www.bakersfieldvoice.com
April 19-25, 2009
F R E E
Recession remodeling: Refresh cabinets Pg. 5 Creative cakes Pg. 6 Baseball ‘Runners’ take 3 from FSU Bulldogs, Pg. 9
Music across the world
Bakersfield Youth Symphony returns from concert tour in Korea, pg. 11
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W W W. B A K E R S F I E L D V O I C E . C O M
APRIL 19-25, 2009
EXTRA!EXTRA!
Child advocates honored for their tireless efforts COURTESY OF CASA OF KERN COUNTY
Come stand with CASA as we highlight and honor all child advocates and the many resources in our community that help to ensure that our children are safe Thursday, April 23 at 6:30 p.m. at The Marketplace, 9000 Ming Ave. The Light of Hope event is a
coming together of organizations and individuals from the nation, state and local level, all of whom work together to educate the public that child abuse can be prevented. Compelling stories, music, and presentations will be included in the hour long ceremony. The names, which are placed on
the candles, can be purchase for $5 each to honor a person making a difference in the life of a child. If you would like more information on how you may help CASA “Light the Way for a Child” contact Nicole Stanford at 631-2272.
Staff EDITORIAL Olivia Garcia Vice President /Content ogarcia@bakersfield.com Gene Garaygordobil Managing Editor ggaraygordobil@bakersfield.com 716-8642
Who-dunit genre turned on its ear in Gaslight comedy COURTESY OF GASLIGHT MELODRAMA
The Gaslight Melodrama, 12748 Jomani Drive, is presenting “Hemlock Stone: Private Eye or the Case of the Murdered Matriarch” — a hilarious who-dunit comedy that has the whole audience involved in solving the murder. Written by the Melodrama’s own Arnie Carlos and directed by Chris Cawthon, he show is followed by a very musical vaudeville revue directed by Warren Dobson. Show times are Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m.; Sunday at 2 p.m. The show runs through May 23. For more information call 5873377.
Race to benefit SUDC victims COURTESY OF THE MIZE AGENCY
Please join us on Saturday, April 25, at Yokuts Park for the 1st annual Brandon and Katie’s Race for a Reason benefiting SUDC (Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood). This is a family event and we have something for everyone including a 2K walk, 5K Fun Run, BBQ, children’s games, face painting and entertainment. Please visit our website to register for the race or for more information, BrandonandKatiesrun.org. Registration begins at 7:30; races start at 9 a.m.
All Star Cafe teaches valuable business skills
Teresa Adamo Associate Editor tadamo@bakersfield.com Sandra Molen Writer/Copy Editor smolen@bakersfield.com
ART Evan Jones Designer ejones@bakersfield.com
BY TRACEY MENSCH Community contributor
I’ve had the opportunity to be part of a wonderful project. This project is very important to my staff and myself because it helps build our self-esteem, independence, and provides us the opportunity to learn how to operate a small business like The All Star Café. The Café is a stepping-stone for anyone who faces life with a challenge and is eager to learn more about the small business world. Through our new cafe located at the Kern Regional Center and our new extensive catering throughout the community, the All Star Café provides the perfect place for one to come and learn the skills needed to enter the employment world. At the Café, we teach and train our employees valuable aspects of running a business like customer service, equipment operation, such as cash registers, blenders, and latte machines, all the way down to being on time and presentable for work. These skills and others like learning to get along well with others and how one must man-
age a daily/weekly work schedule are just a few of the crucial elements one must develop when operating a business. One important feature of our cafe is that we all have different challenges but whatever the task might be, we don’t ever let it get us down, we always manage to get the job done! We currently have a few individuals who are successfully running their own microenterprises in the community. Mikey’s Hot Dog Stand, Coby’s Gift Shop, and A Whole Lott More (Soy Candle Sales) are all successful businesses that were once an idea when they came to the All Star Café. To support the Kern Regional Center All Star Café we are having our 4th annual KRC Foundation golf tournament at Stockdale Country Club, Monday, April 27. The tournament will begin at 12 p.m. with lunch & dinner provided. Cost for the event is $150. For more information on the café or golf tournament please call 852-3315. Hope to see you all there!
ADVERTISING Jaime De Los Santos Sales Manager jdelossantos@bakersfield.com 716-8632 David Alanis Sales Executive Gustavo Carrillo Sales Executive Mark Wells Sales Executive Angela Espinoza Sales Executive Katie Blair Sales Executive Jose Trevino Sales Executive Samantha Vilchis Sales Executive
OFFICE Marisol Sorto Office Administrator msorto@bakersfield.com 716-8640
The Bakersfield Voice P.O. Box 2344 Bakersfield, CA 93303 The Bakersfield Voice is published by Mercado Nuevo, an independent subsidiary of The Bakersfield Californian. To learn more or to contribute news and pictures, visit us online at: www.bakersfieldvoice.com
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APRIL 19-25, 2009
Share your
voice today! ■ Submitting your stories for The Bakersfield Voice is simple and FREE! Just go to: www.bakersfieldvoice.com and create a profile. ■ Choose what you’d like to contribute (an article, letter, picture or community event listing) and post it yourself for our online readership to see. You can even add video to the site!
■ We also include as many community contributions as possible in the print edition of The Bakersfield Voice, published Sundays. ■ Still need help getting your contributions onto our Web site? E-mail: Gene Garaygordobil at: ggaraygordobil@bakersfield.com or Teresa Adamo at: tadamo@bakersfield.com
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Time to play!
Local Mommy & Me play group invites more members.
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Got photos?
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Meeting the challenge
Just a few more days left to enter our “Spring into Action” photo contest! Winner gets aquarium tickets!
Handy Fellow
Caring for your cabinets is worth the effort.
Creative cakes
Ever heard of a diaper cake? It’s not an odd dessert! It’s a fun way to give a unique baby shower gift
As teachers face cutbacks, they also seek new ways to teach.
International adventure!
They’re baaaack ... Bakersfield Youth Symphony shares “Bucheon Tales” & photos from Korea.
About the cover From left: Loren Wines, Zane Adamo and Daniel Edwards pose in front of the Teddy Bear Museum in Seoul, Korea, one of several places the 70-plus members of the Bakersfield Youth Symphony visited during their nine-day concert tour to Bucheon, Korea, a sister city to Bakersfield. Photo courtesy of Zane Adamo. Your photo could be on our next cover! Photos and stories for the May 10 issue must be posted by Wednesday, April 29 at 5 p.m.
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APRIL 19-25, 2009
MEETTHE CLUB
There’s a new playgroup in town: Mommy & Me focused on the three F’s: Faith, Friends and Fun! e are a group of The most important of these is Bakersfield moms Faith. It is important for us to be who meet through- around other moms who have a out the week to desire to grow toward Jesus encourage one Christ. another, learn from Faith comes by hearing the each other’s challenges, and Word of God (Romans 10:17). most of all, to be refreshed A friend who has faith can through laughter. really encourage a worn-down Mommy and Me playgroup mom. offers something to do every day We also believe that friendof the week! ships with other women can Our meet-ups Include: Playstrengthen us to be better wives group, Mom night-outs, Parent and mothers. We need to be with night-outs, Family fun night, other adults — especially other Daddy and me play-group, mothers — for that occasional Secret sisters, Babysitting co-op grownup conversation. I think and Calendar of events around that we can all agree that we tend Bakersfield with weekly weather to be so focused on our children update! that we neglect ourselves. And Mom night-outs: that’s not good for anyone! We Our mom night-outs are need to take care of the “me” in BY CASSANDRA BOWMAN Community contributor
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mommy! Last, but not least, we believe in fun, not only for our children, but also for ourselves. Proverbs 17:22 in the God’s Word translation says, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but depression drains one’s strength.” Unfortunately, moms struggle with depression occasionally, and we feel drained much of the time when this happens. Laughter is good medicine for the blues. Play-group: We have Play-group every day of the week for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children. We try to create a different theme for each week to enhance our playgroup experience. Our goal is to fill each day with imaginative play, creation and learning activities. Themed play-group will usually include a
story, craft and game. We meet at parks, indoor play centers, libraries, bookstores, museums and much more! Parents night-out, Family night-out and Daddy and me playgroup: Parents night-out, Family night-out and Daddy and me playgroup are so important! We often forget that our husbands need social interaction and grownup conversation also. Friendships with other dads will strengthen then to be better husbands and fathers. Dads need to have fun also!
Secret Sisters Secret Sisters is designed for active group members, who come to at least three meet-ups a month. We encourage one another
WANT TO KNOW MORE? Visit the playgroup’s Web site at: www.meet-up.com/bakersfieldmommy-and-me-playgroup/ through cards, notes and small gifts. Anyone who has a desire to get to know other moms and form lasting friendships is welcome to join!
Babysitting Co-Op Our Babysitting cooperative is designed for active group members, who come to at least one meet-up a month. We are a group of moms who exchange babysitting services. Anyone who likes to get out without the kids for shopping, housecleaning, date night, etc. and doesn’t want to spend that extra money on babysitting is welcome to join!
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Happy Birthday,Audrey! Wow, you’re legal now. We love you so much. — Mom, Dad & Emily
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APRIL 19-25, 2009
YOUR
What you need to know in cabinet care f your cabinets are showing the normal wear and tear of time and use (abuse), or you want to change to a new wood look, or if they are painted and you want to go back to a natural finish, I might be able to give you some ideas. Let’s start with just refinishing and making the cabinets look like new without changing the actual color. If the cabinets are treated with a urethane coating, it may be a simple process of just light sanding and a new coat of color with a Minwax product, followed by a couple of clear coats to protect the finish and Home Improvement give it a bit of shine back. This process can take three to five days or more, depending on how dirty or scratched up the cabinets are to start with. This will still be a lot
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ED COLEMAN
cheaper than buying new cabinets. If you want a darker look, the above mentioned process would work for you and cost about the same. If you want to lighten the existing color or want another wood grain, I have a new process that will work and is much easier than R & R (removal and replacement ). It involves putting another thin wood layer over the fronts and having new doors and drawer fronts made to match, and then coloring them all together. It is a much simpler process than stripping down the old cabinets and starting over. (Not to mention less dust involved) The cost is a fraction of new cabinets. It is actual wood too, no fake coatings. Most cabinets are ,in fact, coated with a urethane-type coating, but some are done with an oil of some kind. Urethanes will not attach themselves to a linseed coat, for instance. I suggest the latter process if you want a change, or just another coating or two of an oil-based product. Then wax them and that is that. Hardly any worse than a big dusting.
A rocking good cause Deadline to register for Alzheimer’s Disease Rock-A-Thon is May 1 COURTESY OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE ASSOCIATION ROCK-A-THON Get your team together to rock out at the Alzheimer’s Disease Association Rock-A-Thon, 6 p.m. to 6 p.m., Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16 at Glenwood Gardens, 350 Calloway Drive. Any five or more people can form a team. Each team needs a rocking chair and someone from the team in the Rocker “Not Off Their Rocker” for the entire event. Each team needs a sponsor and each team member collects pledges from the community. Registration fee is $25 per person; team sponsors, $200. Fee includes: registration TShirt, food, prizes, movies, entertainment and team competitions. Registration and fees for your team must be received by May 1. For more information, call 393-8871.
www.bakersfieldfamilyexpo.con
Entertainment Includes: • Wild Wonders Animal Comedy Show • 1916 Celtic Rock Band Performance • Fishing Derby
• Rubber Duck Race • Remote Control Boats
Sponsored by Bob’s Bait Bucket
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Sponsored by T&T Hobbies
• Bounce House Sponsored by Amazing Bounce
• Reptile Show
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APRIL 19-25, 2009
YOURVOICE
Every mom’s fear: The broken arm experience sympathetic to my whimpering, sometimes shrieking son. The other part of me knew that my suppose I should consider son’s life was my life and I wantmyself lucky that I made it ed a visual memory of every through the first five years aspect of it; the good, the bad and of motherhood without a the broken. trip to the emergency room. Ethan’s fine now. He’s got a So, our inaugural trip to the wait- blue cast on and has found the ing room of hell was met with upside of being a cute boy with a both triumph and shame. Tribroken arm — lots and lots of umph in avoiding it until then, attention. But the trip to the ER and shame because ... well, as a taught me something valuable mother, I can find at least 10 dif- about my child. (I’d imagine the ferent reasons how the accident ER is good like that for many could have been avoided. people.) I learned that no matter Ethan broke his arm thanks to what, Ethan can make me laugh. a classic — those heinous monHere are some highlights: key bars. I had my camera with I told Ethan it was a shame me at the ER, but only snapped a about his arm because it meant few pictures when no one was pulling him out of baseball. To looking. A part of me thought I which he replied, “I don’t mind. I would be judged for not being don’t really like baseball. It’s a BY HEATHER IJAMES Community contributor
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whole lot of work just to get a snack.” While waiting for the hospital to X-ray his arm, Ethan asked me what the biohazard symbol meant and asked me to read the words: Caution Nuclear Medicine and Radioactive Material. I told him it was very bad for our bodies. He responded, “Well, whose idea was it to put it in a hospital?” Ethan laid on a gurney for almost four hours. During hour three, he let out a desperate shriek. I ran to his side and asked him where it hurt. He said, “My brain! What’s with all this waiting? You told me emergency meant something else! But here PHOTO BY HEATHER IJAMES it means waiting and boring!” Ethan Ijames is now fine — and even with a broken arm, he was still He’s a child that speaks his able to make his mother laugh. mind, there’s no denying that.
Diaper cakes make for unique shower gifts BY ANA LOPEZ Community contributor
am a busy mommy of four and have been married for 10 years. I also run a small business from home — I make diaper cakes. I started making diaper cakes for friends and started selling them after someone told me that I should give it a try. Not many people know what a diaper cake is. A diaper cake is not the kind of cake you would enjoy eating, but rather, a cake you would enjoy looking at. A diaper cake looks like a multi-layered cake. Some people may compare it to a wedding cake. A diaper cake can start with one tier all the way up to as many as you want. The cake can be as elaborate, or as simple, as one would like.
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Hi! My name is Sundae and I am a three Hi! My name is Chevy and I am a 1.5 year year old, spayed female, black and white, old, neutered male, Labrador Retriever mix. domestic short hair mix. I enjoy being My owner has been called to serve our lazy in the sun, playing with anything that country and he really would like to see me moves and being with people. I have a find a new forever home! I am very sweet reduced adoption fee of just $15! Please and would do well with a family with older come visit me at the Mt. Vernon Shelter. children. Don’t forget to mention my ID Don’t forget my ID number - 755741! number - 756490! These pets may be adopted quickly! Please visit the KERN COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER at 201 S. Mt. Vernon Ave. to see all of our adoptable pets. For more info call 661-868-7144 or visit our website at www.co.kern.ca.us/acd.
It can take less than an hour to make or it can be a project encompassing multiple days. New parents will always need diapers and this gives them dozens right from the start, presented in a very unique way. You can also include different baby items — like booties, pacifiers, toys — that you just place on or in the cake. This helps decorate the cake and gives the new mommy even more things she will need for baby. I also make towel cakes for weddings and housewarmings. It’s the same concept as a diaper cake, but using towels and washcloths. I enjoy what I do and it gives me a chance to be at home with the kids. I am learning and growing as I go. This type of job is great for a stay-at-home mom or
Look closely and you’ll see this “cake” is made from new, rolled-up diapers combined with other small gifts.
just anyone that likes to be crafty! It does take time for you to get orders in, but it’s worth the wait. Not only is it fun to make these “cakes,” but it’s also relaxing! Remember, life is hard but rewarding.
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APRIL 19-25, 2009
YOURVOICE
Calling all shutterbugs for contest! nter our “Spring into Action” contest now! Show and tell us what you did for Easter, Spring Break or just that one-day getaway to enjoy our wonderful spring weather. Send us your story in 200 words or less and post your photos describing your
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“Fun in the Sun” springtime adventure. The grand prize for our “Spring into Action” contest is SIX free tickets to the Monterey Bay Aquarium on the beautiful Monterey Peninsula. The prize is valued at nearly $200! The deadline to get us your stories and photos is Wednesday, April 22. We will
print stories and photos from the winner and runners-up in a future Voice and on our Web site. Remember, it is easy to create a FREE profile and post your stories, photos and blogs on our site. Just go to: www.bakersfieldvoice.com and post your “Spring into Action” contest entries NOW!
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W W W. B A K E R S F I E L D V O I C E . C O M
APRIL 19-25, 2009
YOURSCHOOLS
Teach children and make sure they learn too! o many wonderful things are evolving in education across America. People like Robert Marzano focus on research while practices like professional learning communities embrace research and focus on best practices to benefit students. So many teachers accentuate student learning rather than teaching — I’m reminded of the joke about the woman who taught her dog to whistle. Unfortunately the dog did not LEARN! So we teachers know that the onus is upon us to not just teach children, but to make certain they learn from us. Across America, teachers are designing assessments so that whole grade levels or sub- Education columnist ject area teachers can determine what their students are learning — and not learning. When teachers collaborate, successful approaches are duplicated and students benefit
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PEGGY DEWANEPOPE
while practices that provide poor results can be dropped. So many educators are learning how best to teach English language learners as we deal with students across America who speak some 400 languages at home. Statistics show this population burgeoning all across the nation with California at the front of the line. Unfortunately, some heartbreaking situations are evolving in education as well. Hundreds of teachers locally received pink slips — indicating they will be packing their personal items and leaving at the end of this school year, possibly saying goodbye to a career that kept them in college for five years. Just when our evolving culture needs well-trained capable people, we, as a society, don’t have the money — or the priority — to pay them. Wonderful times for education but grim times as well. It will be difficult as these tough economic times unfold.
Educator of the Month
Peggy Dewane-Pope is an eighth-grade teacher at Stonecreek Junior High School in the Panama-Buena Vista Union School District.
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Nomina
mat@bard.edu 661-391-3799 bard.edu/mat
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I’d like to nominate m Mr. Rhodes who tea At the beginning of having learned that t for kindergarten. He as to what a great k girls love Mr. Rho silly songs. He build marvelous with my
Educator of the month Mr. Kevin Turner Nominated by Logan Van Allen I would like to nominate Mr. Kevin Turner as educator of the month. Mr. Turner is the seventh-grade language arts teacher at Freedom Middle School. Mr. Turner is always making jokes and having a good To submit your nominee for Educator of the Month, time teaching. Mr. then Turner makes language go to: www.northwest voice.com click on “Post Something!” and contribute a paragraph why you appreciate and like to recognize your nominee. Be sure funabout and enjoyable. Hewould is always smiling! to include the educator’s name, school, department and picture. The contest is open to educators in the Southwest area. Entries can also be e-mailed to: dmartin@northwestvoice.com. Each month the winning entry $50 gift certificate, compliments of GW School Supply and The Northwest Voice. Sponsored by
■ If you have a teacher you think is great, nominate them for Educator of the Month by going to: www.bakersfieldvoice.com and posting an article. Nominations should tell us in 50 words or less why your teacher is the best and should also include their name, school, department and a picture. All nominees will be featured in the print edition of The Bakersfield Voice and each month the winning entry will receive a $50 gift card for school supplies, compliments of GO School Supply and TBV.
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W W W. B A K E R S F I E L D V O I C E . C O M
APRIL 19-25, 2009
YOURSPORTS
How ’bout them ’Runners? Baseball sky high! hey’re getting there: How about that CSUB baseball team, folks! The Roadrunners took three out of five from the defending NCAA World Series Champion Fresno State Bulldogs and added an “L” to the loss column of the 23rdranked UC Riverside Highlanders in recent action. Granted, Fresno State lost the bulk of their starting pitchers after last year’s phenomenal run to the collegiate title. But still we’re talking DEFENDING NATIONAL CHAMPS! And our “boys of summer” never blinked, sweeping the two-game set on campus at the pristine Hardt Field in order to win the home-and-home series.
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Riverside flat next year’s final out has a sensaprobationary tional team. Comseason is coming off of the Frespleted. no series, it wasn’t Four-and-Oh ... surprising to see a IN ONE DAY!: letdown as UCR That was the wins took the first two. vs. losses for But the ‘Runners Golden Valley’s showed great softball pitcher, moxie by averting Julie Estep as she the sweep and garrolled through nering the final one day’s tournagame of the series. ment play in Coach Bill Kernen Sports columnist Wasco. Wasco, has that program East, Westlake pointed in the right Village-Oaks direction — and don’t think Christian and Kern Valley for a second that The Big were the victims as Estep West Conference isn’t tak- struck out an average of 8.5 ing notice. Hopefully, the batters per game during her wish of the ‘Runners 27 innings on the bump. At becoming a member of that press time, Julie leads the conference will become a area in wins (18); strikeouts reality. CSUB could really (166); and innings pitched. use that affiliation after Wonder if she played catch
MICHAEL ELLIOTT
the next day? Gender equity: Alex Gomez knows all about it. In a different sort of way! No, Alex is not a guy. She just happens to be Frontier High’s sophomore female wrestler who recently captured her second USA Girls National Wrestling Championship. Alex manned, I mean, “wo-manned” up to go undefeated in Oklahoma City. The 102-pound grappler nabbed her second gold medal at that particular event. Erased & Silenced: You may never have heard of them, but they are gone: Former NBA star Marvin “The Human Eraser” Webster and The Phillies’ beloved announcer and pro football’s golden-voiced Harry Kalas both recently
HENRY A. BARRIOS / THE CALIFORNIAN
The CSUB baseball team surround #34 Jason Kudlock after he hit a home run in the 15th inning ending their marathon game against U.C. Riverside 9-7 Saturday afternoon. passed away. Webster’s nickname should be in the “Nickname Hall of Fame.” And in addition to Mr. Kalas’ faithful announcing
at Phillies games, his voice also was the one football fans heard for decades on highlight films of the NFL. Gone, but not forgotten ...
Star Athletes of the Month: Taja & Zaire Pickett Taja Pickett and Zaire Pickett are brother and sister who attend Buena Vista Elementary School.They both attend Han’s Tae Kwon Do Academy in Bakersfield. Taja and Zaire both started Tae Kwon Do in 2008 and have advanced beyond anything I could have ever dreamed for. Zaire has won gold at the Junior Olympic National Qualifier making him the U.S. Western Regional Champion and at the California Junior Championships in Fullerton, Calif., he took gold in sparring. Taja won the National Championship at the Junior Olympics held in Detroit, Mich., and won gold in sparring at the California Junior Championships. As their father, I couldn’t be prouder of how hard they work! The wins are great, but just them trying their best makes me so happy and I love them very much.
■ Do you have a son, daughter, grandkid or buddy who is your pick for MVP? Nominate them for Star Athlete of the Week by going to: www.bakersfieldvoice.com and posting an article. Nominations should tell us in 50 words or less what makes this kid a star athlete and should include a photo. All nominees will be featured weekly in the print edition of The Bakersfield Voice,and each month, one nominee’s name will be drawn to receive a $50 gift card for sporting equipment, compliments of Sports Authority and TBV.
Region 73 Soccer at CSUB Fields
LAST CHANCE!!! Register Now For 2009 Season Ages 4-19 First year players need to bring proof of age (Birth Certificate, Immunization Record, Health Card) Tuesday, April 21, 2009 6-9pm @ Sports Authority on Ming Ave. Tuesday, May 19, 2009 6-9pm @ Sports Authority on Ming Ave. $100 per player and includes Uniforms, Individual and Team Picture Package, Parking Pass, Soccer Accidental Insurance, and LOADS of Fun! 5 Philosophies of AYSO Everyone Plays • Balanced Teams • Open Registration Positive Coaching • Good Sportsmanship For more information contact Jennifer Nelson (661) 664-9974 Email: registrar73@yahoo.com website: www.region73.org
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EXTRA!EXTRA!
Members of Brownie Troop #265 took a trip to Borders bookstore to buy books for the new Ronald McDonald House.
Troop helps McDonald House ald House. The troop of second and third graders learned that raising money rownie Troop #265 from North- through cookie sales is important for west Bakersfield recently took a troop events and projects, but is also trip to Borders to purchase and important to use to give to others, espedonate books to the new Bakers- cially other children. field Ronald McDonald House Bakersfield’s Ronald McDonald House, located at Bakersfield Memorial under direction of House Manager ScarHospital. lett Sabin, offers many opportunities for Using proceeds from their recent cook- volunteers, whether on an individual basis ie sales, Troop #265, under the leadership or a group basis, such as Girl Scout troops. of Michelle Clark and Melody Roberson, Troop #265 is looking forward to helping purchased and donated books for the out the new Ronald McDonald House in library at the soon to open Ronald McDon- other ways in the future.
BY MELODY ROBERSON Community contributor
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Airsoft benefit game set for May 2 sacrifice of their own personal health, the Kern Airsoft Community has decided to ou may have heard of the game hold a benefit game of airsoft on Saturday, of airsoft, but have you heard of May 2. One hundred percent of the prothe Kern Airsoft Community? ceeds will be donated to the Kern County This is a community of mature, Chapter of the Wounded Hero’s Fund. fun-loving individuals who hap- This is a fantastic organization that exists pen to enjoy shooting plastic to recognize and assist our battle woundbb’s at one another for fun. Many of these ed heroes here in Kern County. games include very in depth military simIf you are interested in joining in this ulation scenarios with players wearing game, please visit www.kernairsoft.org full camouflage and working together to for more information. If you would like to achieve mission goals. For this reason, the assist through a donation you may do that members of Kern County’s airsoft comdirectly by visiting www.thewoundedmunity have decided to “Give Back” to heroesfund.org. our real military heroes. Help us support those who are willing In honor of those who have stood up to to lay down their lives for our freedoms! defend our country in battle and paid the
BY JAY KAPPEL
Community contributor
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APRIL 19-25, 2009
YOURVOICE
PHOTO BY ZANE ADAMO
An ancient history lesson was learned in person when the Bakersfield student musicians and chaperones visited Seoul’s Gyeongbokgung Palace, which was built in 1395! PHOTO BY MR. LIU
BYSO Conductor Maxim Eshkenazy and his symphony members take their bows following one of three concerts performed in Bucheon, Korea. One of the activities during the trip was a Tae Kwon Do lesson. The BYSO kids also learned that the uniforms had been custom made for each of them and theirs to keep, compliments of the mayor of Bucheon.
PHOTO BY ANDREA ALLEN
PHOTO BY NORMA SEXTON
A view of the Seoul Tower where the entire city can be seen from above.
PHOTO BY NORMA SEXTON
Everywhere the BYSO went, a welcome sign written in both English and Korean would await them.
From Bakersfield to Bucheon & back again! Editor’s note: The following is an excerpt from “Bucheon Tales,” which chronicled the Bakersfield Youth Symphony Orchestra’s nine-day concert tour to Bucheon, South Korea, a sister city to Bakersfield. The BYSO performed a total of three concerts (some in conjunction with their Korean counterparts) and also had the opportunity to tour the sights and live with a Korean host family. BYSO Board President Regina Pryor documented each day’s events and those updates were placed on the BYSO Web site so family &
friends could keep up on their musician international adventure! To read all of the “Bucheon Tales,” and to see additional photos from the trip, go to: http://www.bakersfieldsymphony.org/byso/ BY REGINA PRYOR Community contributor
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2009 Today we had the opportunity to go to Seoul. We began by visiting the Byeongbokgung Palace. It
was built in 1395. We then went to lunch in Insadong, which is a traditional street in Seoul. We walked a long way to get to the restaurant. After we ate, we were all given free time to shop. We were able to shop as we walked back to the bus. After shopping, we got back on the buses and head to the Seoul Tower. We took the sky lift to the tower, then climbed many stairs and a high elevator took us to the top of the tower. You could see all of Seoul from the Tower. It was amazing! We then headed back to City
Hall for our Farewell Party. The host families were there with the kids. Some of them made speeches expressing the wonderful experience they had this week. We watched a DVD of this week’s activities. Every student will be receiving a copy. The students are spending their last evening with their host family. They have all had a memorable time. I only hope that we can do the same for them when their Youth Orchestra comes to Bakersfield in January 2010! It has been the best week! We will be coming home tomorrow
with fond memories, new friends and very tired. Thank you to Kenward Vaughn for putting our “Bucheon Tales and pictures on the Web site everyday. And thank you to our delegation (chaperones) for being here for the kids. You will all need to come to South Korea sometime to experience the hospitality and the beauty of the city. This will be my last entry. You can hear the rest of the “Bucheon Tales” from a BYSO member. They will have plenty to tell. Good Night - An nyeong hi ju mu se yo!
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