All six Bakersfield clubs are partnering to support the Mission at Kern County. We are collecting items needed by the clients and the kitchen at the Mission. Char Vega will be sending out a note but you can start getting ready and bring your items to the meetings starting September 11.
Help our community and President David and our club's contribution to group projects by participating.
September Service Project, helping the Mission at Kern County
Breakfast Rotarians showed up in full force this week, and we were greeted with smiles by Char Vega and Scooter Tangeman.
Big Rotary Welcomes went out to Cory Pratt (he keeps coming back!), Janice Desme (celebrating 42 years of marital bliss with Greg), and Linda Provencio (celebrating 40 years of – marital bliss – with her hubby Robert Provencio.
Kern County Supt. Of Schools, Dr. John Mendiburu, was our speaker for the day and we learned about the huge responsibility that comes with “the County office.” Dr. Mendiburu and his team provide a tremendous amount of support to local districts and school boards. He ended his presentation on a positive note: Kern County students show some of the larger growth in improvement compared to other areas.
Club Anniversaries
Congrats to Bill Black for celebrating 18 years at a Rotarian, and to Mike Turnipseed for celebrating 19 years by apparently sleeping in!
Happy Spots:
Greg Desme has a new grandson!
Frank Wooldridge is now affiliated with Chain Cohn Clark and he mentioned their upcoming MADD Dash on Sept. 21.
Other Cool Stuff
Thanks, Marti Sanders, for a great first social!
The Kern County Board of Supervisors have declared September Rotary Service Month.
District Conference is Oct. 25-27…don’t forget to register! Even a daytrip on Oct. 26 would get you some good opportunities for participation and learning.
August is almost over and it’s Membership Drive month…bring that guest!
Freddy Walkover is International Service chair and he’s looking for folks to join his committee.
Next week be sure to join us for a chance to meet the new president of Bakersfield College, Dr. Jerry Fliger.
BBRC International Director Freddy Walkover has provided information on his role this year.
My role as international director focuses on seeking out and vetting potential international projects for our chapter to support that align with the goals and values of the chapter. There are hundreds of well-deserving projects across the world where our dollars can have an impact. One goal of this vetting is to identify projects supported by district and international matching through grants. Matching grants allow us to quadruple the impact of our dollars. For example, if we invest $2000 in a project and the district matches it, that investment grows to $4000. The same project matched by an international grant increases our impact to $8000. I aim to identify the right projects to invest in and maximize our impact as a club.
This is more than an exercise of vetting and writing a check. That is why I need your help and input in selecting meaningful projects that align with BBRC. If you want to expand your reach and impact to benefit others across the globe, please connect with me at 681-264-2798.
The speaker this week was the new Bakersfield College President (Jerry Fliger, rhymes with Tiger.) He came to us from Texas in March 2024. He is very impressed with the relationship BC has with the community and the impact BC and the community make on each other. He sees the school's role is to "participate in the transformation of lives" which can and will have a sustainable impact on this and future generations.
Dr. Fliger believes in "futurecasting" - plan for the future and implement what needs to happen to achieve the desired outcomes. (Failure to plan is planning to fail?)
Jerry received a vote of confidence from Frank Woodridge
Welcome to Bakersfield Dr. Fliger!
Sending healing thoughts to Tina Burke (Tom's wife). Tina is having a knee removed.... and replaced. Tom, please keep us informed on how Tina is doing.
Pat Thompson is going to have a shoulder replacement. Apparently the surgery he had during his presidential year has not taken care of the problem. Best of luck on your surgery Pat. Heal quickly!
Duncan Harris, We are still missing you!
Welcome visiting Rotarians and Guests!
Chuck Canada is a guest of Carol Smith. Looks like Stephanie Baker is getting some Rotary affection from Chuck.
Speaker Jerry Fliger, Cathy Abernathy and Ken Weir from the "downtown" club were in attendance.
Cory Pratt with Advance Communications was a guest of Kay Pitts.
Arturo "Art" Esparza joined the Bakersfield Breakfast Rotary Club on August 9, 2023, sponsored by Cheryl Scott. With a Rotary classification in Mortgage Lending, Art brings a wealth of experience and a strong community focus to our club.
A seasoned finance professional, Art has over 30 years of experience in the mortgage industry. He graduated from CSUB in 1991 with a degree in Business Administration, focusing on Marketing. His career began as a Credit Manager at Norwest Financial before transitioning to mortgage lending, where he quickly progressed through roles as a Loan Officer and Branch Manager with companies like Medallion Mortgage, Union Planters, and GMAC Mortgage. Since 2005, Art has been the Branch Owner and Producing Branch Manager at Mortgage Connection, where he combines his leadership skills with hands-on loan origination expertise.
Art and his wife, Sylvia, are about to celebrate 31 years of marriage this August. Though they have no children or pets, Art's life is filled with passion and activity. A lifelong sports enthusiast, he has recently become addicted to Pickleball, hitting the court 3-4 days a week. When he's not playing, you'll find him lifting weights, running, or indulging in his self-improvement addiction. Art also gives back to the community by volunteering with West Girls' Basketball, a commitment that stems from the positive impact his childhood coaches had on him as a young immigrant.
For Art, Rotary is a gift that connects him with genuinely good people who care deeply about the community and work actively to make a difference. Being part of the Breakfast Rotary Club fills him with pride as he witnesses firsthand the positive impact of their collective efforts. The camaraderie, shared values, and dedication to service among members inspire Art daily and reinforce his commitment to giving back.
We are thrilled to have Art as part of the BBRC family and look forward to the many contributions he will bring to our club and community!
YES - you can be a decorator on the 2025 Rotary Rose Parade float!
The Tournament of Roses Parade 2025 theme is “Best Day Ever”.
The 2024-2025 Rotary International theme “The Magic of Rotary” , our float theme is “On the Road With Rotary!"
You will be able to volunteer on-line to decorate the float starting in the fall each year. Approximately 800 Rotary Family volunteers help prepare and/or apply the organic materials to the float.
All volunteers must be at least 14 years of age and be a member of the Rotary family.
Decoration signups for the 2025 float begin at 8:00AM on Saturday, September 7, 2024.
If you are interested, please let Kay Pitts (KayPittsRotary@gmail.com) know as soon as possible. The most fun is had when we work the same shift. Groups are limited to 15 people. We need to determine interest and possible date(s) we want to participate.
Sending healing thoughts to Tina Burke (Tom's wife). Tina is having a knee removed.... and replaced. Tom, please keep us informed on how Tina is doing.
o "Art" Esparza joined the Bakersfield Breakfast Rotary Club on August 9, 2023, sponsored by
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