incomparable Frank Wooldridge.
w Rotarians! It is marvelous to be able to write this week’s Beacon for the incomparable Frank Wooldridge. We were greeted by the beautiful pair of Stephanie Baker and Athena Collup. Dale Bender started us off with an appropriate-for-Rotary invocation. Yes, God, you are the hub of the wheel and we are the spokes. Bill Black led us in the saluting of the flag, and Songstress Carol Smith had us sing the Four Way Test. Do any of you remember School House Rock on Saturday mornings? This is how I learned the preamble to the Constitution along with what are conjunctions. (You’re all signing “Conjunction Junction, what’s your function” aren’t you?) Singing the Four Way Test is a great way to commit it to m
emory!!
emory!!Visiting today is our Rotarian from another club, 
Chuck Canada, and
member spouses Melody Spalinger and Jon Parnell.
Chuck Canada, and member spouses Melody Spalinger and Jon Parnell.Program
Our program featured Bakersfield Police Detective Matt Tramal to talk with us about Kern County 999 Foundation. Det. Tramal has served with the BPD for 14 years and has been active in the Foundation since 2008. The 999 Foundation is a 501(c)(3) that honors local heroes and financially supports families of Kern County Peace Officers who have been injured or died in the line of duty. It was formed shortly after the death of Deputy William “Joe” Hudnall in 2006 and has helped to support multiple families ever since. Currently, they are seeking funds for the family of Deputy Phillip Campas who perished in July. Kern County 999 Foundation organizes an annual Officer Down Ride which will be held October 2. The ride begins and ends at Original Roadhouse Grill and includes tributes, lunch, raffles, music, and a ride to the Downtown Law Enforcement Memorial. We are invited to participate in some or all of the festivities. BBRC is thrilled to have chosen the Kern County 999 Foundation as our Fund-A-Need organization for this year’s Wine, Place and Show. For more information on the organization, or to see information on upcoming fundraisers, check them ou
t on various social media platforms or their webpage at https://kerncounty999foundation.org/
t on various social media platforms or their webpage at https://kerncounty999foundation.org/
Club News
Happy Birthday to Mary Jo Pasek (Aug. 29) and Teresa Ramos-Alvarez (Aug. 31).
Happy Anniversary to Tom and Tina Burke (35 years), Dave and Melody Spalinger (34 years), and Sandra and Jon Parnell (2 years).
Happy BBRC Anniversary to Michael Turnipseed (16 years), Bill Black (15 years), Athena Collup (5 years), and Sally Selby (2 years).
Since it is the club’s 40th Birthday, ‘80s trivia is completely appropriate. This second round, however, was not as easy as the first. Questions included the location of the 1980 Winter Olympics (Lake Placid, New York) and who attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981 (John Hinkley, Jr). And those were the ones I remembered!
Announcements
Denise Haynes told the Club of all the amazing events at Wine, Place and Show being held November 13. Tickets will be $100 per person and a link will be sent out soon and on the website (if not done already). For those of you who have never experienced WPS it is a night filled with excitement, cheers, and laughter. There will be tasty morsels from Luigi’s, electronic horse racing, a winners’ circle (think raffle), live auction, wine tasting, stable door win
e pull, and heads and tails game. Plus, this year’s Fund-A-Need is (and this is the Beacon Clue for the week) Kern County 999 Foundation.
e pull, and heads and tails game. Plus, this year’s Fund-A-Need is (and this is the Beacon Clue for the week) Kern County 999 Foundation.So here’s what we need from you:
- Buy tickets!
- Wine for the stable door (see Karen Bonanno)
- Gifts for the winners’ circle (see Jackie Maxwell).
- Volunteer an hour (see Willie Gordon).
- Sponsor the event – either you or a favorite business (see Jeff Schwartz).
Athena Collup is looking for volunteers (7am September 10 and 4pm September 12) to assist with the put up and take down of approximately 160 American flags to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of 9/11. The flags will be posted on Buena Vista Road near Fire Station 15 and the BPD substation which houses a 22-foot-long girder from the World Trade Center North Tower. What an honor it is to have a small sampling of our Thousand Flags as part of this somber remembrance.
An awesome time was had at the first social of the new year. Everyone had a great time at Los Panchos.Photos of the fun event are here
Fines/Happy Spots
Shaun Kelly and Mike O’Doherty somehow missed the memo that BBRC was dark last week and showed up to the meeting. They were set to split a $40 fine before Shaun tattled on Ken Quarnberg and Ron Nelms. $40 doesn’t hurt so much when split four ways. Nicely done, Shaun.
In what is becoming my favorite part of the meeting…who read The Beacon?! Denise Haynes admitted that she was clueless to the phrase that pays, but Ken Quarnberg knew.
Visiting Rotarian Chuck Canada from Niles Rotary presented Past-President Dave Spalinger with his club’s president pin from last year. He also presented President Jeff Haynes with his club’s president pin from this year and also a club banner. Jeff reciprocated with a BBRC club banner for Chuck to take back to Fremont.
Past-Pres Dave Spalinger has basically been MIA since relinquishing the reins of the club. Dave went to Las Vegas for a “Wood Workers Show” and to Alaska for some fishing. But he did not forget new Pres Jeff Haynes on his travels. He returned with a brochure of the cool machine he bought, a Wynn Hotel shower cap, a pile of Vegas street corner advertisements (wink wink), a freezer cup, a moose coffee mug, and King Salmon and Halibut. Dave decid
ed to take his chances with
the Wheel of Fines to determine how happy he was and it landed on $35. He asked to go double or nothing, but instead decided to spin again to thank the firefighters who helped to save his and others’ homes in Alta Sierra. His altruism paid off as he landed on 40 Paul Harris points.
ed to take his chances with the Wheel of Fines to determine how happy he was and it landed on $35. He asked to go double or nothing, but instead decided to spin again to thank the firefighters who helped to save his and others’ homes in Alta Sierra. His altruism paid off as he landed on 40 Paul Harris points.Your reporter attended the last meeting via Zoom in the backseat of her father’s car on the way to Chattanooga, Tennessee. She gifted President Jeff with a best recipes of Tennessee cookbook also filled with all sorts of Tennessee trivia. She was $20 happy to finally see her dad who moved out of state in December.
Finally, Ken Quarnberg went home $73 richer after his ticket was pulled in the weekly drawing.
Wishing you all an amazing week. Stay safe and do good in the world.
Peace. Mindy
