With just a mere 13 years under my belt as a member of Breakfast Rotary I have only heard “rumors” that our club used to meet at The Doubletree Hotel, formerly The Red Lion Inn. You would have to ask the Dennis Scott’s, and the Jeff Haynes 
of the world questions like that to verify. They are pretty historic dudes! Be that as it may, the morning’s meeting returned to The Doubletree as the 3rd in a series of four locations we are trying out to determine where we can call “our home”. Speaking of Jeff, he presided as President-for-the-day, since current President Dave Spalinger was visiting Big Sky Country Montana. Proudly wearing a polo shirt emblazed with an embroidered Rotary badge, Jeff asked Marilee Reagor to commence the meeting with our Invocation. Through references to Strength, having a Positive Outlook, and demonstrating examples to others of being Rotarians, Marilee reminded us of the very important responsibility we have.
of the world questions like that to verify. They are pretty historic dudes! Be that as it may, the morning’s meeting returned to The Doubletree as the 3rd in a series of four locations we are trying out to determine where we can call “our home”. Speaking of Jeff, he presided as President-for-the-day, since current President Dave Spalinger was visiting Big Sky Country Montana. Proudly wearing a polo shirt emblazed with an embroidered Rotary badge, Jeff asked Marilee Reagor to commence the meeting with our Invocation. Through references to Strength, having a Positive Outlook, and demonstrating examples to others of being Rotarians, Marilee reminded us of the very important responsibility we have.
John Guerard seems to be leading us in America’s Flag Salute a lot lately and that is a fine thing to do. Songstress Chelsea Ashcraft directed us in her song of choice, Amazing Grac
e. Oh yes, speaking about the senior class, Past President Jerry Starr was our morning greeter.
e. Oh yes, speaking about the senior class, Past President Jerry Starr was our morning greeter.Pete Leveroni, a man of many words having tenets of wisdom, introduced our guest and featured speaker, Rachel Glauser. She serves as the Communications Director for Providence Strategic Planning where she has dutifully served for 16 years. In this capacity, Rachel supports the Kern County business community, political campaigns and advocacy of a number of ballot initiatives, educating the public on topics relative to the livelihoods and economics of our day. She is also a representative for Kern Citizens for Energy where she performs some of her most critical work through KCEs by informing and supporting specifically Kern County’s petroleum industry. She has been advocating for KCE since 2014.
Rachel rolls up her sleeves in furthering the good works of our counties small business owners, and taxpayers in order to maximize efficiency, earnings and savings potential. To keep pace of the ever changing political and regulatory environment in California, Rachel often finds herself in the cross hairs of interests outside of the petroleum industry which pose challenges both legally and functionally in maximizing their contributions to Kern County. For instance. KCE was started because of the need for the energy industry to reach out to small business to ask what they can do to hel
p them be more productive. If you ask me that is a very unselfish act of kindness, and most likely one that pays dividends.
p them be more productive. If you ask me that is a very unselfish act of kindness, and most likely one that pays dividends.Kern County oil producers, as if you may not know, claim 6 of the top 10 positions for Kern companies which pay most in taxes to the county General Fund. I was sitting near the front, where I could see names and amounts that some of the more familiar sounding oil company names could be seen. The amounts they supply to the taxes each year is staggering. So, I think they know a thing or two about taxes and what it takes to thrive in a State that they are regulated. Rachel and KCE help in those efforts.
Rachel tells us that she spends a significant part of her job as Communications Director sharing that nearly everything used by consumers has been manufactured with petroleum products. The idea of eliminating petroleum as the base for such products is both unlikely, as well as not very well thought out. An advocate of solar and wind power, Rachel tells us there is room at the table for these alternative energy sources, but there is nothing to replace oil. Petroleum products do not end with just gasoline being pumped into your car, if anything it is where it all begins. What is not being communicated correctly is all the products manufactured from petroleum. The products could include everything between the tires you drive upon to medical products. You may like petroleum production, or you may not, but Rachel proudly tells us that the industry touts a gradual decline in CO2 each year since 2005. In the last year she said harmful pollutant emissions have declined 2.8%.
With the addition of taxes, the petroleum industry contributes to the local and state economy, and the industry also is responsible for creating over 40,000 local jobs!
What does Rachel ask? No Jeff Haynes not to be our Rotary President for the day, but she asks to please support the causes of KCE by learning more what we can do. And Rachel made it really easy. Number #1, Vote – it can make a difference. Know the issues and understand how your vote affects you on various platforms, #2 Educate - take part in a local KCE program, attend or even host an event and #3 Get educated – because if you do this, #1 and #2 will make so much more sense, and its FUN!
On an added note, as we all know, each week’s speaker is informed by our president that in their name a contribution will be made to Polio Plus. This unexpected information personally resonated with our morning speaker Rachel. After the meeting, Program Director extraordinaire Pete shared with me that Rachel had shared with him that her grandfather, who by the way lived a truly special extraordinary live, had been inflicted with polio. Given the true devastation to many people in the era of that disease, people like Rachel’s grandfather made headways in his life that according to Rachel made him very special to her. See Rotarians we sometimes impact others sometimes without even knowing.
We would like to thank Rachel for waking up for us at Breakfast Rotary today and she is certainly welcome to visit us again soon. For more information about KCE visit their website at www.kerncitizensforenergy.com/
**Announcements Announcements**
We have some Happy Birthday well wishes to Breakfast Rotarians ladies and gentlemen. We are so glad to recognize Dave Perkins, Connie Bensusen and Jacque Alexander on their special birthday week. Oh yeah, week! So that means for the entire week I would be honored to have the birthday Rotarians contact me and I would be happy to celebrate your birthday with you fellow Rotarian. Coffee or tea on me!
We have some heavy hitters this week celebrating BBRC Anniversaries. Join me in recognizing Past President Cheryl Scott 28 years (joined when she was a baby), Marilee Reagor 9 years (an elegant baby), and Michele McClure 11 years (a party planner baby). Congratulations, and thank you all for all you have done and still do to put BBRC “front and center” everyday!
As guest and President-Elect in waiting, Jeff Haynes has been paying really good attention of the masterful ways that President Dave has been annihilating members each week with fines from The Beacon clue. Honestly, I am almost feeling guilty for coming up with this weekly Beacon Clue idea, but hey, there is some pretty important information in the weekly letter I might say, so read it or weep.
Weepers this week only consisted of one person. That would be our own Bill Black who just could not come up with the Beacon clue. I always get tickled when someone says, “There wasn’t one”. That will be $10 bucks Bill. Next up was Harry Bryant. With a firm look of confidence, Harry responded by telling Jeff, “I read The Beacon every week”. With that he told us the clue was Marti Lari (David’s wife) who baked the Texas Sheet Cake at last week’s event at Past President Jackie Maxwell’s.
Just when I was starting to ease into my morning with my fellow Rotarians, Past President Mike O’Doherty stands up. Oh geez, Mike began to tell us he had been wearing shorts. Whaaat???? He said due to his busy schedule involving physical labor with Youth Connection he was surprised to find when he tried his blue denim Levis on for the first time this Fall, he found them “baggy”. That’s nice to know, but I am just wondering if he was wearing someone else’s pants?
Past Prez Denise Haynes announced that we are in current conversations with The Boys and Girls Club about sponsoring Thanksgiving Baskets to needy families. She said it appears to be a go, so we will need some volunteers. She said she would keep us abreast of the progress of these efforts through a future email. So, look for it!
Additionally, the incredible Denise has offered to assume the vacated role of Community Service Director for the rest of Prez Dave’s tenure. What would we do without our friend and sister Rotarian Denise?
Dan Johnson followed that up with an update about Target Christmas Shopping for Kids. Dan says that he has been in contact with Target and they are confirming the go-ahead from their HR manageme
nt. A tentative date for the program is December 12th. Please mark your calendars as we will need all available hands on deck. If you have, or have not participated in this annual favorite, it is now time to join us. I understand the weather will be in the 70s on that date…
nt. A tentative date for the program is December 12th. Please mark your calendars as we will need all available hands on deck. If you have, or have not participated in this annual favorite, it is now time to join us. I understand the weather will be in the 70s on that date…If you were present at last week’s presentation by Honor Flight, you learned that there is an art exhibit in Bakersfield named “Portrait of a Warrior”. There are discussions we will hold an upcoming wine and cheese social at the exhibit. Stay tuned for details.
I would like to make a personal shout out to those members who have faithfully kept track over the past weeks with all the moving about attending meetings. We have been visiting different locales to find a permanent fit for our weekly meetings. Next week we have been promised The Yardhouse on Stockdale Highway (just west of Calloway) will be our final stop before a Survey Monkey will be submitted to the membership for a final vote. So next week we will see you at The Yardhouse. There will be no ZOOM held next week.
We concluded our meeting with a drawing. And the winner is the guy at the back of the room! Well who is that? Oh yes, Sgt.-at-Arms Temo Lopez just so happened to bring his co-worker, Brandon Oakley whom he failed to introduce as a guest at the beginning of the meeting. Well, what do you say about that? T-E-M-O!!!
In the name of Rotary, enjoy your week and stay safe all,
By: Frank Wooldridge
Beacon Writer