Last night we wound up our operational year and installed new officers and board members for the coming year.  It was my pleasure to serve as the President of this fine club during the past year, and I want to thank all of our members for their generosity and support.  I especially want to thank the community for supporting our fund raising events and helping to make this year successful.  Without the hard work of our members and the continuing help from the community, we would not be able to accomplish the work that we do. 

Because we shifted scheduling of events this year, we had fewer fund raising activities in the Spring of 2011.  We have moved our Golf Tournament to the Fall in hopes that less pressure from other fund raisers will enable more of our supporters to attend and improve the quality of the event. In February, our club members had a great time doing the Spaghetti Dinner for the Standard School PTA.  Our Sporting Clays Tournament in June was very well attended and by all accounts a fun event for everyone.  The Christmas Pistachio sale was, as usual, our biggest event, resulting in sales of over 7000 bags of pistachio nuts. Following this article is a summary of our contributions to community needs during the past year.  Please note that for privacy reasons, individuals who received donations will remain anonymous.  

As with most other organizations of our type, our fund raising efforts this year fell short of past years.  This is not due to a lack of effort from our members, nor to a lack of community support.  To the contrary, our club performed with unanimity and our community came through without reservation. At a time when unemployment is higher than ever in the recent past, and many families and businesses are struggling to stay afloat, we have been humbled by the generosity and resilience of our supporters. 

We know that things are going to improve for all of us, and we are supremely confident that you will be there for us – and we for you – through the good times and bad that the future will bring. Thank you all for a fun and exciting year, and please continue your support of our new president and board!!

Kirk N. Foster, Past-President

2010-2011 Accomplishments:

• $2,000. Agape Youth Basketball.
• $1,000. Bakersfield Homeless Shelter.
• $1,000. Deaf Ed – Bakersfield City School District.
• $2,000. Lens Crafters for eye examinations.
• $1,200. Bakersfield Police Department to continue the Citizens Forum.
• $1,500. Lamont School District to help pay field trips for students.
• $2,000. Links for Life.
• $3,000. Pyle’s Boys Camp to pay for campers.
• $250. Co-pay for young boy in need of eye surgery.
• $1,000. Family expenses related to cancer treatment.
• $1,500. Bakersfield Falcons. 
• $500. Bakersfield Special Olympics.
• $4,000.  Motorized wheelchair for paraplegic.
• $500. Kern County Sheriff Activities League.
• $5,001. Wounded Heroes Fund.
• $500. North High Future Farmers of America.
• $3,000.  Society Children for Disabled Children to attend camp.
• $1,500. Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
• $7,000. Standard PTA (Spaghetti Dinner proceeds plus.)
• $500. Asthma and COPD organization.
• $3,000. Court Appointed Special Advocated (CASA) to fund summer activities for dependent children.
• $2,500. New Advances for People with Disables (NAPD).