Invocation: Jeff Chandler

Flag Salute: Ron Eaves

Song: Joe Gregory

Greeters: Garro Ellis, Justin Lealand & Andy Barkate

Good News & Announcements

Ed Summers from Rotary Ventura was looking to start a team of high school aged robot builders to compete in the FIRST LEGO League competition. Ventura is hosting the regional qualifier. Ed was looking for sponsors, mentors and overseers interested in being involved with a possible Bakersfield team.

Dick OReilly invited everyone out to the Minter Field Air Museum's Founders Day Event on Friday, March 1st. The guest speaker is (USAF) Major Rachael Winiecki, the first female F-35 experimental test pilot. Tickets are $35, and he said it's a good idea to get them ahead of time because they sell out. Reserve a ticket by email: mfam@minterfieldairmuseum.com

Jon Van Boening announced the Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health mega-merger name for the health system: CommonSpirit Health.

Garro Ellis had some good news from the slopes of Alta Sierra. They've been getting 4' of snow recently and have been open the last 6 weeks. Hopefully, they'll continue the streak through March.

Larry Reider reminded us, again, about the Business Leadership & Ethics Conference is coming up on March 12^th and volunteers are needed. Be sure to sign up!

Dr. Zelezny gave props to Robin Mangarin Scott, winner of the CSUB Spirit Award. Congratulations Robin!

Jon Sampson encouraged us to visit the Buena Vista Museum of Natural History cool new exibit. The GRAND OPENING of their newest exhibit, an Augmented Reality Sandbox aka iSandBox, is a hi-tech interactive sandbox that makes learning science fun! Saturday, Feburary 9th  from 10am -2pm.

President Ray put out feelers to see who might be interested in a District Activity of going to see a Dodgers vs Giants game in the near future.

The Program:

The Wildlands Conservancy WIND WOLVES PRESERVE presented by Landon Peppel, Preserve manager.

Due to elevation ranging from 640 to 6,005 feet, the preserve has an impressive array of landforms and habitats that serve as a critical landscape linkage and wildlife corridor between the Coast Ranges and the Sierra Nevadas. At 93,000 acres, Wind Wolves is the west coast's largest non-profit preserve.

In 1998, The Wildlands Conservancy collaborated with California Department of Fish and Wildlife to reintroduce 19 tule elk, a species previously on the brink of extinction, to Wind Wolves Preserve. The herd has since grown to more than 300 elk and plays an important role in the Preserve’s ecosystem.

Wind Wolves offers free outdoor education programs in which over 165,000 children have participated since its inception in 1998. In fact, everything is free, including overnight camping.

Their upcoming Spring Nature Festival is a free festival for the public to attend and will include, educational talks and hands-on activities, preserve restoration projects, local exhibitors, and more! It runs March 16 and 17.

Other fun activities include Guided Nature Hikes, Movies in the Canyon, Night Hikes, Eco Kids and more. For a complete schedule and more information, visit their website.

Visitors & Guests

Rotarian Photos by Girish