Welcome to another issue of The Beacon!   First, a GREAT BIG THANK YOU to David Lari who was filling in for President Jackie Maxwell.  Jackie will be returning next week. Our greeters this week were Tom Burke and Stephanie Baker.  Stephanie also led the invocation while Tom Burke pulled double duty by leading us in the flag salute.

 

 

 

Today’s Song:  This Land is My Land led by Carol Smith.

If you did not know:  "This Land Is Your Land" is a song by American folk singer Woody Guthrie. One of the United States' most famous folk songs, its lyrics were written in 1940 in critical response to Irving Berlin's "God Bless America". Its melody is based on a Carter Family tune called "When the World's on Fire". When Guthrie was tired of hearing Kate Smith sing "God Bless America" on the radio in the late 1930s, he sarcastically called his song "God Blessed America for Me" before renaming it "This Land Is Your Land".^[1]

 

We had two visitors today.  Visiting Rotarian Chuck Canada and Kay Pitts guest visiting again, Denise Cox

 

Today’s Speaker: Troy Hancock, Site Director, Cal Dairies’ new, state-of-the-art manufacturing plant, Valley Natural Beverages (VNB).  Valley Natural Beverages is a division of California Dairies, a cooperative of ~300 family farms.  The new plant in Bakersfield uses ESL (Extended Shelf Life) and aseptic processing. The plant produces shelf-stable milk with a shelf life over a year, unlike regular milk (21 days).  The Bakersfield plant is California Dairies' first milk bottling facility.   

 

Troy shared the following highlights regarding the plant’s operations and technology. 

- Standard pasteurization: 161°F for 15 seconds.

 

- Aseptic processing: 280°F for ~2 seconds, creating sterile, shelf-stable products.

 

- Plant built in under 18 months; contains state-of-the-art, scalable equipment.

 

- Will eventually process up to 600,000 gallons of milk per day.

 

- The site will include its own microgrid (power generation) and wastewater facilities.

 

He also shared that they offer internships for college students, especially those with a focus in engineering.  Tours are offered for community and school groups.

 

 

               

 

Birthdays:  Bill Black and Karen Bonanno

 

Anniversaries: Sandral Parnell (6) and Neil Walker (46)

 

Happy Spots:  

David Spallinger donated $100 to the Foundation in honor of the salmon run in Alaska.

 

Ron Nelms was $20 because there is whiskey in Nashville where he visited the “Honky Tonks” and learned about a local delicacy called Goo-Goo Candy.

 

Willie Gordon was $100 happy that Pat Thompson introduced him to Rotary and for the new i7 he just purchased after putting 50,000 miles on his old i5 driving circles around Bakersfield.

 

Jacque Alexander was $5 happy for all the parents and grandparents that sent their kids back to school today!

 

 

 

 

Jennifer Henry reminded us to RSVP for the Club Social on August 14^th.  It will be held at The Vault at 5:30PM.

                                               

Sally Selby reminded us there is still time to sign up for upcoming activities with The Bakersfield Police Departments

 

Carol Smith provided training for using ClubRunner app on our cell phones.

 

Aug 20, 2025 6:45 AM Meeting: Welcome to our 2025-2026 President Jackie Maxwell!

 

We wrapped up today’s meeting with our 50/50 drawing, which was won by Art Esparaza.  Congrats Art!!

 

You won’t want to miss next week’s meeting.  Jackie Maxwell will be leading her first meeting of this rotary year.

See you on 8/20 at 6:45AM!