www.bakersfieldvoice.com
July 26-Aug. 1, 2009
F R E E
Health check: Ready for kindergarten? Pg. 3 Dogs: A patient’s best friend Pg. 6 Church activities Pg. 7
Up, up & away! Photo club captures colorful ride, pg. 4
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YOURCELEBRATIONS
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Alumni Association taking nominations for CSUB Hall of Fame there are many who ow through Friday, deserve this honor.” An Aug. 14, the CaliforAlumni Selection Commitnia State University, tee, appointed by CSUB Bakersfield Alumni Asso- President Horace ciation is accepting nomi- Mitchell and the Alumni nations for induction into Association president, the Alumni Hall of Fame. will review the nominaThe intent of the honor is tions using a point system to recognize alumni who to score each nominee. have made significant Between one and five contributions in their cho- nominees will be selected sen field and their comand honored at the formal munity, and whose accom- Alumni Hall of Fame dinplishments have brought ner held in February. honor and distinction to To download the nomithe university. nation form or receive “The Hall of Fame is a more information about chance to honor alumni the Alumni Association who show integrity, and the Alumni Hall of stature and reflect honor Fame, log on to: on CSUB,” explained http://www.csub.edu/alu Shannon Hill, director of mni/... For more informaalumni relations. “We tion, contact the alumni have more than 32,000 office at 654-3211 or ealumni and I am sure mail: alumni@csub.edu.
COURTESY OF CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD
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The first year volleyball club, Vision Zone of Bakersfield, placed fifth in the nation at the USA Volleyball Junior Olympics.
Vision Zone Girls volley to the top BY SIMPLYLESLIE Community contributor
The first year volleyball club, Vision Zone of Bakersfield, placed fifth in the nation at the USA Volleyball Junior Olympics in Miami over the Fourth of July week. The team flew to Miami on June 30 and entered the tournament ranked 13th. Play began July 2, where the team went undefeated against Uno Elite from Georgia, G-Force Select from Wisconsin, and 801 from Utah. The second day of competition the Vision Zone girls went 2-0, beating Circle City from Indiana and the No. 2 seed, Braggin Rights, from Texas. The third day they entered the top bracket, defeated Niagra Frontier from New York and fought hard in a first loss to Asics Willowbrook from Texas. Vision Zone put themselves in the Gold Bracket, the top 8 teams, with a win in the challenge match against Mizuno M1 from Minnesota. Sunday, July 5, Zone played against North Kentucky and lost in three with a final score of 14-16. The girls had an amazing showing in this year’s Junior Olympics and look forward to competing again next year.
JULY 26-AUG. 1, 2009
How do you ‘Beat the Bakersfield Heat?’ o you live in your swimming pool in the sizzling summer? Do you dash from your airconditioned house to your air-conditioned car and then to your air-conditioned office on a daily basis? Well, we’d love to hear from you on how you “Beat the Bakersfield Heat.” Send us your photos and a short story (200 words or less) telling The Bakersfield Voice community how you and your family stay cool when our summer days hit triple digits! If your entry is selected, you could win SIX tickets to the Monterey Bay Aquarium (a $200 value). It’s our way of helping our winner stay
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Staff EDITORIAL Olivia Garcia Vice President /Content ogarcia@bakersfield.com Gene Garaygordobil Managing Editor ggaraygordobil@bakersfield.com 716-8642 Teresa Adamo Associate Editor tadamo@bakersfield.com Sandra Molen Writer/Copy Editor smolen@bakersfield.com
ART Dennis Wynne Designer dwynne@bakersfield.com
ADVERTISING Jaime De Los Santos Sales Manager jdelossantos@bakersfield.com 716-8632 Gustavo Carrillo Sales Executive Mark Wells Sales Executive Anthony Menchaca Sales Executive William Guerrero Sales Executive
OFFICE Marisol Sorto Office Administrator msorto@bakersfield.com 716-8640
cool! Don’t wait! It’s not going to get cooler any sooner. So get to our Web site: www.bakersfieldvoice.com and create a FREE profile, if you haven’t already. The begin posting stories, photos and blogs today! Deadline to enter the “Beat the Bakersfield Heat” contest is Monday, Aug. 17.
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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JULY 26-AUG. 1, 2009
YO U R H E A LT H
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Medical needs for kindergartners child isn’t up to date with their vaccines, there’s no need to worry. Dr. Fan says it’s or some parents, this summer marks quite simple catching the children up with the last season before school starts. their shots. He says as long as the child has Kaiser Permanente’s pediatric physi- started their series of shots, the schools will cian, Fernando Fan, has some advice for not refuse admittance to school. “Once you parents sending their little one to kinder- start, you must remember to come back and garten this year — make sure to get their finish the series or we’ll have to start all physicals and immunizations completed over again,” he says. So when should you early. For new parents who may not know come in for a kindergarten physical? what we’re talking about, a kindergarten Most school systems prefer the physiphysical is an exam that cals be completed six months prior to the the school systems and start of school. So, for those of you doing physicians feel is importhe math, that’s March. Although March tant to access the health of has already passed, Dr. Fan says don’t children entering school. It wait any longer, make your appointment helps with identifying today and avoid the last-minute crunch. problems with learning, “I really want parents to take advantage speech, and listening, and of getting their physicals done early. I Dr. Fan can also help identify want them to start thinking about this at health conditions that need extra attenfour years of age,” he says. “By getting a tion. For example, someone with diabetes, head start and getting some of the shots seizure disorders or food allergies need out of the way, when the child turns five special care. If this is identified before the and is ready for kindergarten, the child child enters school, the schools will know won’t be overwhelmed with a lot of shots. what’s going on and what they need to do No one likes to go through having a lot of in case of an emergency. There is also a shots done all at once.” dental examination requirement. Immunizations consist of three to four “Most importantly are the required shots and a skin test for tuberculosis. The immunizations,” Fan says. “Because there schools like for there to be an anemia test are so many children at school and all of too. That’s a lot of pokes! Since the physithem come from different environments, cal does include some vision testing, Fan it’s easy to pass along germs. Immunizaalso suggests parents work with their chiltions are your child’s best defense from dren on learning the names of shapes. serious ailments.” “This helps the child’s memory as well,” Fan says all kindergarten-aged children he says. “It’s important to do whatever you need their booster shots. Assuming that can to get your child ready for school.” they have already had all their immunizaMake sure to contact your child’s school tion shots since birth, by ages 4 or 5. If the district for more specifics. BY JASON GUTIERREZ Community contributor
■ 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
About the cover Kern Photography Association (KPA) spent the early hours of the Fourth of July in Bear Valley Springs shooting hot air balloons, as part of this mountain community’s annual holiday celebration. Casa Blanca Photography, a member of KPA, shot our beautiful cover photo. Your photo could be on our next cover! Photos and stories for the Aug. 9 issue must be posted by Wednesday, July 29 at 5 p.m. PHOTO BY CASA BLANCA PHOTOGRAPHY
4-5 6
Color that pops
Club captures balloon flight in Bear Valley Springs.
A woman and her dog Local canine lends a “paw” to
Optimal Hospice Care patients.
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Your faith
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JULY 26-AUG. 1, 2009
YOURCLUB
Picture this ... Kern Photography Association takes meeting to the skies BY BARBARA BUTLER FireCreek Photography Community contributor
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arry Boswell, Kern Photography Association (KPA) member and resident of Bear Valley Springs (BVS) invited the club to come up and enjoy his community’s annual Fourth of July celebration. KPA members decided to focus on shooting the hot air balloons which BVS includes in their annual Fourth of July events. With camera bags packed and maps in hand, the group anticipated a wonderful day of shooting. KPA encourages members to bring their family or friends along on our monthly Meet & Shoots. Quite often I bring my husband and my granddaughter. We gave her a Canon A510S when she was 6 (she is 8 now), and she happily shoots on the auto modes. However, it will allow her to grow into other modes, including manual. My husband isn’t shooting yet — just busy pointing out “great shots” to me and groaning about getting up at 4 a.m. for this trip. Since he is up every day at that time for work, getting up at that hour on his day off ... well, let’s just say it makes him a little cranky. I explained that early morning light and late evening light are what pho-
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Kern Photography Association meets the second Wednesday of the month at Cactus Valley Mexican Restaurant, 4215 Rosedale Hwy., (just past Gibson Street from Fwy. 99) at 6 p.m. The next meeting is Aug. 11. Come join the fun! July Meet & Shoot is at San Luis
PHOTOS BY BEAUTY SHOTS
tographers call the “Golden Hour,” so once in a while early morning hours are just part of the deal. I think I heard him mumble something about “that’s nice, but I’m not a photographer.”
Obispo Botanical Gardens; August Meet & Shoot is at the Mountain Festival, Tehachapi. Please see our Web site for additional information. For more information, go to: www.kernphotographyassociation.org. For more information on Bear Valley Springs, visit: www.bearvalleysprings.com
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JULY 26-AUG. 1, 2009 As we started the climb on Highway 58 toward Tehachapi, the air cooled and was filled with the sweetness that only early morning can bring. Our directions were flawless and we arrived at the Bear Valley Springs gate well before the balloons were due to take off. It was our first time visiting and the ride through the valley was beautiful. Originally settled by the Flickert family in 1869, the ranch eventually grew to 25,000 acres. I can see why the family fell in love with the area. When we arrived at the staging site, the morning sun was beginning to rise over the mountains. The blue sky was beautiful with its warm glow in the east. At 6:30 a.m. sharp, the magic began. The rushing sound of hot air from the burners filled the quiet morning. Slowly, methodically, the balloons began to fill. They reminded me of colorful giants, slowly awakening from a long sleep. Totally in awe, we had our cameras up, focusing, trying to catch the moment. Through our viewfinders, some seemed to labor as they filled. Others stood quickly and began to rise. We called out, encouraging each other to
PHOT0 BY FIRECREEK PHOTOGRAPHY
“get the shot.” Higher and higher they climbed. Their beautiful colors and the blue sky reflected on the pond in front us. The piéce de résistance came when a few of the pilots touched their baskets down on the pond. A true testament to their skill. At 8 a.m., the amazing sight was over. The giants returned once more to their slumbering state, awaiting the call to to rise again. The group decided to head into
Educator of the Month
downtown Tehachapi for breakfast at the Apple Shed. We were thrilled with what we had seen and what we had captured. As we sat down and ordered fresh coffee, my granddaughter told me it was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. My husband leaned over and said that it was “almost worth getting up at 4 a.m. in the morning for.” I think I may make a photographer out of him yet.
Mr. Rhodes
I’d like to nominate my twin daughters’ kindergarten teacher Mr. Rhodes who teaches at Discovery Elementary School. At the beginning of the year, I was so skeptical after having learned that they were going to have a male teacher for kindergarten. He has superseded all of my expectations as to what a great kindergarten teacher should be. My girls love Mr. Rhodes. He teaches them lots of cute and silly songs. He builds up their self-esteem. He is just so marvelous with my girls!
Educator of the month Mrs. Lynn Rose Nominated by Lauren Valdivia
PHOTO BY SHARON LEE PHOTOGRAPHY
Nominated by Guadalupe Hernández
Mrs. Rose was my kindergarten teacher at Del Rio Elementary. I would like to nominate Mrs. Rose because she is a smart, loving and caring person; and she is a great teacher. She helped us stretch the sounds and then say them fast to make submitRose your nominee for Educator Month, a word.ToMrs. makes us allof the smarter. go to: www.northwest We love her!voice.com then click on “Post Something!” and contribute a
paragraph about why you appreciate and would like to recognize your nominee. Be sure 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 MUST also include their first and last name, school, department/grade and a photo in a jpeg format. Winners will be featured in the print edition of The Bakersfield Voice for a month and will receive a $50 gift card for school supplies, compliments of GW School Supply and TBV.
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JULY 26-AUG. 1, 2009
YO U R H E A LT H
Working miracles, one paw at a time BY LAURIE REESE Optimal Hospice Volunteer Community contributor
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OPTIMAL TEAM MEMBER
Optimal Hospice CarePals Pet Therapy volunteer, Sue Roeser, pictured with therapy dogs Jackie, front, little Barley and members of the hospice care team.
This week’s Star Athlete: Justin Rodriguez Nominated by Han’s Taekwondo Academy Justin Rodriguez is an 11-year-old yellow belt at Han’s Taekwondo Academy. Justin will be a seventh-grader. Justin enjoys spending time with family and competing alongside his teammates at tournaments. He has a great work ethic and has improved dramatically since joining the Progression Team. He has participated in four tournaments thus far, winning double gold medals in forms and sparring at each one. Justin competed in several more competitions this year (2009) including the U.S. Junior Olympic Nationals in Austin, Texas.
■ 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.
acqueline, or “Jackie” for short, knows she’s beautiful. She fully expects everyone to tell her so, and if you don’t, she’ll squint at you until you do. She has a knack for ingratiating herself with people. Twice a month, she has a good bath, gets her nails done, puts on her red scarf and heads to the convalescent home. She takes her owner, Sue Roeser, with her. This tall, white, princess of a Standard Poodle is a pretty special dog. Jackie has been working miracles as a therapy dog in convalescent homes, schools and libraries for seven years. “Jackie is very spiritual,” says Sue. “Put her in a room full of people and she’ll go to the one who needs her most.” She is the perfect height for laying her head upon the lap of someone in a wheelchair. They can just reach over and scratch her fluffy, white ears. “We spread smiles and joy,” says Sue. “The dog lets you get into so many places that you wouldn’t
To learn more For more information about Therapy Dogs Inc., go to: www.therapydogs.com. For more information about Optimal Hospice Care or becoming a CarePals Pet Therapy Volunteer for Optimal Hospice Care, contact the volunteer department at716-4000 or e-mail: rfrankhouser@optimalcares.com. To read more about Sue and Jackie and their valuable contribution to Optimal Hospice Care clients and others, please go to: www.bakersfieldvoice.com/home/ ViewPost/106965 get into if you didn’t have the dog. It really enriches your life and gives you such a depth of understanding for other things when you can just chat with people. There’s a lot of history in those convalescent homes.” Sue began visiting convalescent homes as a hospice volunteer in 1980. She has been volunteering for Optimal Hospice Care since 2003. Optimal Hospice is an organization dedicated to helping people in the end stages of life to remain independent and to live each day as fully and comfortably as possible. Optimal Hospice is excited to add the new pet therapy, CarePals, as a unique and special part of the volunteer services they offer the
patients under their care. “As any pet lover knows, there is nothing more comforting than receiving unconditional love from a cuddly animal,” says Rhonda Frankhouser, volunteer coordinator. “We are very excited to bring this kind of care to our families. Optimal is currently searching for other certified/licensed/insured pet therapy teams who are interested in becoming part of our volunteer program. We are also encouraging our current volunteers to get certified with their pets so they can become part of the CarePals program. There can never be too many teams — we have a lot of people who could use the love.”
EXTRA!EXTRA!
Anansi the spider spins her web at Omnipresent COURTESY OF GASLIGHT MELODRAMA
T
he Omnipresent Puppet Theater, presents Anansi’s Rainbow, Thursday, July 30 at 10:30 a.m., at 12748 Jomani Drive. Cost is $6. Anansi the spider, which is based on the tale of the
spider-hero of the Ashanti people of Ghana, takes the audience on an adventure to discover how wisdom, wit and wonder come together. For more information, go to: www.themelodrama.com.
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JULY 26-AUG. 1, 2009
YOURFAITH
MOPS welcomes moms of preschoolers to breakfast meeting
‘Go Fish’ rocks Calvary Bible’s Family Fun Fest
BY LAURA LUM COURTESY OF CBC STAFF
Community contributor
eady for some family fun that won’t cost an arm and a leg? Then bring the whole family to Peacock Park at Calvary Bible Church for their Family Fun Festival and live concert featuring Go Fish on Saturday, August 29. The free fun begins at noon with bounce houses, obstacle courses, carnival games, face painting, manicures for the little princesses, stories, games, and more! Food will be available for purchase including delicious treats from Ben & Jerry’s, Jamba Juice and other vendors! Then at 5 p.m., for $5 per person, join us for a live indoor concert by Go Fish. The Go Fish guys, Jamie, Jason, and Andy, make music for kids and families
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To learn more
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To find out more about Go Fish, visit their Web site at: www.gofishguys.com that won’t drive parents bonkers! One of the most unique groups in the music industry, Go Fish creates amazing sounds with just their voices and percussion. It’s a rock and roll show tailor-made for kids, complete with lights, backdrops and fog machines! Go Fish has been featured on radio and TV and their Snazzy CD was nominated for a 2008 GMA Dove Award for Children’s Music Album. Concert tickets are $5 and are on sale
t’s time to start registering for MOPS 20092010. This year’s theme is “Together on Planet Mom.” The Bridge Bible Church MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) is welcoming all mothers who are pregnant or have children who are not yet in kindergarten to join for next year. We meet twice a month — the first Thursday for an outing with our kids — and the third Thursday for our general meeting at the church, 12225 Stockdale Hwy. At our general meetings we have breakfast, a speaker, a craft, and some time for discussion while our children are being cared for as part of the MOPPETs program. Our first meeting will start on Sept. 17 from 9 to 11 a.m. Registration forms are available from Rhonda Reeves and cost is $80 for the whole year if registered before Aug. 2 — and $90 after. Looking forward to seeing you!
now at both HOPE Christian Stores, Berean Christian Store and Calvary Bible Church. For more information about the Family Fun Festival and Go Fish Concert, visit the Calvary Bible Church Web site at: www.gocbc.org or call 327-5921.
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