People with developmental disabilities have no voice. That’s not true, you might say. They have families, caregivers, doctors, service providers, like BARC, and the protection of the Lanterman Act. How could that be possible with so many looking out for their rights? It’s very simple – the people with the power (the State of California) do not hear the voices of the developmentally disabled community. Though our voices are many, they have not been in unison, and without that unity, there is no strength. That must change.
Thanks to an advocacy partnership with United Cerebral Palsy, a growing community organizing effort and a lawsuit against the State of California, things are beginning to change. But more must be done. In order for our clients to continue their quest for independent, productive lives, it is incumbent upon all of us to stand together and become one voice. A voice stronger and more powerful than those who seek to undermine client rights and services.
Information and education are key components. The statement, “knowledge is power” could not be more true as when speaking of the developmentally disabled community. Learn about the importance of the Lanterman Act, know what the rights of the disabled are and how the State is working to whittle those rights and services away. There are a great many resources out there and we highly recommend visiting the Keeping the Lanterman Promise website (www.ktlp.org). Although the entire site is brimming with relevant information, of particular interest are the following posts:
There is a wealth of valuable information available for all of us to learn and then to SHARE with others. A critical aspect of building that strong voice is to involve as many people as possible – share what you know, what you’ve learned, your own personal story or struggle with friends, families and colleagues. Help build that strong voice to protect our developmentally disabled community.
The Magical Forest just wrapped up its sixth year and what a year it was! We broke our previous attendance record in the second week this year – thanks in part to the mild weather we enjoyed throughout the month.
New this year was our miniature mini-golf course all done up in BARC blue. The course was designed and built by a local high school student, Zachary Casberg, as his Eagle Scout project. Zachary and his fellow Boy Scouts spent several months raising the money to cover the cost and then building the course in his driveway. The project culminated with the set-up at The Magical Forest the week prior to our opening. The course is also portable and, as there are only four holes, it can be expanded. Zach did a fantastic job and, judging by the use it got at the Forest, it is going to be a huge hit for years to come.
The reason for our success is simple…people. The staff and clients of BARC that spend countless hours setting up, taking down and working the event itself and our dedicated volunteers who make every Forest special. And, of course, the community, who supports us with their attendance and their enthusiasm. We are grateful for everyone who plays a role in making The Magical Forest an enchanting and successful event.
The Magical Forest continues to gain momentum as the premier holiday event in Bakersfield and we are already hard at work to make the 2012 Forest bigger and even more exciting. We look forward to seeing you in December.
Come support BARC at the Valley Plaza Mall!
BARC’s annual dinner is right around the corner, for more information contact Christa McAuley, Project Manager at 661-834-2272 ext. 278 or cmcauley@barc-inc.org.
The best season of the year in the Central Valley arrives this week. Although we always have to be ready for a last blast of summer heat, fall weather is a treat to be savored. Evening walks, open windows instead of air conditioning, high school football on Fridays and, of course, The Great Kern County Fair makes the beginning of fall all the more enjoyable.
Cafe BARC is conveniently located just steps from the midway.
The Great Kern County Fair kicks off this Wednesday, September 21st for a 12-day run. As with most Kern County attractions, you would be hard pressed to find anyone who has not experienced the Fair at least once. For most families, it is an annual tradition they wouldn’t dream of missing.
Whether you go for the great free entertainment, rides and midway attractions, the junior livestock shows, the rodeo or just to catch up with friends, a stop – or two…or three – at the plentiful and varied food booths, whose delightful smells beckon you from all over the more than 160 acres that comprises the fairgrounds, is a must.
Café BARC, poised at the entrance to the midway, has been serving up tasty hamburgers, hot dogs, frito boats and more for over 30 years. Last year we added a fabulous NY Steak sandwich and sweet potato fries to our menu, which proved to be a huge hit. Last year, the Ortega Burger made its debut at Café BARC. The Café is staffed with BARC employees and dedicated volunteer groups who work hard to keep the food flowing and the lines short.
BARC is proud of its long association with the Great Kern County Fair. As local organizations with a rich history, BARC and the Fair represent the importance of tradition and community involvement.
Stop by and say hi, have some sweet potato fries on your way to take in all the Fair has to offer and know that you have not only helped us continue to Give People Purpose, but that you’ve participated in one of the greatest traditions our community has to offer.
In an ongoing effort to provide the highest quality of service not only to our Clients and their families,
but also to our business partners, staff and the community, we have created a new website that will
educate, inform and make doing business with us easier. As technology races ahead and social media
becomes the way business gets done today, we know the importance of creating an online presence
that allows the public to learn more about who we are and what we do.
New features include a section dedicated to our Clients and families, an online store for our Art with
a Purpose and other BARC products and the ability to become a volunteer or make a donation – all
with the click of a mouse. Registering for one of our fundraising events just became a snap. Search job
opportunities with us and apply online. Learn about our history and so much more.
We invite you to take a little time and explore the new website. It is our hope you will find the site
everything we strived to accomplish – a pleasant environment, easy to navigate, informative and
educational.
We look forward to hearing what you think.
The Holidays are in full swing on the BARC Campus as the 5th Annual Magical Forest opened its doors to an enthusiastic crowd on Saturday, December 4th. There is so much holiday fun at the Forest this year you may need to plan more than one visit to take it all in.
Not only is the whimsical and enchanted Magical Forest twinkling in its corner of the 25 acre BARC Campus but the rest of the campus has been transformed into a wonderland of lights as all of our departments have gotten into the holiday spirit. The best way to experience this is with a trip on the Magical Forest Express Train or the ever popular Grinchmobile.
Not finished with your holiday shopping? No worries – we’ve got you covered. Over a dozen local vendors have a wide variety of gift ideas to help you get your shopping finished in our Tinker’s Village Store. BARC’s Art with a Purpose program has unique ceramic and wood products available to purchase that one-of-a-kind gift for family and friends. And don’t forget about the kids…they love to shop as well and Santa’s Secret Shoppe gives them their very own store to shop in. Santa’s elves will help them pick out and wrap gifts for friends and family.
That’s not even close to the end of the fun…what would Christmas be without a visit and photo with Santa? Experience the one of a kind Alien Christmas Maze courtesy of CC Productions. Enjoy a delicious baked potato, hearty chicken tortilla soup, Frito boat or any number of other delicious treats prepared by the BARC Café.
And then there’s The Magical Forest itself. Words defy description of the captivating holiday scenes, beautifully decorated trees and the charming atmosphere that make strolling the Forest a wonderful family event. You truly have to experience for yourself the wonder of the Forest to appreciate its charm.
The Magical Forest will delight your entire family and the admission prices will delight your wallet: only $5 for adults, $4 for seniors (55+), $3 for children ages 6-12 and children 5 and under are Free. You can’t have this much fun for so little money anywhere!
Come on out and experience The Magical Forest at 2240 South Union Avenue, one block north of White Lane. We are open nightly through December 23rd from 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. on weeknights and from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. We hope to share our holiday joy with your family soon!
A photo opportunity at the Eiffel Tower as part of a day long bus tour.
Traveling abroad is something a great many of us dream of doing but very few actually get the opportunity to do so. The Clients of BARC are no different – dreaming of trips to far off places to see all the world has to offer. Through the BARC Client Self-Advocacy department, periodic trips are planned for Clients interested in expanding their knowledge of the world though travel. Clients of BARC are asked for their input on places they would like to visit to increase their understanding of the world and events.
On November 9th, thirteen BARC Clients along with five chaperones ‘crossed the pond’ to experience Paris, France for a weeklong trip. The excitement in the weeks leading up to the group’s departure was palpable all over the campus as the Clients of BARC learned the many details of international travel.
Landing in Paris on the morning of November 10th after the 14 hour flight, our group checked in to their hotel in the Opera District of Paris and struck out to explore the city. For the next six days they took in all the sights including stops at the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Sacre Coeur, the Louvre, Notre Dame and, of course, Disneyland Paris, and learned of the rich history and political perspectives of this city, country and its citizens.
One of the many highlights was a trip to the city of Versailles via private coach. The tour included stops at the quarters of the king and queen at the palace and visits to the Gardens of Versailles and the Hall of Mirrors. A contemporary Japanese art exhibit was on display at the palace on the day of our group’s visit as well.
As you can imagine, the trip was pronounced a resounding success by the attendees, all of whom are eager to plan a future trip to another exciting destination and learning experience.
Dr. Michal Clark, Christy Porter and BARC President Jim Baldwin.
- The BARC perfect attendance recipients
BARC's own Santa Claus, Jerry Lees.
As BARC begins its 62nd year of Giving People Purpose, we recently took time to recognize those that whose support is paramount to our longevity. The BARC Annual Dinner is our opportunity to say thank you to volunteers, businesses, our Clients and staff for their dedication, diligent work and heartfelt support of all that we do. It was a busy evening as many people were acknowledged.
This year, thirty-one of our Clients were recognized for perfect attendance over the previous year. For many of them this was not their first perfect attendance award.
We continued our tradition of recognizing businesses within each of our industry departments whose working relationship with BARC exemplifies our Mission. This year’s honorees were: Brad Moseley of BMI, Loretta Simpson of Oil-Dri Corporation, Janice and Dean Rowden of J&D Recycling, Jennifer Jordan and Sasha Windes of Greenshops, Lucas Migneault of Mercy Hospitals of Bakersfield, Margaret Maier of Alianza Recycling and Ray Scott of Price Disposal.
Volunteers are the cornerstone of our success and we are blessed with the best volunteers any organization could have. This year we added community volunteer and parent volunteer awards to our celebration and had three recipients: Jerry Lees, our wonderful Santa for The Magical Forest and Bill “Burgie” Burgemaster, our chef for numerous events and (along with his wife Norma) manage the BARC fair booth) received the community volunteer awards and Behy Khajavp, parent to BARC Client Khaveh Azemika, received our inaugural parent volunteer award.
And last but not least…we were proud to unveil a new award: the Dr. Michal Clark Developmental Disabilities Service Excellence Award, named for Dr. Michal Clark, Executive Director of Kern Regional Center. Dr. Clark epitomizes the qualities of selflessness, advocacy and passion as he has tirelessly worked for dignity and equality for citizens with a developmental disability. The first recipients of this award were Joey and Christy Porter for their advocacy and dedication to improving the lives of developmentally disabled children.
The blessings bestowed upon BARC by those in our community and on our staff that partner with us, support us and believe in our Mission are integral to our continued success. We are grateful for each and every one of you.
