Tehachapi's Online Community News & Entertainment Guide
Tehachapi's Online Community News & Entertainment Guide
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 38
On Nov. 21, the Rotary Club of Tehachapi was treated to an interesting and artful presentation by Dr. Leana Mitchell, president of the Bear Valley Springs Cultural Arts Association. Leana's presentation was titled "Hard Climb Art," and highlighted the art program that takes place at the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi. Leana said she has been rather passionate about this art program, as there are many residents of the prison who have amazing artistic abilities, which can be a...
At the weekly meeting of the Rotary Club of Tehachapi, the speaker was Tehachapi resident and Rotary member Christal Wheeler. Wheeler is a member of the Wood Family Funeral Service team, and she gave a presentation known as a "Rotary Craft Talk," in which a Rotarian shares their approach to the craft of living, including the stories and experiences that have shaped their life. Wheeler initially joined Wood Family Funeral Service team in 2019 as the event and wedding planner for the funeral...
At the Nov. 14 meeting of the Rotary Club of Tehachapi, in honor of Veterans Day, the speaker was Shane McGarrett, who served honorably for four years in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam Era. After an honorable discharge from the Air Force, she embarked upon a long, impressive career in the aerospace industry. Shane has written a memoir titled, "Out of Service: Coming of Age, the Military, a Fight for Life and Justice, a Memoir." Shane was notably certified as the first woman jet...
The Rotary Club of Tehachapi welcomed Rotary District Governor Sherry Peckhoon Sim to Tehachapi on Oct. 10 to share her vision and show her support of the Tehachapi Rotary Club. She was joined by Assistant District Governor Mary Lundstrom from China Lake Rotary and District Chief Operating Officer Kay Pitts from the Bakersfield Breakfast Rotary. District Governor Sherry Sim has been a member of Rotary since she joined the Rotary Club of Morro Bay in 2005. She then helped to start the Rotary...
The Rotary Club of Tehachapi was treated to an informative presentation by Kimberly Bittner, a member of the Bear Valley Springs Garden Club. An avid gardener, Kimberly talked about the Waterwise Garden project in Bear Valley, located at the corner of S. Lower Valley Rd. and Cumberland Rd., next to the parking lot of the Bear Valley Community Services District (BVCSD) office. The garden was originally established over 25 years ago, to help educate residents about options for low water...
The Rotary Club of Tehachapi welcomed Kyle Yates, center coordinator for The Salvation Army Tehachapi Community Center, to speak about the work they do in the local community. Kyle has worked for The Salvation Army in various roles for 7 years, but most of his work has been with their after-school program. The Salvation Army serves approximately 500 families to help with food insecurity and they distribute over 46,000 pounds of food every month to help people in need in the Tehachapi area. At Th...
At a recent weekly meeting of the Rotary Club of Tehachapi the speaker was Jim Damian, the Chief Economic Development Officer for Kern County. Jim began by saying he not only grew up in Tehachapi, but also that, "I seriously grew up right here, in this room at Kelcy's restaurant." Jim explained that, for as long as he could remember, he ate dinner at Kelcy's after church every Saturday night with his family, including his grandparents. He got his first job as a busboy at Kelcy's, starting when h...
President Jennifer Palakiko and Club Service Chair Rhonda Brady from the Rotary Club of Tehachapi helped kick off The Salvation Army's Winter Coat Drive by delivering 37 new jackets that will go to children in the community. Every year, The Salvation Army holds their annual coat drive so they can help provide jackets to people in the Tehachapi area. Kyle Yates, Center Coordinator for The Salvation Army Tehachapi Community Center, thanked the Rotary Club for their donation, saying, "We usually...
On Sept. 26, the Rotary Club of Tehachapi welcomed Dr. Denise Lewis from the Bear Valley Springs Astronomy Club, who gave an enlightening presentation titled, "Dark Skies and Wildlife: Detrimental Effects of Artificial Light at Night." Lewis earned her doctorate from the University of Kentucky College of Public Health. She spent her career at the University of Georgia as a cross-cultural gerontologist and qualitative methodologist. After retirement in 2021, she and her husband, Michael, moved...
At the Sept. 12, meeting of the Rotary Club of Tehachapi, the club was treated to a presentation from Judy Trujillo, Youth Services chairperson, regarding the programs the Rotary Club sponsors for local students of all ages. Youth Services is an important focus for the Tehachapi Rotary Club, and approximately two-thirds of the annual budget is dedicated to projects that benefit the children of the community. As a career high school educator, Judy has a special passion for Interact, which stands...
As anyone who has raised teenagers knows, they love being with their friends, and it seems like they are always hungry! Keeping teenagers fed can be a challenge for any family under normal circumstances, but for families facing food insecurities, the challenge can be almost overwhelming, especially with rising food costs and uncertain economic situations. To help support local students at Tehachapi High School, the Rotary Club of Tehachapi sponsors the Warrior Pantry, a food pantry located at...
The Rotary Club of Tehachapi welcomed Kathleen Kline, a local Tehachapi resident, to speak about her recently released a memoir, "My Life in the Dark: A Marriage Built on Lies." Kathleen has lived in Tehachapi periodically since 1989 and, in her words, "has taken what life has thrown at me and turned it into something that helps others." She is a familiar face in the local community, as she has written for the Tehachapi News and volunteers with the Tehachapi Mountain Search and Rescue group....
The Apple Drop is a fun activity that takes place during the Tehachapi Apple Festival on Oct. 12-13, in Downtown Tehachapi. On Sunday, Oct. 13 at 4 p.m., a large bin containing 1,000 squishy foam apples will be hoisted up in the air, and then dumped onto a huge target in the street. It is quite a sight to see, and when the apples finish bouncing, the apples landing closest to the bullseye on the target win some wonderful prizes! For just $10, you can purchase a ticket that will secure your...
At the Sept. 5 meeting of the Rotary Club of Tehachapi, the club listened to a presentation from Wendy Porter and Jeff Magdalena, from the Wounded Heroes Fund in Bakersfield. The Wounded Heroes Fund (WHF) is a service organization for veterans and their families to support them in accessing resources and facilitating healthy transitions to civilian life. In early 2009, Wendy Porter and her husband Mike invited a handful of close friends to dinner. Around their dining room table, Mike and Wendy...
At the weekly meeting of the Rotary Club of Tehachapi on Aug. 15, the Club welcomed Tom Neisler, general manager of the Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District (TCCWP). Neisler has been with the water district since 2013, stepping into the position of general manager in 2016. He studied civil engineering at San Diego State University, and has an extensive background in civil engineering and construction, working many years in both the public and private sector. He is active in the Association...
At the weekly meeting of the Rotary Club of Tehachapi on Aug. 22, the Club welcomed Special Agent Jason Coffey from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. His primary mission is to protect the safety of the American people and uphold the Constitution of the United States. He was joined by Senior Supervisory Resident Agent Carlos Roscoe, his supervisor in the Bakersfield field office. Agent Coffey was born and raised in West Virginia, then graduated from the United States Coast Guard Academy in...
The Rotary Club of Tehachapi presented Judy Trujillo, Youth Service Chair, the Avenue of Service Award for her contributions to the community of Tehachapi through working with the local youth. President Jennifer Palakiko presented the award to Judy in appreciation for her outstanding work in the area of Youth Service. A former educator, Judy's love for working with high school students comes shining through, and she works tirelessly to support the Interact student clubs at both Valley Oaks...
At the weekly meeting of the Rotary Club of Tehachapi on Aug. 1, the club heard an engaging presentation from Chris Scotti, owner of Discover Tehachapi Tours, who is an avid beekeeper. Chris and his wife Clare sell honey through Discover Tehachapi's catering and food department. Their honey can also be found seasonally at Simply Perfect Gifts and Decor in Tehachapi. Chris practices a rather hands-off approach to keeping bees and takes great pride in offering pure, unprocessed honey. Chris is...
At the weekly meeting of the Rotary Club of Tehachapi on Aug. 8, the club welcomed Greg Chick, to talk about his work with Global Water Works. Greg provided a very interesting and relevant presentation, as Rotary International promotes clean water projects around the world. Greg began his interest in water and water systems a long time ago in 1974, while working on 50 acres of citrus irrigation in Ojai, California. He eventually earned his state contractor license, first in California, then in...
The speaker for the weekly meeting of the Rotary Club of Tehachapi on July 18 was Jerry Munson. Jerry joined the Rotary Club of Tehachapi after transferring from the Santa Clarita Rotary in December 2023. Jerry delivered a presentation known as a "Rotary Craft Talk," in which a Rotarian shares the essential elements of their approach to the craft of living, including their life stories and experiences that have shaped their character. Jerry grew up in the San Fernando Valley in typical Southern...
At the weekly meeting of the Rotary Club of Tehachapi on July 25, the club welcomed Carol Gates, a member of the Tehachapi Group of the Kern Audubon Society. The Kern Audubon Society was founded in 1973, and since there were so many members from Tehachapi, the Tehachapi Group of the Kern Audubon Society was created in 2009. Carol's interest in birds began early, as her father was a founding member of the Kern Audubon Society in 1973. Their mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems,...
On July 11, Jennifer Palakiko presided over her first official meeting as the 2024-25 President of the Rotary Club of Tehachapi. Jennifer welcomed everyone and shared the Rotary International Theme for the year: "The Magic of Rotary." Jennifer shared an inspirational video of Rotary International President Stephanie Urchick explaining the choice for the 2024-25 Rotary theme. "The Magic of Rotary" was inspired by a trip that President Urchick made to the Dominican Republic, installing water...
At the weekly meeting of the Rotary Club of Tehachapi on July 11, the Club welcomed Kay Pitts, chief operating officer of Rotary District 5240 and member of the Bakersfield Breakfast Rotary Club. She presented two awards to President Jennifer Palakiko and Past President Paul Kaminski, which were earned by the Tehachapi Rotary Club during the 2023-24 year. Pitts presented a Bronze Medal to the Club for meeting five of the required criteria to achieve special recognition. The Club met the...
At the weekly meeting of the Rotary Club of Tehachapi, President Jennifer Palakiko welcomed Anya Norton as a new member on July 11. Anya's husband, Bill, was also in attendance for her presentation. Anya was introduced and sponsored by Jerry Munson, the Club's International Projects Chair and Co-Sargent-At-Arms. Bill and Anya Norton are retirees who moved from Lancaster to Bear Valley Springs in 2019, and they say it's the best idea they have had to date! Anya's career in education began when...
On June 27, at the home of Don and Marian Stephens, the Rotary Club of Tehachapi held its annual Step Down event to honor outgoing President Paul Kaminski. Rotary also formally welcomed incoming President, Jennifer Palakiko, who will serve for the 2024-25 year. The Rotarians and their guests enjoyed a delicious meal provided by Red House BBQ, with lovely desserts made by Linda Pettitt. Kaminski presented Paul Harris Fellows recognitions to five Rotarians for their contributions in the past...
