Bakersfield Life

Margaret: My motivation is my belief in the Junior League of Bakersfield (JLB) mission statement and my commitment to volunteerism. We are an organization of women, trained as civic leaders, creating community impact. Being able to volunteer within my community with women of all walks of life who also want to volunteer enriches my life. We make a positive impact on our community by changing the lives of women and children.

Paige: First, I have a cleft lip and palate. My doctor, Dr. Labib Samarrai of Kaiser Permanente, has volunteered for Operation Smile for over fifteen years. During my post op-visits he would tell me his great mission stories … I wanted to help too.

Christa: The job actually came to me. I was asked to fill a temporary position. Shortly after I realized how many people are affected by heart disease and all the great life-saving research that has been funded by the American Heart Association. I then applied for a permanent position, and here I am three years later.

Karen: I had been a child protective services worker years before and always had a special place in my heart for being a social worker. After working in women’s health care — predominantly prenatal care and family planning — I decided I wanted to be a social worker again. Haven provided an opportunity to work with families who were in recovery from child abuse and neglect and it was a perfect fit for me.

Margaret: There is no typical day with a membership of 100-plus active and over 300 sustainers. We have only one paid staff member, so our organization is run by volunteers. One day I am working sending out a mailing to the membership and the next I am meeting with the accountant to review our annual audit. I’m honored to have been elected to this job for one year. Each day is a new and exciting to-do list with 12 board meetings and nine general meetings per year. With two new projects under way, and several done-in-a-day project opportunities, we are always looking for new ways of helping our community.

Paige: There are different types of workdays for me. Some are slow, where I just check my e-mail and P.O. box then write thank-you notes. And there are fundraising days. This is when all of the really hard work happens. We plan fundraisers for weeks before they happen. We have to arrange where we will do the fundraiser, how we will get the word out, and what decorations we’ll use. These are the most fun days for me. I get to have my friends and family help too!

Christa: A typical day at work you will find me in my car driving throughout Kern County visiting schools. Some days speaking on heart disease at school assemblies and promoting our fundraiser Jump Rope for Heart. Other days actually jumping rope with students at their school’s event. I also service Barstow schools. So I am always on the go. Every day holds a new adventure for me. 

Karen: Each day is different based on the problems or situations that come through my door. I may work on budgets, write a grant, talk to a parent who is having problems with their child, mediate a conflict between co-workers, consult with a therapist or case manager, or teach a class to a group of parents who are also struggling with a mental illness.

 

Margaret: For the past three years, we have held monthly birthday parties for the children at the Bethany Homeless Center. Each party had a theme, games, cake and ice cream and presents. This past year, the chair of the homeless committee reported to the membership on the success of the program and she told us about a little girl who was crying at the last birthday party. When asked what was wrong, the little girl said her parents had found a place to live and she would not be there when her birthday came around. This one instance shows us how powerful an act of kindness can be and how it can impact those around us.

Paige: The most inspiring moment while on the job was last summer. Operation Smile had asked me to speak at a youth conference for high school and college groups who volunteer for Operation Smile. I spent a couple of days hanging out with other kids who had clefts, who enjoyed raising money too! It was amazing to meet so many people who cared. We all shared fundraising ideas. We were so fired up when we left. Even though I was not as old as most of the kids, they welcomed me with open arms. I have never felt so accepted. I told my parents, “ These are my people.”

Christa: My most inspirational moment was when I first started the job. I was introduced to a then-seventh-grade girl who was born with a heart defect. She touched my heart. She made me realize the importance of my role. The funds I help raise for research do save lives. Her family’s involvement and dedication to the Heart Association is truly amazing. She is going to be a sophomore in high school and doing well. 

Karen: I had a father in a parenting class who had the task of using a puppet to demonstrate how he would comfort his child. He was so loving and so gentle with that puppet … you could feel the love and empathy he had for his son. It brought tears to my eyes and reminded me of the powerful strength and healing that is present in the families we work with. Each parent who abuses or neglects a child is an abused or neglected child grown-up. I remember — and am reminded of — that every day.

 

 

Margaret: Since we are all overachievers, we have several opportunities this fall. We are busy planning our signature fundraiser, Wine Fest. This year’s theme is Basque in Bakersfield and it will be held on Nov 21 at the Kern County Fairgrounds. It is a perfect way to kick off the holiday season! We also have two new projects this year. GAP (Girls Achievement Program) will help pre-emancipated foster girls 16 to 18 with life skills. JLB is also revisiting our first project, Community House, to help them with membership and fundraisings goals.

Paige: A huge goal for me this fall is to raise $5,000. But an even bigger goal is, by November, is collecting enough shoes, toothbrushes, toothpaste and toys to give to every child on the November mission to Egypt.

Christa: Our office goal for the fall is trying to get as many new companies, schools and people involved with our campaigns, such as Go Red for Women, START/Heartwalk and Jump Rope for Heart. Also promoting awareness and educating the community on heart disease.

Karen: Our biggest goal is to live our mission statement every day. “The Kern Child Abuse Prevention Council/Haven Counseling Center, through advocacy, education and treatment, will have a positive and effective impact on the prevention and recurrence of child abuse and neglect in Kern County.”