Hello, Hello BBRCers! It’s me again! Wow, I get to write the Beacon two weeks in a row! Hopefully, I won’t forget anything this time.
So let me start with the Shout Out that I missed (and fined myself for) in the last Beacon. Pat Thompson first reminded us that new club member, William Gordon, needs roster signatures. Please try to introduce yourself to Willie to get that roster signed. Fines could be forthcoming! Pat also relayed a lovely story of a wedding he recently attended. The wedding officiant had to cancel at the next to last moment. The bride’s brother graciously became ordained to officiate his sister’s wedding. This act of kindness and brotherly love was performed by our own, William Gordon. Pat donated $20 to the club coffers for this act. (Again, I apologize to Pat and William for omitting this sweet story. You can read all about my punishment further on in the Beacon).
President Jeff Haynes commented that the dip in attendance may be due to the first day of dove hunting season. If that’s the case, many must have gotten up EXTRA early on this Wednesday.
Our club meeting began with Athena Collup delivering a beautiful invocation and President Jeff leading us in the flag salute. Songstress Carol Smith led us in a chorus in “America (My Country, ‘Tis of Thee).” Denise Haynes introduced guest Marty Chatham who found us on our website and asked to attend a meeting. He was once involved in a club in Lompoc. Welcome, Marty, and we hope you choose BBRC!
Program
Our program featured Stacy Kuwahara, Director at Kern Behavioral Health and Recovery Services. Kern BHRS provides mental health services for Medi-Cal beneficiaries throughout the county. As a sidenote, approximately 50% of the local population is Medi-Cal eligible. That’s a lot of people! 
Kuwahara oversees a department of approximately 850 people, with hundreds more contracted, and a proposed budget of $260 million. While that sounds like an incredible amount of money, most of the various funding streams coming into Kern BHRS are earmarked for specific uses. Kern BHRS provides services for mental health and substance abuse including outpatient services (for therapy, medication, and case management), as well as specialized services, and crisis services. Shockingly, one in five adults in America experience mental illness, while one in twenty experience serious mental illness. Mental illness affects not only the individual, but also the family and the community. Kuwahara then discussed the areas of focus for the agency:
Kuwahara oversees a department of approximately 850 people, with hundreds more contracted, and a proposed budget of $260 million. While that sounds like an incredible amount of money, most of the various funding streams coming into Kern BHRS are earmarked for specific uses. Kern BHRS provides services for mental health and substance abuse including outpatient services (for therapy, medication, and case management), as well as specialized services, and crisis services. Shockingly, one in five adults in America experience mental illness, while one in twenty experience serious mental illness. Mental illness affects not only the individual, but also the family and the community. Kuwahara then discussed the areas of focus for the agency:- Homelessness – there is a strong correlation between mental illness and homelessness. Kern BHRS has contracted with Flood Ministries to conduct outreach to help get mentally ill homeless into needed treatment and off the streets.
- Policing partnership with local law enforcement – this pilot program has a mental health professional monitoring and evaluating 911 calls. This action could prevent people suffering from mental illness from being arrested or injured.
- Educational partnership supporting children
- Building infrastructure for a growing community
- Suicide prevention outreach
- Fentanyl prevention and education – Fentanyl deaths are skyrocketing in our area and many users do not know that are ingesting this very potent drug when it is present with other illicit drugs.
The challenges Kern BHRS face are funding and revenue volatility, resources for the homeless population, recruiting mental health professionals to Kern County, and the disparity between services provided and private insurance providers.
Thank you, Stacy Kuwahara, for a very informative talk.
BBRC 40th Anniversary
As a relative newbie, it is fun to see BBRC past presidents share their thoughts on their time with the club. Anil Mehta, who was club president 1986-1987, reminisced about his tenure including the big fundraiser: the Bud Light Triathlon. I love seeing the stories of people who helped shape the 40 years of the club.
Announcements
Foundation President (and President-Elect) Karen Bonanno announced that pledges for 2021-2022 are now being accepted. The suggested pledge is $250 with $150 staying with BBRF and $100 going to Rotary International Foundation. You can always pledge a different amount and designate the RI portion to Polio Plus or another RI fund. As Foundation Treasurer I would like to add that you are able to pay your pledge by cash, check written to BBRF, or credit (via Square). I will send a receipt once payment is received. Also, if you need an invoice, please let me know and I can send one.
International Service Director, Mike O’Doherty, spoke about a possible grant opportunity to assist foster youth aging out of the system. Mike brought up a program called Open Table where people of different walks of life could be available to share the
ir experiences about everyday situations and to answer questions these youth may not get answered elsewhere. Would the club be interested in sponsoring and/or volunteering for such a program? There was a lively discussion which, I’ll admit, was hard for me to follow since I attended the meeting on Zoom. It did sound as if there were already local organizations providing this much needed service to foster youth.
ir experiences about everyday situations and to answer questions these youth may not get answered elsewhere. Would the club be interested in sponsoring and/or volunteering for such a program? There was a lively discussion which, I’ll admit, was hard for me to follow since I attended the meeting on Zoom. It did sound as if there were already local organizations providing this much needed service to foster youth.200250
District 5240 Conference scheduled for October in Ventura has been rescheduled for January 28-30, 2022, i200250n Santa Barbara. If you have already registered for the conference, you do not need to cancel unless you are no longer able to attend. You do, however, need to cancel hotel reservations. A new host hotel has not yet been announced and will be forthcoming.
Reminder that Athena Collup needs assistance putting up and taking down flags for 20th anniversary of 9/11. Meet at the fire station of Buena Vista at 7am September 10 and again 4pm September 12.
Happy birthday to Heath Niemeyer and Sally Selby!
Reminder: We are DARK next week!
Fines/Happy Spots
Here it is. Drumroll please. Who read the Beacon and knows the clue?! (Wow, it really is a good thing Frank and I have thick skins LOL). Cheryl Scott read it but can’t remember the clue. Mary Jo Pasek, Jason Williamson, and Will Duerksen also had no clue. Ka-ching!! Dave Spalinger, finally, knew 
that the clue was that the Kern 999 Foundation was going to benefit from Fund-A-Need at Wine, Place, and Show.
that the clue was that the Kern 999 Foundation was going to benefit from Fund-A-Need at Wine, Place, and Show.As mentioned earlier, I boo-booed last week and omitted a story spotlighting new club member, William Gordon. I had William spin the Wheel of $$ for me and it landed on $35 fine.
There were several winners drawn today as there was a winner of the $51 pot and three hats.
Have a wonderful week. Be good humans. Peace.
Mindy