Birthdays
President Jackie brought out the famous and fabulous singing monkey, Bart, to enchant us with his birthday song.
- January 29 - Pancake Man Erick Bautista
- January 30 - High Five Will Duerksen
- January 31 - Free Wheeling Shaun Kelly
You needed to attend the meeting to understand the monikers – just another reason to attend!
Service Anniversaries
There was just one Service Anniversary this week. On January 31,
President Jackie Maxwell will have been a member for 29 years. Time flies fast when you are having FUN!
Wedding Anniversaries
Bryan and Amber Wooster celebrated their 14th Anniversary on January 25. Congratulations and many more years of love, joy, and happiness to you both!
Community Service Update – January 24, 2026 Pancake Breakfast for the hungry and homeless.
Eighteen Rotarians and friends, together with fifteen Golden Valley Interactors, mixed, cooked, and served a total of 249 pancake breakfasts. Each breakfast box had pancakes, syrup, sausages, hash browns, and real scrambled eggs.
The first crew arrived at 6:00 a.m. in the dark, fog, and cold.
Tina Burke (
Tom 
Burke’s very organized wife) oversaw the kitchen food‑prep operation, guiding students as they mixed the eggs and ingredients. The oversized bags of dry pancake mix proved to be a particular challenge, but the students and Tina made it work. Once prepared, the raw ingredients were delivered by an expediter to the second team who were working the two sets of BBRC grills set up behind the facility.
As food came off the grills, it was passed to the third team - Interactors who assembled the to‑go boxes. A fourth team then distributed the completed meals supplementing each hot food box with syrup, juice, and utensils before handing them to the waiting crowd.
In total, 249 meals were served. The morning crew, who reluctantly handed things off at 9:00 a.m., had produced 161 meals between 7:00 and 9:00 am. The second shift added another 88 meals before the food supply was depleted around 11:00 a.m.
Thank you to Erick Bautista for coordinating the pancake breakfast at Dignity Health Learning and Outreach Center once again. The entire process ran like a well-honed machine.
New Member Induction – John Sabovich
Today’s new member induction was a high-energy celebration that set a new bar for the club, Membership Chair Temo Lopez transformed the induction into a "Ready to Rumble" steampunk-themed spectacle. Sponsored into BBRC by Donna Schwartz, John Sabovich’s entry marks a bold new chapter for our membership.
About the Member - John is the founder of the Epiphany Foundation, a non-profit organization located to 4000 Wilson Rd. His foundation provides a transformative "tough-love" model for recovery and rehabilitation.
The Epiphany Model:
- A Hand Up, Not a Handout: The facility takes in homeless individuals struggling with addiction at no cost to the participants. The foundation is entirely privately funded.
- Accountability: Participants are required to pass regular drug tests and maintain a disciplined schedule.
- Vocational Training: Every morning, participants head to John’s construction sites. By working directly in the field, they learn high-demand trades through hands-on experience.
- The Goal: This rigorous program ensures that once sober, participants aren't just ready to rejoin society—they are equipped with the professional skills needed to build a sustainable career
Happy Spots
Travel & Celebration: Cheryl Scott and frequent BBRC visitor Blair Knox, have just returned from a trip to the Grand Cayman Islands. Adding to the celebration, she announced that they are officially engaged! She even has a beautiful ring as evidence.
Cheryl got off easy. After volunteering to donate $50 for her happy spot, BFF Mindy Wilmot covered the fine for Cheryl. In an unexpected move another BFF Sandra Parnell generously matched the contribution, with both donations going directly toward the BBR Foundation Endowment Fund. Thank you both! Let’s build that fund; it will enable good works long into the future.
President Jackie shared that recent new member Brenna Layne, has accepted a job in the Five Cities area. We will miss her! She has already started looking into the Rotary clubs in that area.
Recognitions & Announcements
- Recognition & Fines:
- Chamber Champion: David Perkins was fined $20 in honor of being recognized as a "Local Hero."
- Monthly Service Projects & Events:
- February Project and Social (Links for Life): We will be assembling "Links for Life" bags. You should have received the announcement and the link to an Amazon shopping list for this event. Community Service Director Marti Sanders has made it super-simple again for us to do good. All items should be sent to Jennifer Henry at Links for Life (one of the options on the shipping list.)
The February social will have a touch of service. We will hold an
assembly party to put the bags together. Date and Time: TBD.
- March Service Project: Volunteer Big Kern. We have options as to at which venue we volunteer. Marti Sanders requests that all members reply to her email survey to help select our volunteer location for March 7.
March 15 - KernYES: Opportunities to serve are available; please sign to volunteer at KernYES.org. This is an amazing opportunity to be involved in influencing high schoolers. It is designed to be a “one day Rotary Youth
- Leadership Awards (RYLA.) More information is available from Denise Haynes or on KernYES.org.
- Thousand Flags: Sponsorship opportunities are now open. Please contact Sponsorship Chair Tom Burke for information. The net funds we raise at this ONE event enables us to do good in our community and the world.
- Community Urgent Needs:
- Houchin Blood Bank: Bryan Wooster shared an urgent plea for blood donations. A major accident on Hwy 58 (1/27) has severely depleted an already low local supply. Members are encouraged to donate as soon as possible.
- 50/50 Raffle: Bill Black was the lucky winner of $60 from the draw.
Guest Speaker Presentation: Jay Schlosser
Executive Director, Kern Council of Governments (KernCOG)
Pete Leveroni introduced
Jay Schlosser, who was appointed as the Executive
Director of KernCOG in Q2 2025 and officially began his tenure on June 30. His presentation, titled
"The Final Chapter of TRIP," provided a comprehensive look at the past, present, and future of Kern County’s transportation infrastructure.
What is KernCOG? Jay clarified the multifaceted role of the organization, noting it serves as:
- The Federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization.
- The State designated Regional Transportation Planning Agency.
- The Kern County Transportation Authority.
- Structure: Created in 1970 via a Joint Powers Agreement between the County and its 11 cities. It is governed by a 16-member board and manages an annual budget of $50–$60 million.
The Legacy of TRIP (Thomas Roads Improvement Program) Initiated in 2006 with significant federal backing from Congressman Bill Thomas, the program is nearing completion:
- Impact: Over 20 projects spanning 20 years of work.
- Investment: Utilized $630M in federal funds, totaling over $1.4B in overall investment.
- The Final Phase: The last elements of TRIP involve the EB 58 to NB 99 and SB 99 to WB 58 connectors, with construction slated to begin in 6 to 12 months.
Upcoming Regional Projects
- Safety & Logistics: A new roundabout at 7th Standard and Hwy 43 (funded via a Valadao appropriation).
- Hwy 58 Truck Lanes: Addressing the 10,000 trucks per day on this route.
- 12 miles eastbound from Hwy 223 is currently funded.
- The segment from Murray Family Farms to Hwy 223 is currently seeking state funding.
- Stockdale Hwy: Improvements from the Centennial Corridor to I-5 to address major safety concerns.
- Hageman Flyover: Connecting Hwy 204 to Hageman (funding pending, don’t hold your breath).
- I-5 Improvements: Upgrades near the Grapevine to support Tejon Ranch developments.
The Kern County Landscape Jay highlighted that Kern is unique due to its concentration of Energy, Ag, Military (Edwards AFB), Logistics, and Heavy Manufacturing. While vital, these industries are often "NIMBY" (Not In My Backyard) sectors. He emphasized that future planning must be strategically balanced, incorporating:
- Autocentric infrastructure
- Walking and biking paths
- Transit-oriented development
Federal Challenges & Future Outlook
- The Funding Gap: Congress is working on a new highway bill, but the rise of EVs is reducing federal gas tax income. Congressman Vince Fong is currently serving on the Transportation Committee to address the need for stabilized funding.
- Rising Costs: The cost of infrastructure is currently climbing faster than inflation.
- Changing Trends: While residential growth has slowed, industrial traffic has exploded, making the competition for state and federal dollars more extreme than ever.
Contact Information: Jay Schlosser | jschlosser@kerncog.org
No meeting 2/4/26, see you at Charter Night
Scribe’s Postscript
On a personal note, I have mostly forgiven Troy for letting me take the raffle tickets that ended up being exactly one digit off from the winner. On second thought, maybe I haven't—Troy is definitely still on the Scribe's "list"!
For those of you who were in attendance and witnessed my vocal reaction when I realized how close those tickets were: the Scribe requests your silent (or not-so-silent) sympathy.
another lively breakfast meeting. Invocation leader William Gordon squeaked in just in time to avoid a fine and shared thoughtful, grateful reflections to start our day on the right note. Anne Galvez led us in the Flag Salute; as the member who schedules our weekly duties, she deserves extra credit for putting herself into the rotation as well. Song Leader Carol Smith then guided us through “My Country, ’Tis of Thee,” and the singing Rotarians held their own for one verse—Carol was merciful and spared us the second, for which we are all thankful!
