September 2011

Our Board:

President– Michael Long, Taft Independent. First Vice President– Dennis Schertz, Asian Experience.

Second Vice President—Dan Tosti, Aera Energy LLC. Interim Treasurer— Paul Gorte, City of Taft.

Devinder Bains, Taft Chevrolet. Ed Herrera, Herrera Insurance.

Lorrie Loader, Synagro. Clint Deckert, Deckert Consulting. Bob Hampton, Westside Waste Mgmt.

Orchel Krier, Tumbleweed Café. Bob Leikam, Domino’s Pizza. John Neumann, Accelerated Environmental.

Our Staff:

Dr. Kathy Orrin

Executive Director

Jessica G. Miller

Administrative Asst.

Shannon Jones Event Coordinator

Dear Chamber Member: With the summer winding down, children back at school and most everyone returned from their summer vacations, things are getting back to normal in Taft.

But summer did not slow things down at the Chamber. Our staff has been working hard to ensure that our weekly 5th Street Plaza Farmers Market has been well organized and well attended. The market will continue on un-til October 13th, and close down until the spring when the growing season and good weather return.

The Chamber’s annual Golf Tournament – led this year again by Chief Ken McMinn – is set on Saturday, October 1st at the Buena Vista Golf Course. The tournament is one of our most popular events and brings many people to the Westside to play in what has been called the most popular tournament in the south valley. To regis-ter, please call the Chamber at 765-2165.

Also in October, the Chamber will be hosting - along with the Oilworker Monument Committee - the dedica-tion of two new bronze figures on October 22nd. Monument artist Benjamin Victor will be on hand to dedicate the figures of a woman and a young boy at the monument. The monument has become an iconic attraction to residents and their families as well as tourists who come to see first hand our local history embodied in the bronze oil derrick and men working on the rig.

Following the dedication, the Chamber will host Oktoberfest on the Rails to Trails October 21-23 featuring live music, a carnival with rides and a good time for all. Please mark your calendar and plan to attend this great event. On the community front, your Chamber Board passed a resolution supporting the City Council approved affordable housing development on the Rails to Trails. The 40 unit apartment complex will provide modern and much needed housing for working families in Taft. The City has worked to attract new housing in the city but with very little success. This housing development is just the beginning of more development on the Rails to Trails.

A new 50 room hotel will break ground near 6th and Main Street by next summer, with a new sit down res-taurant planned for later in the year. You are invited to the groundbreaking. Details will follow.

Don’t miss our next Chamber mixer on October 4th at The ARC located at 204 Van Buren Street in Ford City. Please plan to attend and see the beautiful gardens at the ARC.

Thank you for supporting your Taft Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau. Michael Long President

Phone: (661) 765-2165 Fax: (661) 765-6639 Email: Taftchamber@gmail.com

400 Kern St.

Taft, CA 93268

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Welcome to our very first edition of our digital newsletter! We’ve come so far and

saved so many trees with just this one issue. How exciting is that?!

Things down here at the Chamber have been very busy! We’ve been gearing up for

what the fall and winter have in store for us and all that that entails. So, it’s busy,

busy, busy down here. But never too busy to talk to the community. We want to know

what you want to see happen with your Chamber of Commerce. Feedback is very important

for us to succeed and it’s also one of our favorite things about our iobs! So, feel free

to call us, email us, fax us, send smoke signals, a telegram, snail mail or hit us up on

Facebook.

One last thing — Don’t forget about our weejly Sit ‘n Sip, Wednesdays at 9:00 AM! We

learn something new every week from our guests and sometimes...we even go on field

trips. Coffee and donuts are also always present.

CITIZENS OF TAFT

Due to your generous contributions on May 6th, the City of Taft has begun renovations on Veteran’s Memorial

Park. Please review the list below for any needed corrections memorializing those Killed in Action. If you have

any corrections, please call Debra at City Hall at 763-1222, ext. 12.

All changes must be received by September 19th at 5:00pm.

Robert R. Abel

Wayne W. Agee

Gerald Angelich

Leroy C. Appling Jr.

Walter R. Austin II

Lloyd Ballard

John W. Beauchamp

Isaac Bennett

Arther Berry

Earl B. Blackden

Eenneth E. Blair

Paul L. Blair

Vernon Blue

Albert Lester Bonham

Andrew D. Breedlove Jr.

James D. Broussard

Ronald M. Brown

George E. Burleson

Dale Burrough

Leroy E. Cagle

Harvie H.Clammer

Robert George Coffee

Gordon Colquohoun

Gerald E. Cone

Claud Thompson Cook

George E. Cook

Wilford J. Cullen

Laurence L. Cunningham

Cornelius G. Davenport

Neil Davenport

Charles R. Deakins

Justin R. Dickerson

Ralph Edwin Dingman

John C. Donowho

Robert E. Duff

Fred Dundas

Charles R. Dundas

Murrel R. Dunn

Dennis E. Dyer

Scott E. Ellett

James Feals

Wibur Frazier

Herbert H. Fritzie

Carl Fryling

Robert S. Fulton

James B. Garretson

Hugh Garrity

Walter James Gatt

Larrie J. Gotcher

Charles E. Graves

Doyle E. Gray

William O. Hall

Edgar T. Harder

Charles D. Harned

Raymond C. Hefton

Robert G. Hess

William W. Hill

Jack R. Hillary

George R. Hochstedler

Gilbert Lee Howell

Charles W. Hummer

John F. Hurley

Otto K. Jackson

Angus M. Johnson

James E. Johnson

Lloyd D. Johnston

Larry R. Jonston

Howard Kahl

Ralph Leroy Keeler

Floyd T. Kelley

Thomas R. Kennedy

George Kennell

Helen G. Kent

Henry C. Kofahl

Dennis C. Kurtz

Hubart L. Lamar Jr.

Robert S. Larson

Walter LeBarthe

George N. Lee

Joseph E. Lindsey

Arthur M. Lingo

Stanley Harrison Little

Herbert Lockman

Roy V. Long

William F. Lovitt (William K.

Lovette)

John A. Marr

Evan V. Marteniz

Bruce Maynard

Theodore E. McCormick

Robert McCurdy

Clifford C. McCutchen

Donald D. McEachran (Donald

G. McEachran)

John L. McGinn

Lowell Dudley McNeely

James Robert McNeese

Harvey Mercer

Albert R. Morgan (Roy A. Mor-

gan)

Jay C. Morgan

Donald Warren Morris

James M. Murray Jr. (James R.

Murray Jr.)

Oran Newton Jr.

James S. Nix

Walter R. Norwood

Arthur M. Nutt

Chester Lavern O'Brien Jr.

W. D. O'Keefe

Jacqueline Oliver

Harry O'Neal

Frank A. Oster

Stewart Vincent Ours

Eugene L. Oxford

Alfred Palmer

Daniel R. Parker

Dale I. Parker

Clarence W. Paulsen Jr.

Kenneth Payne

Carl Ray Peahl

Meredith M. Pearson

Donald Lee Perry

Larry Stanley Pierce

Allen W. Pittman

John R. Powning

James T. Price

John C. Ramsey Jr.

Larry Wayne Rasey

Jerold W. Reed

William E. Reeves

Claud Reynolds

Marion Richardson Jr.

Willis J. Richey

Leland R.Ricker

John F. Roach

Charles Rogers

Harold L. Rose

Robert Ryan

Harry N. Saylor

John S. Scanlon (John J.

Scanlon)

Walter R. Schmidt

Everett W. Schmitt

James W. Seale

Paul V. Segrave

Jack Shea

Jene C. Sims

William Smith

Oliver W. Snook

Charles Sooy

Norval E. Sparks

Oran H. Stalcup

James Stanfford

Hobart N. Starbuck

Donald Steiner

Floyd A. Stephens

William E. Stone

Mervin Strang

John Raymond Taylor

Robert R. Taylor

Harry Eugene Thomas

Cecil E. Thompson

Don Thompson

Herbert E. Thompson

Achille Vidaillett

Charles M. Visher

Barney C. Wallis

Leroy Wands

Leslie Luke Ward

John E. Wildharber

Robert W. Wilson

Swen H. Winberg

George Wooley

Dennis Paul Wright

Summer is gone! And there is nothing as fresh as a new school year. Students go back to a different teacher and a clean slate. Teachers and administrators have a brand new chance to make a lasting impact. And we at the Chamber have more chances to extol the virtues of living in our great community.

As a parent, I used to muse, “School starts, football, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years.” Now I think, “School starts, football, Sep-tember 11, Kern County Fair, Golf Tournament, Ok-toberfest, Trout Fishing Derby, Christmas parade . . . Yikes!!”

So, looking at our Chamber calendar is in-credible. We are NOT winding down. In fact, we are revving up the excitement for Taft with the next few events. Shannon Jones, our Event Coordinator, has worked hard to make the rest of the 2011 year at the Chamber a memorable one. To accomplish our activities , we need volunteers!

This Wednesday, August 30, at 5:30 p.m., we are reviving the Ambassadors Program for the Chamber. Ambassadors are folks who would like to be involved in Chamber events without actually joining the Chamber. In the 90’s, I was a member of the Ambassadors, and I enjoyed assisting in events such as the Trout Derby and the Gala. I will be meeting with potential Ambassadors at the Rec Cen-ter this week to answer questions about the kinds of activities with which the Ambassadors will be help-ing. Please stop by with friends or family members who may want to join us. We will be serving light refreshments.

If you are a member of the Chamber, we would like to thank you for your continued support. You will be receiving our latest Chamber Member-ship Guide and Business Directory shortly. We are very proud of the number and scope of the busi-nesses represented in the Chamber, but we can al-ways do better. If you have a friend in business who is not a member of the Chamber, encourage him/her to join.

Thank you for supporting your Taft Chamber of Commerce.

By Dr. Kathy Orrin, Executive Director By Shannon Jones, Event Coordinator

August has been a busy month for me at

the Chamber; planning and organizing the activ-

ities for the upcoming events. The next few

months, our calendar is packed with events that

are exciting for the community.

Our Farmers Market continues every

Thursday at 5th Street Plaza from 5-8pm. We

have added several new vendors including

Momma’s Pies and Sweets, Carey’s Candy Bar,

Taylor Bed Sheets, Watkins Natural products,

Miller’s Beauty Supply, ABS Balloons and Face

Painting, and others. In September, the Taft

Jazz Band, Lunatic Fringe, and local cheerleaders

will perform.

September 10, there is a sidewalk sale

on Center Street from 10am-2pm. Some of the

shops will be having special sales, items dis-

played on the sidewalk, and raffle draw-

ings. Stop by Center Street to see the flags dis-

played for the 10th Anniversary of 9-11 and stay

for the car cruise Saturday night. Sunday 9-11,

the WCMA will have a memorial service at Taft

Union High School at 7pm with footage of

ground zero.

The Taft Chamber is having a booth at

the Kern County Fair September 21-October

2. Be sure to stop by and say hello.

Check out the calendar for all of the

events planned for October, November, and De-

cember. There will be a golf tournament, Ok-

toberfest, Trout Fishing Derby, and the annual

Christmas parade, as well as the continuation of

the Chamber mixers hosted by local businesses.

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 Farmers Market

5:00 PM — 8:00PM

2 Taft Bike

Fest at Rails to

Trails

3 Taft Bike

Fest at Rails to

Trails

4 Taft Bike

Fest at Rails to

Trails

5 No school!! 6 City Council

Meeting—7PM

7 Downtown Committee Meeting—8AM Sit ‘n Sip @ the Chamber –9AM

8 Prayer

Breakfast @ OTs, 7:00AM (Doors @ 6:30)

Farmers Market with TUHS Jazz Band, 5:00-8:00

Okie Dinner @ The Fort, 5:30PM

9 Home game Taft vs.

Coalinga

10 Shop Taft! Center Street Sidewalk Sale 10AM—2PM

Unity Thrift Carwash @ the Chamber

11 9/11

Remembrance

Program @

TUHS

Auditorium-

12 Asian

Experience is

now open on

Mondays!!

13 14 Sit ‘n Sip

@ the Chamber

–9AM

15 Farmers

Market with

performance by

Lunatic Fringe

5:00 PM-8:00PM

16 Home game

Taft vs. Exeter

17 Oil Museum Fun Fundraiser—4:15 PM

Buttonwillow Fall Farm Fest

18 Oil

Museum book

signing with

Helen Smart

19 20

City Council

Meeting—7PM

21 Sit ‘n Sip @

the Chamber –9AM

Kern County Fair

Begins! (Through

Oct. 2)

22

Farmers Market

5:00 PM — 8:00PM

23 TUHS

Celebrates 100th

birthday!

Homecoming!

24 Girl Scout

Annual Nut

Sale begins

25 26 27 28 Sit ‘n Sip

@ the Chamber

–9AM

29

Farmers Market

5:00 PM — 8:00PM

30

September 2011

August

30th—Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors Recruitment meeting at the Rec in the

Assembly Room at 5:30 PM. For more information, contact the Chamber.

31st—Chamber Mixer at the Tumbleweed Café from 5:00 PM—7:00 PM

(It’s their 6th anniversary!!)

Would you like to see your event placed on the

calendar?

Email taftcalendar@gmail.com with your information

and we will take care of it!

October

1st—Chamber of Commerce Golf

Tournament

*Call the Chamber to reserve a team

2nd—Last day of the Kern County Fair

4th—Chamber of Commerce Mixer at the

ARC of Taft (204 Van Buren Street),

5:00 PM—7:00 PM

13th—Last Farmers Market & Street Faire

of the year with performance by

Lunatic Fringe

15th—Girl Scout Car Wash at the Chamber

parking lot

20th—Carnival opens at the Rails to Trails.

21st—23rd—Oktoberfest at the Rails to

Trails

*Call the Chamber for

information about becoming

a vendor

November

11th—Veteran’s Memorial Rededication

12th—Chamber of Commerce Trout

Fishing Derby

SPREAD THE WORD!

Oilworker Monument Bricks & Plaques Are Still Available!

Honor that special someone in your life with an Oilworker Monument brick or plaque.

Order forms are available for pick up at the Taft District Chamber of Commerce.

Please feel free to call the Chamber office, 765-2165, to make arrangements to have

a form mailed, faxed or e-mailed to you or a loved one.

October (continued)

22nd—Unveiling of the two new Oilworker

Monument figures.

Luncheon with sculptor, Benjamin

Victor at the West Kern Oil Museum

22nd—West Kern Oil Museum Boom Town

Days.

December

5th—Christmas Parade

Do you have a special event coming up?

Or maybe your loved one’s birthday is just

around the corner?

Let the community know with your own

personal message on our electronic sign!

CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS!

Would you like to become a part of the Chamber’s Ambassadors Program?

Come to our meeting on August 30 at 5:30 PM in the Assembly Room at the

Rec for refreshments and more information.

Oktoberfest is coming to Taft!

Oktoberfest will kick off with a carnival on

Thursday, October 20 and run through Sunday,

October 23.

The weekend will include a vendor fair, food

and beer gardens, entertainment, and plenty of

activities for the family.

Also, two new sculptures will be added to

the Oilworker Monument that same weekend and a

dedication is planned for Saturday, October 22 at

10AM.

Afterwards, make plans to attend a luncheon

with the sculptor Benjamin Victor.

Email Shannon for carnival pre-sales, vendor

Remember, if you would like a hard copy of our newsletter, just give us a call or shoot us an email and

we’ll send one out to you!

Kathy, Shannon and Jessica with Senator Jean Fuller

Th

e Millers o

f Letters p

erform

ing

at the F

armers

Letters (L-R): Jeff Miller, Jason Crawford, Billy

Johnson, Keith Jones and Jordan Miller

Senator Jean Fuller speaking to a full house at OT Cookhouse

at the August 3rd Sit ‘n Sip

Another busy day at the Taft Farmers Market and Street

Faire!

Carey of Carey’s Candy Bar at the Farmers Market

with her granddaughter.

http://www.facebook.com/taft.chamber

Gwyn Driskill Koszalka: I went I bought

and I conquered!!!! Best Watermelon in

the whole Kern County.

Josh Bryant: Keep up the good work at the

Farmer's Market! Cool event, hope to see it

continue & grow for a long time to come…

Rick Jones: It's getting better all the time.

Keep the momentum going. Good job done

as usual ! This is the type of casual

functions Taft needs

West Side Recreation: You guys rock!

Join the conversation by

becoming our friend on

Facebook!

We’d love to read what

you have to say!

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Contact

Jessica for more

information

765-2165

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