We held our regular club meeting at The Mark restaurant. Our speaker was Michael Turnipseed, whom some of us know from the Bakersfield Breakfast Rotary Club days. Mike is with Kern County Taxpayers Association. He gave a brief overview of the “disruptive” qualities of the organization and how the members help bring about “more accountable, effective, efficient, and reliable government.” He attributes much of the success of the organization to the dedicated and intelligent members of the organization’s Board. He then welcomed questions from club members including one about efforts to solve the problem of the homelessness of people in our community.
Stephen Penner, the Music Director of the Shafter Symphony Orchestra, gave a short talk about the partnership between the Shafter Symphony Orchestra and the Civic Dance Center and the fund-raising campaign he is leading to have a live orchestra play for the local Nutcracker Ballet.
We had several visitors with us including Guy Veach, a member of the Florence, Oregon club and his friend, Judy, who were on the last leg of a 36 day cross country motorhome trip. We also had Sandy Fosters’ friends, Robert and Nina, visiting from Scottsdale, AZ. Ashli Diaz joined us also again.
