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The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, May 3, 2012
Eye Street Editor Jennifer Self | Phone 395-7434 | e-mail jself@bakersfield.com
Index Cinco de Mayo .......................................... 26 Carlos Mencia .......................................... 27 Arts Alive .................................................. 28 ‘Rocky Horror Show’ ................................ 29 Roy Clark review ...................................... 30 Carrie Underwood/Demi Lovato .............. 32 Winescapes.............................................. 33 Calendar .............................................. 36-37
Growing ... and surviving Relay for Life finds larger site for its 2012 fundraiser BY SYLVIA CARIKER Contributing writer
W
hen the big hearts in Bakersfield are set on giving, sometimes sheer logistics get in the way. That’s been the case with Relay for Life, the American Cancer Society’s nationwide fundraiser that consistently counts Bakersfield among its top donor cities. Unlike most cities, which hold their events on high school football fields, Bakersfield has needed room to stretch and grow to accommodate the thousands who turn out every year to support cancer research and celebrate the lives of loved ones touched by the disease. But there’s the rub: The $2 million fundraiser is so popular it literally has spilled out of the confines of every one of the sites where it has been held, including the 30-acre sod farm off Taft Highway that hosted Relay last year. So longtime Relay manager Brenda Godbold had her work cut out for her when planning this year’s event, which takes place this weekend on a sprawling property close to Meadows Field. The story behind that move began at Christmas.
Growing and moving Ever on the move, local Relay organizers knew after last May’s event that they needed more space and were hoping for a location north of Bakersfield. Godbold canvassed the area in her car and was curious about a huge empty field. “I spent a couple of weeks trying to find the owner,” she said. “Finally I just stopped, got out of my car, looked at the sign that said The Allen Group and called the number on the sign.” When she received a call back after Christmas, she explained why she wanted to use that property. “The man I spoke to said, and I quote, ‘You don’t have to sell me on it. Let me get with the owners.’ Then he gave me all the names, phone numbers and cell numbers.” Godbold finally connected with the head of the property group, Richard Allen.
ROD THORNBURG / SPECIAL TO THE CALIFORNIAN
Supporters of Relay for Life take the final lap to end the 2011 fundraiser.
RELAY FOR LIFE Partial schedule of events (for a full listing, visit relayforlife.org/bakersfieldca)
Friday 1 p.m.: Stage setup and bannering 6 to 9 p.m.: Fatt Katt & Von Zippers (music) 10 p.m.: Track closes
Saturday 6 a.m.: Track opens 7 a.m.: Registration opens 7:30 a.m.: Parade of teams 8:30 a.m.: Opening ceremonies 9 a.m.: Survivor lap begins, followed by caregivers lap 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.: Vanity Avenue (music) Noon: Lunch Noon to 1:30 p.m.: The Avia-
“When he called back he said he would be happy to help and told me, ‘Just let me know what you need me to do.’” Goldbold said there was never a negotiation; the land was a gift. “In the history of this event, we’ve never had that. This site is
tors (music) 2 to 3:30 p.m.: Members Only (music) 3:30 to 5 p.m.: Airband competition 4 to 5:30 p.m.: Vowed to One (music) 5 p.m.: Dinner 6:30 to 8:15 p.m.: Thee Majestics (music) 7 to 8 p.m.: Banshees in the Kitchen (music) 8:30 to 9:15 p.m.: Luminar ceremony 9:30 to midnight: Soulajar (music)
Sunday Midnight to 6 a.m.: Various all-night activities 6 to 8 a.m.: Breakfast 8:45 a.m.: Closing ceremonies 9 a.m.: Final lap
better than (any) we’ve ever had because it’s free.” What was a dusty field four months ago is now green, thanks to the hard work of Godbold and Diane Duran from the Chevron Relay team. Working with professionals from Rain for Rent, Ken
Small Industries, Sturgeon and Sons and Destefani Farms, a plan was developed and implemented. “We were looking for guidance and got far more than we ever expected,” said Godbold. “We’ve got 200 acres to work with and we’re going to use every piece of it.”
Traffic in, traffic out Traffic flow last year was, for lack of a better word, a nightmare. CHP officer Robert Rodriguez remembers it well. “We started getting calls about the traffic on Old River Road almost too late to be of help. We had to take units off the road to manage the situation.” This year the Relay committee contacted the CHP for help in keeping traffic flowing freely. The plan calls for all parking to be on site, and 12,000 parking spaces have been allotted. Rodriguez hopes everyone will take advantage of the space. “We’re hoping no one parks on the adjoining lots,” he said. “That would create a safety hazard crossing the roads on foot.” There will be temporary stop signs and signage to point the way to the parking areas and CHP officers on hand. “Especially during the heavy
(traffic) times,” Rodriguez said. “We have eight officers dedicated to the event. Merle Haggard Drive will be backed up, but we’re gonna have a lot of traffic from Airport Drive, too. Our job is to make sure that it’s a smooth flow into the parking area.” The CHP contracted with Relay for Life for the event, so officers will be paid from the Relay budget. The easiest way to the site is north on Highway 99 to the Highway 65 exit and east on Merle Haggard Drive. Once past the airport terminal, the Relay parking gates will be just ahead. An alternate route is Airport Drive north to Merle Haggard Drive and then west. The important thing is to start early. Godbold advised cancer survivors hoping to take part in the Survivor Lap at 9 a.m. to plan to be on site by 7 a.m. “Better yet, stay overnight in your campsite area if you’re on a team because we’ll have security overnight,” she said. Already more than 400 registered teams and nearly 7,000 participants are signed up to reach the 2012 goal of $2.2 million, though, as Godbold said: “Our goal is always to raise one dollar more than last year.”