The official weekly publication of The Rotary Club of Bakersfield Breakfast
August 17th, 2022
Get your Motor Runnin’ get out on the Highway…It’s time for Breakfast Rotary! Well, not to blend an old Steppenwolf classic song and the late-beloved Vin Scully into a greeting, but I thought it would be permissible to honor the late Dodger broadcaster while being mindful of our morning presentation from Bike Bakersfield. Not that you would ride a bicycle out on the highway Past President Ron “Buford” Nelms, but you ‘all get my point. Past President Mike O’Doherty gave a fine invocation describing all our characteristics and how that individually makes Rotarians uniquely special to work together, making our community a better place to live. Ya gotta love that, Mike! Mary Jo Pasek provided the lead for America’s Pledge of Allegiance. God Bless America was the chosen patriotic anthem selected by Carol Smith, songstress extraordinaire.
Our featured program and speaker were introduced by yours truly. Where is Program Director Pete Leveroni when you need him? Oh well, I have it, Pete. Our speaker Asha Chandy represents Bike Bakersfield as their executive director. Many of you have heard or read locally about the nonprofit Bike Bakersfield, as they are often at the forefront of current bicycle news and bike trail development. What you do not know much about is Asha. Asha first hailed from Bakersfield and attained her undergrad degree from the University of Irvine. Asha spent time learning the inter-workings of non-profits by becoming an Ameri-Corp staffer in Orange County following graduation. Upon returning to Bakersfield at the end of her Ameri-Corp assignment, she dove into Kern Community Colleges’ efforts to gain support for Measure J. She served as a deputy campaign manager to promote the measure passed by voters, and most of you know the rest of the story…
Since 2016 Asha has served as the person in charge at Bike Bakersfield, where she manages the organization, writes grants, and implements fundraising, marketing, and membership campaigns. Whoa, that’s a lot of hats! Asha, a polished speaker and big-time advocate of promoting community bicycle usage, can surely convince even the non-bike riders among us of the benefits of biking in Bakersfield. For starters, Bike Bakersfield has what is known as a “Bike Kitchen” on Chester Avenue, which is not a lunchtime diner, as it serves as a workshop where employees and volunteers can be seen repairing and retailing merchandise for bike enthusiasts. What Asha says is nice about the environment around the Bike Kitchen is that the opportunity to work in the kitchen constructively allows people of all kinds to express their talent while learning a craft that they may carry on to their next vocation.
August 17th, 2022
arians uniquely special to work together, making our community a better place to live. Ya gotta love that, Mike! Mary Jo Pasek provided the lead for America’s Pledge of Allegiance. God Bless America was the chosen patriotic anthem selected by Carol Smith, songstress extraordinaire.
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