There is always something new going on at BARC and the beginning of 2012 is no different. We are excited to announce our new venture – a retail kiosk in the Valley Plaza. Located right at center court, the BARC Shoppe kiosk has a variety of gift items available for sale made by our Clients through our Art with a Purpose program and our in-house Print Shoppe.
Our hand painted ceramic pieces – from bowls and platters to trinket boxes and piggy banks – offer something for everyone in an array of colors. Notecards, mousepads and coasters are also available and make great gifts. Looking for stylish accessories to get you through the winter? Look no further as we have embroidered scarves, knit hats and headbands to keep you warm. Additional seasonal items for Valentine’s Day and Spring will be available soon.
Come out and browse our selection, learn more about the programs and industries of BARC by visiting with one of our staff members or talk to one of our artist Clients about their participation in our popular Art with a Purpose program. The proceeds from the kiosk benefit the programs of BARC as we continue our work to Give People Purpose.
Stop by and visit us soon! We look forward to seeing you.
Published on Wednesday, April 27, 2011 12:08 AM PDT
Brandon Muncy
Kern Valley Sun
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The Kern River Valley was a flurry of Easter activity last week, as many locations hosted activities for local residents.
Members of the Kern River Valley site of the Bakersfield Association for Retarded Citizens spent Thursday afternoon coloring eggs and creating Easter baskets.
Vickie, Jeff and four-year-old Ashlie Fish scour Kissack Ranch for Easter eggs during the annual egg hunt.
(Use arrows above to view more photos)
There was standing room only at ‘The Burlington’ on Friday morning for their 11th annual egg hunt. Children, ages 7 and under, scoured the premises hoping to snag an elusive “prize egg.” Residents of ‘The Burlington’ were on hand to enjoy the special occasion. “This is all for the residents,” said Cheryl Parmalee, owner of “The Burlington.” The Easter bunny even stopped by.
At Sunday’s annual Kissack Egg Hunt, participants found a little bit more than they bargained for; a large gopher snake was caught shortly before the hunt began. Other than the discovery of the snake, the hunt went off without a hitch as hundreds participated. The Easter bunny even made a surprise visit, to the delight of young children.
“My favorite part was the bunny rabbit,” said four-year-old Andrew Schaffer of Bodfish, who was attending his first ever Kissack Egg Hunt. “And hunting for the eggs!” Shaffer added.
The 9/11 Remembrance flags on the Conference grounds.
After a five year hiatus the Bakersfield Business Conference returned last Saturday with a vibrant energy and a renewed purpose to bring a wealth of information, insight and inspiration to thousands of attendees. A tremendous success brought about by the herculean efforts of George Martin, Brandon Martin, Katrina Nelson, Borton Petrini and the hundreds of volunteers and vendors that spent countless hours ensuring a seamless day. BARC had the opportunity to be among the vendors and volunteers and we certainly made the most of our day.
Along with over 500 vendor staff and 300 plus community volunteers, BARC Recycling Services proudly took their place as a cog in the machinery charged with running an event of this magnitude. Placing nearly 200 BARC recycling containers throughout the conference grounds and servicing those containers throughout the day were a dozen staff and Clients from BARC. With 10,000 attendees, 40,000 water bottles and soda cans and hundreds of pounds of cardboard to be kept out of the trash (and ultimately the landfill), our small but mighty volunteer crew had their work cut out for them, making for a long but very productive day.
Over in the art pavilion, BARC’s Art with a Purpose program was on display with a collection of note cards, mouse pads, coasters and a variety of ceramic pieces. All of the items displayed were hand painted by the Clients of BARC and available for sale. We did a brisk business throughout the conference and the proceeds from Saturday’s sales will assist us as we continue to grow this popular program on campus. Many thanks to everyone who stopped by to visit or shop with us.
As a vendor and volunteer at this year’s conference we were given a bird’s eye view of the scope of work involved in this massive undertaking and it resulted in a profound appreciation for what true collaboration is all about. BARC is deeply grateful for the opportunity provided to us. This is but ONE example of everything and everyone working together without personal agendas, egos or strife and provides an excellent example of community and a willingness to give of ourselves for a greater goal. It is what makes Bakersfield and Kern County special. It is also what makes the Bakersfield Business Conference an extraordinary event.
