w w w . b a k e r s f i e l d v o i c e . c o m

FR

EE

September 6-12, 2009

Field trips of dreams fornorthwest kids Pg. 4Boost for Raiders Pg. 5Creative juices flow foryoung writers Pg. 6

Stompingout ALS

Sixth annual walk to‘D’Feat’ disease, pg. 3Sixth annual walk to‘D’Feat’ disease, pg. 3

Stompingout ALS

2 W W W. B A K E R S F I E L DVO I C E .C O M SEPTEMBER 6-12, 2009

EDITORIAL

Olivia Garcia VViiccee PPrreessiiddeenntt //CCoonntteenntt

ogarcia@bakersfield.com

Teresa Adamo AAssssoocciiaattee EEddiittoorrtadamo@bakersfield.com

Sandra Molen CCoonnttrriibbuuttiioonnss CCoooorrddii--nnaattoorr

smolen@bakersfield.com

ART

Kent Kuehl DDeessiiggnneerrkkuehl@bakersfield.com

ADVERTISINGJaime De Los Santos SSaalleess MMaannaaggeerrjdelossantos@bakersfield.com 716-

8632

OFFICEMarisol Sorto OOffffiiccee AAddmmiinniissttrraattoorr

msorto@bakersfield.com 716-8640

The Bakersfield VoiceP.O. Box 2344

Bakersfield, CA 93303

The Bakersfield Voice is publishedby Mercado Nuevo, an

independent subsidiary of The Bakersfield Californian.

S T A F F

Have a great story to tell? How about a nice photo of your kidsyou’d like to share? Or maybe you have a blog that you think isinteresting or inspiring.

Well, we’d like to get it into The Bakersfield Voice, our citizenjournalism newspaper distributed to more than 75,000households each week.

It’s easy to do, just go to our Web site:www.bakersfieldvoice.com, create a FREE profile and beginposting your stories, photos and blogs today.

If you are not sure about grammar or punctuation, don’t worry.We’ll help you by editing it before putting it in the newspaper.

So, how do you get it into print? Well, the best thing to do ispost early and often.

The Bakersfield Voice prints on Thursdays and is distributed onSundays to some Bakersfield households, along with scores ofracks at local businesses.

The best way to get something into print is to post a couple ofweeks before you’d like for it to get into print.

And although we can’t guarantee that your stories or photos willget into The Voice, you can increase your odds by getting yourpostings done by the following deadlines:

Issue Run dates Posting deadline to The Voice Web siteSept. 20 - 26 Items must be posted before Weds., Sept. 9Sept. 27 - Oct. 3 Items must be posted before Weds., Sept. 16Oct. 4 - 10 Items must be posted before Weds., Sept. 23Oct. 11 - 17 Items must be posted before Weds., Sept. 30Oct. 18 - 24 Items must be posted before Weds., Oct. 7Oct. 25 - 31 Items must be posted before Weds., Oct. 14Nov. 1 - 7 Items must be posted before Weds., Oct. 21Nov. 8 - 14 Items must be posted before Weds., Oct. 28Nov. 15 - 21 Items must be posted before Weds., Nov. 4

If you’d like to advertise:Please contact The Voice Sales Manager, Jaime De Los Santos, at 716-8632.

Share stories, photos, blogs in

Voice

— COURTESY OF NJB BASKETBALL

ational Junior Basketball League will be holding Winter 2009-2010 registra-tion. Walk-up registration will be from 6 to 8 p.m., Sept. 7 and 8 at StockdaleChristian School, 4901 California Ave., or register online at: http://bakersfieldnjb.d4sportsclub.com.

NJB basketball registration Sept. 7 & 8

Couple performs bedtimestories with puppets

N

— COURTESY OF GASLIGHT MELODRAMA

he Omnipresent Puppet Theaterhas announced that they will beperforming two shows this fall atthe Gaslight Melodrama Theatre,12748 Jomani Drive.

The puppets will be performing Jackand the Beanstalk, Saturday, Sept. 12 and18 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. and Hansel andGretel, Nov. 7, 14 and 21 at 11 a.m. and 2p.m. Tickets are $6.

The Omnipresent Puppet Theater is alabor of love by husband and wife team,Don and Kamala Kruzka.

Don, as the head puppeteer, brings over15 years of professional experience to hiswork. From writing scripts, to building thepuppets, to performing in the shows, Dondoes it all.

Kamala holds her MFS in theater educa-tion and brings her experience as a theatereducator to the puppet shows.

From their first Bakersfield perform-ance in 2006, The Omnipresent PuppetTheater has gained the reputation forbeing a popular choice for children’sentertainment.

For more information, please call theMelodrama box office at 587-3377.

T

COURTESY PHOTO

Kamala and Don Kruzka with friends from the Omnipresent Puppet Theater.

E X T R A ! E X T R A !

C E L E B R A T I O N S

Happy 12thBirthday,Joey Waters!

SEPTEMBER 6-12, 2009 W W W. B A K E R S F I E L DVO I C E .C O M 3

The Michael Gagner family, members of team“Mike’s Miracles,” participate in “Walk toD’Feat ALS,” an annual fundraiser for ALS,commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Your photo could be on our next cover! Photos and stories for the Sept. 20 issue must beposted by Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 5 p.m.

About the coverCOURTESY PHOTO

Michael Gagner and Mike's Miracles team at the 2008 walk.

Contents

4 Out in the fieldSchool field trips have become rare, so

these moms planned their own for their kids.

5 Club ‘raiding’ BakersfieldFootball season is about to kick-off and the

Bakersfield Raiders Booster Club is ready!

6 Getting creativeYour Creative Corner returns! Local girls

write about their lives. Post your “CreativeCorner” story at: www.bakersfieldvoice.com.

BY LORNA AND MICHAEL MCWILLIAMSCommunity contributor

he Sixth annual “Walk toD’Feat ALS” will be heldon Saturday, Oct. 3, at thePark at River Walk to helpraise money for local

patient services and awareness ofALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease inKern County. Last year, over$100,000 was raised, which is usedto fund a local support group andservices for ALS patients and theirfamilies.

Commonly known as LouGehrig’s disease, ALS is a devas-tating, degenerative neuromuscu-lar disease that can strike withoutwarning or family history. Sixty-

one years have passed since LouGehrig’s death from ALS, yet thereis still no known cure or effectivetreatment for this illness. Itremains a 100 percent fatal dis-ease that continues to strike downeven the healthiest men andwomen in their prime. As the dis-ease progresses, a person’s bodycan become totally paralyzedwhile the mind and senses remainunaffected. Simple tasks such astalking, walking, and eatingbecome increasingly difficult andthen impossible as the body’s mus-cles waste away.

The financial burden to the fami-lies of persons with ALS can be upto $200,000 a year and the emo-tional cost is incalculable. “Walk to

D’Feat ALS” will be a three-milewalk in the Park at the River Walk.Registration begins at 8 a.m. andthis Walk will help raise funds forlocal patient services while creat-ing awareness of ALS and the ALSAssociation.

There are sponsorship opportu-nities available and we are form-ing teams of walkers now. If thisdisease has affected your family oryou know of someone who hasALS, please consider walking intheir honor or memory. Seehttp://walk.alsala.org for informa-tion on donating, volunteering, orforming a walking team. You mayalso contact Lorna or MichaelMcWilliams at 589-0303.

Get in step to fight ALS!

T

BY JOANNE ROWLESCommunity contributor

he American Kennel Clubhas declared Saturday,Sept. 12 “AKC ResponsibleDog Ownership Day” andannounced hundreds ofevents to be held nation-

wide, including one right here inBakersfield!

The goal of the event is to educatefirst-time owners about the respon-sibilities of dog ownership and tohelp current owners enhance theirrelationships with their dogs.

AKC Responsible Dog Owner-ship and to help current ownersenhance their relationships withtheir dogs.

AKC Responsible Dog Owner-ship Day helps bring attention tothe fact that dog ownership, whileimmensely rewarding, should notbe entered into lightly. It’s crucialto understand the commitmentinvolved and to learn as much asyou can about dogs and their spe-cific breed before bringing home anew four-footed family member.

This year’s event is hosted byResponsible Dog Owners of KernCounty and Anderson Acres. It will

be held at Yokuts Park,Saturday, Sept. 12 from10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

AKC-affiliated dogclubs as well as manyother dog and pet-relat-ed organizations willparticipate.

Activities willinclude AKC CanineGood Citizen tests, fly-ball, tracking, obedi-ence, rally, agility andconformation demonstrations, lowcost micro-chipping as well as vac-cinations (both bargains!), adop-tions, licensing, police dogs, childsafety around dogs, disaster pre-paredness for your pets, raffle, petphotographer, Country Canines,Blessing of the Animals, and thevery popular doggie fashion con-test!

Also, this year Miss Millie andCocoa will be on hand for facepainting and other child friendlyactivities, and Byron Rhodes, a car-icature artist, will be there to drawcaricatures of people and theirdogs.

This event is an ideal way to meetcanine experts and learn about

resources in the area.Dog experts will be onhand to assist withlocating a reputablebreeder, training,advice on health, nutri-tion, socialization andhow to find low costspay/neuter programs.

Everyone is encour-aged to attend thisFREE event. Remem-ber, though, all dogs

should be on leashes — and please,no aggressive dogs.

— Responsible Dog Owners ofKern County organized to bringpeople of all ages and culturestogether at a place featuring themany organizations and resourcesdedicated to enhancing the human-canine bond through responsibledog ownership.

— Anderson Acres is a full-servicepet care facility in Kern Countythat features boarding, grooming,training and transportation. It’sbeen owned for more than 20 yearsby Janice Anderson, who alongwith her staff, “Treat your pets likefamily.”

T

Get instep tofight ALS!

AKC event at Yokuts Park will go to the dogs!

Y O U R V O I C E

Y O U R P E T S

SEVENTH ANNUALRESPONSIBLE DOGOWNERSHIP DAY

• 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Saturday, Sept. 12

• Yokuts Park (off Kern River Parkway)

• Details, 845-8955

COURTESY PHOTO

AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day brings atten-tion to the commitment needed for pet ownership.

4 W W W. B A K E R S F I E L DVO I C E .C O M SEPTEMBER 6-12, 2009

BY GINA RASMUSSENCommunity contributor

n this day and age, field tripshave become a thing of the past forsome of our kids. Budget cuts andtime constraints due to the pres-

sures of state testing has taken awaythe valuable learning experience out-side of the classroom, which comesfrom a field trip. This summer, a groupof moms from the northwest cametogether and planned some really coolfield trips for their kids.

Our group went on a field trip to avariety places in and out of Bakersfield.We kicked off the summer with a fan-tastic field trip to Dewar’s and learnedhow candy and ice cream are made.After learning how the famous Dewarchew was made, we sampled a freshlymade peanut butter chew and endedthe trip with a scoop of ice cream.

Next, we went to WinCo Foods andlearned about all the different depart-ments in the store and even did somefood sampling! They gave us cheeseand ham from the deli, honey andalmond butter from the bulk foods,cookies from the bakery and finally, aslice of pizza and a soda from Leonar-di’s. The kids and parents were full

after this experience.We cooled off during the summer at

The Ravine Water Park in Paso Roblesand rode the train to Hanford and backfor only $7 through Amtrak’s Kids’nTrains program.

Our final destination was The Bakers-field Californian, where we learnedhow the newspaper was printed fromstart to finish. The kids were amazedwhen they saw the huge rolls of paperstacked so high and all the printingmachines running all at once, printingour local newspaper.

Thank you, Dewar’s, WinCo Foods,Amtrak and The Bakersfield Californ-ian for a wonderful hands-on learningexperience for our kids this summer.

Moms bring back field trip fun — and learning — for their kids

Day tripping!

I

Y O U R V O I C E

PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFF RASMUSSEN

A “really cool” field trip to The Bakersfield Californian’s printing plant. A group of moms from the northwest arranged for their kids to tour a variety of local businesses.

Nature contest for VoiceEnter TBV’s newest contest, “Nature’s Beautiful Moments.” Send us your bestnature photo and a short story (no more than 200 words) about what inspiredyou to take the shot, where you were and what you find most beautiful aboutnature. If your entry is selected, you will win SIX tickets to the Monterey BayAquarium (a $200 value) — talk about a great venue in which to capture na-ture! Details, go to: www.bakersfieldvoice.com.

Serving $e Community Since 1990

“Everyday is a blessing for my mother, and I am beholden to the great caregivers from Alternative Care.” — Howard Silver

(661) 631-2036 2029 21st Street • Bakers9eld, CA 93301

• Homemaker Services• Personal Care• Employees Screened Bonded and Insured• Dementia Care

ALTERNATIVECARE

HOME CARE & HOSPITAL STAFFING

• Care Management• End of Life Care• Hospital Personal

Care Attendant

SEPTEMBER 6-12, 2009 W W W. B A K E R S F I E L DVO I C E .C O M 5

• Financial aid for those who qualify • Day and evening classes • Job placement assistance for graduates

• Swedish Massage • Reflexology • Sports Massage • Shiatsu • Deep Tissue Massage • Aromatherapy • Business Management

Massage Therapy Program

Call Today!866-606-4726

Thinking About a New Career? Do Something About It!

All services conducted by students under instructor supervision

Accredited by ACCET

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:

STUDENT MASSAGE SPA - OPEN TO PUBLIC Value Priced Massage, call for appointment

• High School Diploma or GED NOT required

www.milaninstitute.edu 2822 F Street,

Bakersfield, CA 93301

Y O U R V O I C E

PHOTO COURTESY OF RAIDERLIZZY

The Bakersfield Raiders Booster Club president, Raider Ron, celebrating the club’s25th anniversary. For more information on club membership, call 588-8441.

Educator of the month

n IIff yyoouu hhaavvee aa tteeaacchheerr yyoouu tthhiinnkk iiss ggrreeaatt,, nnoommiinnaattee tthheemm ffoorr EEdduuccaa--ttoorr ooff tthhee MMoonntthh bbyy ggooiinngg ttoo:: wwwwww..bbaakkeerrssffiieellddvvooiiccee..ccoomm aanndd ppoossttiinnggaann aarrttiiccllee.. NNoommiinnaattiioonnss sshhoouulldd tteellll uuss iinn 5500 wwoorrddss oorr lleessss wwhhyy yyoouurrtteeaacchheerr iiss tthhee bbeesstt aanndd MMUUSSTT aallssoo iinncclluuddee tthheeiirr ffiirrsstt aanndd llaasstt nnaammee,,sscchhooooll,, ddeeppaarrttmmeenntt//ggrraaddee aanndd aa pphhoottoo iinn aa jjppeegg ffoorrmmaatt.. WWiinnnneerrss wwiillllbbee ffeeaattuurreedd iinn tthhee pprriinntt eeddiittiioonn ooff TThhee BBaakkeerrssffiieelldd VVooiiccee ffoorr aa mmoonntthhaanndd wwiillll rreecceeiivvee aa $$5500 ggiifftt ccaarrdd ffoorr sscchhooooll ssuupppplliieess,, ccoommpplliimmeennttss ooffGGWW SScchhooooll SSuuppppllyy aanndd TTBBVV..

Nominated by Alexandra HenslerMy teacher, Mrs. Sara Silva, is a great spirited

and wonderful teacher! She always helped mewhenever I have a question and really helps youunderstand everything by also giving fun exam-ples. One time all of us had a state report to do, soto help us, Mrs. Silva taught us to make a funposter and gave us time and help to do it in classand in computer lab.

Mrs. Silva has a really adorable and sweetdaughter, Megan, so she also treats us like we arefamily, which makes us all feel warm inside. Thegreat part about that is she still says, “It’s OK” and comforts us, but still tellsus we need to still do our work. Sometimes she will take us out for P.E. and wecan just have fun. I really love Mrs. Silva and she is the best teacher I haveever had!

I would just like to say thank you for being a great teacher Mrs. Sil-va! Also, thank you for reading!

Mrs. Sara Silva

Mr. Rhodes

Sponsored by

Nominated by Guadalupe Hernández

Educator of the Month

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!

To submit your nominee for Educator of the Month, go to: www.northwest 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.

Raider Boosters give back!COURTESY OF THE BAKERSFIELD RAIDERS BOOSTER CLUB

ome and join the only NFL Oak-land Raiders sponsored clubhere in Bakersfield — The Bak-ersfield Raiders Booster Club,established in 1984. We are a

non-profit club that donates all moneyraised from its great raffles to the Bak-

ersfield Children’s Cancer Society. Sodon’t wait any longer, come and join fel-low Raider lovers for a great time witha club that is going stronger than everin its 25th year as an NFL sponsoredclub.

For more information, contact RaiderRon at 588-8441.

Go Raiders!

C

COURTESY OF LINDA LARMA ANDDAUGHTERS ACADEME OF DANCE

inda Larma andDaughters Acad-eme of Danceheld its annualsummer dance

recital as a fundraiser forthe Kern County ChildAbuse Prevention Coun-cil.

The three recitals wereheld to packed houses atthe Gaslight MelodramaTheater Aug. 8, with over100 children participat-ing in the show.Admission to the showwas an item of cannedfood or a hygiene product.

“The summer dancerecital was not only a lotof fun, but it provided lotsof food and hygiene prod-ucts for our pantry,” saidKaren Cooley, executivedirector of the KernCounty Child Abuse Pre-vention Council. “We getrequests for these itemsevery week and thanks tothe dance studio, we areable to fill those requestsimmediately.”

LDancing for donations

COURTESY PHOTO

Jack Prince and Olivia Ayla enjoy the stage.

Y O U R C L U B

6 W W W. B A K E R S F I E L DVO I C E .C O M SEPTEMBER 6-12, 2009

500 Old River Rd. #125 Phone: 661-663-0977

Mon-Fri: 9am – 6pm & Sat: 10am – 2pm (In Mercy Southwest Hospital)

9508 Stockdale Hwy. #130 Phone: 661-664-7979 Mon-Fri: 9am – 6pm

(At the Riverwalk Medical Complex)

F AST A ND C OURTEOUS S ERVICEHINA’S PHARMACY H INA ’ S P HARMACY

• Walkers, Wheelchairs, and Crutches available • Specializing in custom compounding (Please call for details) • Unit dose packaging for assisted living and group homes

FREE PRESCRIPTION

MULTI-VITAMINS Any new or transferred prescription (Limit 1 per person)Expires 12/31/2009 Expires 12/31/2009 Expires 12/31/2009 Expires 12/31/2009

30 day supply for children 12 and under.

$ 5 00 OFF Ed Coleman 661-428-9464 Lic.# 743273, Insured

Bakersfield, Kern County &

General Area

Furniture Repair & Refinishing, Cabinet Refinishing

The Handiest

Fellow In Town

Almost All Home Repairs & Light Remodels

Indoors & Outdoors Appliances

BY ALEX TORRESCommunity contributor

here did the summer go?It’s back-to-school time,something us studentshave been dreading. I stepout onto the campus with

my brand new shoes and my favoritefaded blue jeans — who knew whatschool was going to be like with thebudget cuts this year? I see all of thefreshman walking around frantically,and smile remembering how it was myfirst year in high school. I walk over tomy friends, and we begin comparingschedules to see what classes we share.

As a high schooler, the summer is agreat time of relaxation and a sort ofdetox, because once school starts thingsget hectic. There are so many kids oncampus and things are crazy betweenschool, sports, and home responsibili-ties. I go throughout the day seeing allthe friends I missed from summer, andI even meet some new friends in myclasses.

Meeting the teachers and learning

about all of their expectations is alwaysthe hardest. You sometimes hear thingsfrom people that had that teacher inprevious years, but you don’t knowwhether those things are true or not. Istep into each of my classes a little war-ily, expecting the worst. I see at leastone person I know, and smile knowingthat I won’t have to go through it alone.It is kind of a surprise hearing about allof the things we will be going withoutthis year. We receive our lists of thingswe need to buy or have for each class,and it surprises me how many of theseitems were provided in the past years. Ilook around me, and I notice that theamount of kids in my classes are over-whelming! I start to worry that thingswill be different this year, and thatthings will be harder at school.

As the day ends, I realize that myworrying that morning had been fornothing. I had all my friends, greatteachers, and a lot of help available if Ineeded it. School might be differentbecause of budget cuts, but I have con-fidence that we will make it through.

Back to school — no worries! Just call on support system

W

BY CLARE LINCommunity contributor

he eldest of fourchildren, I oftenfind myself at aloss when people

ask me what it is like liv-ing with so many sib-lings, not for lack of astory to tell, but rather, Iam bereft of a properstarting point as befit-ting the mix of chaoticemotions and learning,which the experiencehas brought me.

Most people have realized, simplythrough experience and interactingwith others, the fact of life that wehuman beings always yearn for whatwe do not have. Thus, those individu-als who have no siblings may enter-tain the image of a “big, happyfamily” and siblings to play and/ortalk with, while those, like yours tru-ly, who lack a specific type of sibling(older or younger in particular) willdream of having an attentive olderbrother or an adorable youngerapprentice-figure.

Of course, in real life, these happyfantasies generally don’t play outquite the way many imagine them. Asfor myself, I’ve found that my twobrothers, at ages 5 and 2, are con-stantly active and take “making amess” and “go and play for a littlewhile” to completely different levels.They consistently patter into my

The grass is always greener ... Y O U R C R E A T I V E C O R N E R

T

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION Continued on page 7

SEPTEMBER 6-12, 2009 W W W. B A K E R S F I E L DVO I C E .C O M 7

Y O U R C R E A T I V E C O R N E R

room and, like miniaturetyphoons, leave thingsdirtied and disordered,strewing little toys andpuzzle pieces everywhich way.

On the other hand, mysister, who is 11 yearsold, may often seem likean even greater source ofannoyance, as, due to herdecade’s worth of experi-ence and newfoundteenage confidence, it’smuch too easy for her tonag and irritate me to noend.

As many elder childrenare quite aware, some-times younger familymembers can aggravateone without saying a sin-gle word at all. More-

over, aside from the chal-lenge posed by merelycoping with the “littleterrors,” an unbelievableamount of responsibilityis apportioned to the eld-est, not only in physicallyhelping with the youngones, but also in settingthe best example and inbeing a guiding coun-selor.

It should come as nosurprise that, every oncein a while, I lose my tem-per and bewail the unfor-tunate fate of being in the“big sister” position.However, an imagesometimes comes tomind, of a time in thefuture, when I will visiteach of my siblings andchat with them over a

light snack while mar-veling at the miracle ofour own children, ourcurrent occupations, andthe long and wondrousjourney of life and histo-ry it took for us to get tothat one point in time. Atthat moment, I am confi-dent that I will experi-ence an overwhelminglysweet satisfaction fromhaving surmounted thecountless obstacles oftime and age.

So ... how’s it like livingwith so many siblings? Inreality, it’s not as bad as Iusually make it out to be.After all, it will all pay offin the end.

This week’s Star Athlete: Rhoda Hernando

n DDoo yyoouu hhaavvee aa ssoonn,, ddaauugghhtteerr,, ggrraannddkkiidd oorr bbuuddddyy wwhhoo iiss yyoouurr ppiicckkffoorr MMVVPP?? NNoommiinnaattee tthheemm ffoorr SSttaarr AAtthhlleettee ooff tthhee WWeeeekk bbyy ggooiinngg ttoo::wwwwww..bbaakkeerrssffiieellddvvooiiccee..ccoomm aanndd ppoossttiinngg aann aarrttiiccllee.. NNoommiinnaattiioonnsssshhoouulldd tteellll uuss iinn 5500 wwoorrddss oorr lleessss wwhhaatt mmaakkeess tthhiiss kkiidd aa ssttaarr aatthhlleetteeaanndd sshhoouulldd iinncclluuddee aa pphhoottoo.. AAllll nnoommiinneeeess wwiillll bbee ffeeaattuurreedd wweeeekkllyy iinntthhee pprriinntt eeddiittiioonn ooff TThhee BBaakkeerrssffiieelldd VVooiiccee,, aanndd eeaacchh mmoonntthh,, oonnee nnoommii--nneeee’’ss nnaammee wwiillll bbee ddrraawwnn ttoo rreecceeiivvee aa $$5500 ggiifftt ccaarrdd ffoorr ssppoorrttiinnggeeqquuiippmmeenntt,, ccoommpplliimmeennttss ooff SSppoorrttss AAuutthhoorriittyy aanndd TTBBVV..

Nominated by Han’s Tae Kwon Do Rhoda Hernando is a 17-year-old, 3rd

Degree Kukkiwon Black Belt at Han’sTae Kwon Do Academy. She has beenpracticing at Han’s Tae Kwon Do sinceshe was 6 years old. She practices dailyat Han’s and is an excellent TournamentTeam Manager. She is a positive role-model and mentor to our youngermembers. She likes sharing herexperiences with our upcoming starsand dreams of going to the Olympicssomeday. She will be competing in theupcoming U.S. Open in Las Vegas,Nevada.

Rhoda is a senior at Stockdale HighSchool and is very involved with schoolactivities. She is in Link Crew, Student Ambassador, Conflict Mediator, Sci-ence, PacRim, M.A.S.H., and HOSA clubs. When she graduates, she plansto attend college at University of Southern California, majoring in physicaltherapy.

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.

Hi! My name is Snowball and I am a 10-12 month old, male, white, domestic short hair mix. I will be neutered before I can go home. I came to the shelter because my owner was no longer able to spend timewith me and they wanted me to find a new loving home. I am a very sweet and affectionate kitty that LOVES to be with people. Don’t forget tomention my ID number - 775017!

Hi! My name is Monty and I am a two month old, male, orange and white domestic short hair Tabby mix. I will be neutered before I can go home. I love to be with people, play with toys and relax in shoeboxes. I would do best in a home with older children. Don’t forget to mention my ID number - 774841!

Snowball - 775017 Monty - 777138

TBV’s August Athleteof the Month:

AAnnddrreeww BBllaannccooThe Bakersfield Voice’s Star Athlete of the

Month for August is Andrew Blanco. Andrew, 10,continues to play baseball while on chemothera-py for leukemia.

Andrew’s name was picked from among theother Star Athlete nominations for August. TheAthlete of the Month receives a $50 gift card forsporting equipment, compliments of SportsAuthority and TBV.

Nominate YOUR star athlete today! Go to:www.bakersfieldvoice.com.

Continued from page 6

COURTESY OF AMERICAN KIDS SPORTS CENTER

rigitte Alexander, 17, placed firstoverall, earning the gold medal inTumbling (age 15 -years-and-overgirls division) at the USA Gymnas-tics National Junior Olympics

Championships held in San Jose, Calif.June 22 - 28. She also placed fourth overallin Trampoline and landed in a three-waytie overall score for eighth place in Double-Mini Trampoline.

Brigitte is a member of the American Air-bourne Trampoline & Tumbling Team atAmerican Kids Sports Center of Bakers-field. Brigitte is a 2009 graduate of FrontierHigh School.

Teammates Michelle Estes, also 17, (age15-years-and-over girls division) placed18th in Trampoline, 22nd in Double-Miniand 28th in Tumbling. Lindsay Relerford(age 11 girls) placed 16th in Double-Mini,28th in Tumbling, and 32nd in Trampoline.Elly Honaker (age 9 to 10 girls) placedsixth in Trampoline, sixth in Double-Miniand eighth in Tumbling, Justin Powell (age11 to 12 boys) placed fifth in Double-Mini.

All participants attending nationals mustachieve qualifying scores in each event.The American Airborne team is coached byMatt Williams.

The 2010 USA Gymnastics J.O. NationalTrampoline & Tumbling Championshipswill be held in Virginia Beach, Va.

BGymnast wins gold medal in Junior Olympics

COURTESY OF ALEX1

Brigitte Alexander

8 W W W. B A K E R S F I E L DVO I C E .C O M SEPTEMBER 6-12, 2009