Construction taking place at OLPH

One of Bakersfield's well-known Catholic churches is undergoing some nice improvements.
Most of the changes may not be too obvious but there is one part that could provide space for additional parishioners.
There's been occasions when parishioners have stood near the main doors of the church for Mass when the pews are filled.
At a recent Mass, Monsignor Michael Braun said he was looking forward to the improvements and shared the update with fellow parishioners.
There will be new flooring inside Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, and a new sink and cabinetry will be placed in the sacristy. Already, electric and sound wiring has been inspected and repaired.
Walk inside the church, and you'll notice black covering near the left side of the entrance.
That was the spot of the unused confessional in the rear of the church. The confessional will be removed to open the room for more seating, I hope.
I don't expect confessions to be affected though as the other confessional area, along the east side of the church, will remain.
The work is being done by Colombo Construction and supervised by parishioner, Leonard Zasoski. Completion should happen by this summer.
In the church's newsletter, the Monsignor said there could be a Sunday or two where Mass will be held in the Parish Hall. Garces High School will be offering its student chapel for daily Mass, if it's needed.
In the long term, Monsignor Braun said the mural of Our Lady of Perpetual Help will eventually need repair as well.

Latina sorority puts on 14th Annual Latina Youth Conference

I didn't have the opportunity to join a sorority in college.
Back then, my life revolved around putting out the campus paper. It was a daily paper, totally student run, no teachers or advisers. I was the managing editor. (Come to think of it, my life continues to revolve around putting out papers...)
Anyways, I did have friends who were big sorority sisters and frat brothers, and I remember admiring a lot of the community service work they'd take on.
When I returned home to Bakersfield and got a job as a reporter, I had the chance to get to know one sorority at Cal State Bakersfield: Theta Sigma Chi.
Every year, this sorority would put on a Latina youth conference. I'd either be covering it or participating in a panel.
By attending the conference, I got a chance to meet some of our Latina leaders, as well as many stand-up Latina high school students from all over Bakersfield.
Theta Sigma Chi recently held their latest Latina Youth Conference, “Create Your Road to Success," on campus.
This year, Lillian Tafoya, recently elected to the Bakersfield City School District Board of Education, served as the keynote speaker.
Other panelists included Mary Amelia Cavazos-Reyna, Janet Millar, and Rocio Magallanes.
It's nice to see that this sorority continues to do good work in our community by connecting young minds to our local leaders and providing them with a road map for future success.
Maria Delgado, Graduate Programs Evaluator at CSUB, also deserves special attention for helping the students put on this event each year.

Bet You Can't Hit Me With a Quarter...

We had just left Target, excited to pick up the Twilight DVD that was released today.
A stoplight at a nearby intersection introduced us to some happy homeless people. Really. As we stopped and looked over to them, they didn't flash a sad or down-on-my-luck look. Instead, they waved and smiled. Rolled-up sleeping bags and green hiking bags sat right behind them. One of them looked like he was in his late 40s while his two buddies, a couple, looked like they were in their 30s. They reminded of 60s hippies, for some reason.
Anyways, I was the closest one to them, being that I was sitting in the passenger side of our SUV. I waved back and reached down in my purse to pull out $3, the last cash in my wallet since I had spent the rest buying some grub at the Teriyaki Bowl earlier. (I am so used to relying on my ATM debit card, these days.)
"What a nice happy family," responded the red-headed guy with dreds as I gave them the dollars. "Thank you very much."
"Muchos gracias," added the female in broken Spanish, unsure if we spoke English. Then she turned to a 4-foot high cardboard sign with a drawn-up thermometer that counted every dollar someone had given to them today.
She shaded in what I had just given them and the total came up to just over $20.
"You know, this reminds me of another homeless guy that I saw near the ampm gas station," my husband tells me as we drive away and wave back at them.
"He had this sign that said, 'Bet you can't hit me with a quarter'."
I wonder how many people responded.
Judging by today's group, it's likely he did get a few quarters. So, even in this tough economic time, people are still finding ways to give.

Having the right potential...

The recent availability of foreclosed homes has opened the window of opportunities for many people who didn't buy during the boom or whose income weren't at qualifying levels at the time. I have a young friend -- she's a young mom and college student -- who recently bought a home in east Bakersfield with her husband for a low price of $40,000.
She is pretty excited about it. The two have been renters for quite some time but the low price tag of this home and their modest income made it possible for them to be approved.
The mortgage payment will be quite affordable, she says, and it will allow her husband, who works in construction, to make the many repairs needed.
Many of these foreclosed homes aren't in the best shape possible.
But it wasn't the look of the home that drew them in. It was the potential of what it could be.
What's of even better news is that she is able to live right next to her mother.
And for a young second-generation Latina, that's a pretty big deal.
She spends her weekends and most of her weekday nights at her mother's house.

Being mobile

I just loaded an app to my iPhone that allows me to blog on the go. Don't know if it's a good thing or not. But just trying to test it. These days many of us live mobile. My nieces are perfect examples. When they talk to me, it's not through a phone call or email but text. Why is that?

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Foothill's Latino Scholarship Drive

I was recently talking to a friend of mine whose son is a high school senior. We got on the topic of college scholarships. He's applying for his first one.
Apply for more, I told her. Do your research. They are out there.
I should know. As a young college kid, I researched and applied for as many scholarships as I could....and I was fortunate to be awarded a number of them that helped pay my way through college, along with my part-time jobs.
Most often, scholarships are run by large businesses or nonprofit groups.
But a group of students at Foothill High School are making a difference of their own.
These students who are part of the La Raza Club are holding a fund-raising event, a night of culture and elegance May 8, in an effort to raise scholarship money.
The Latino student club will be host its first Noche de Cultura Friday May 8 from 5-11p.m at Foothill High School. The event will feature vaqueros, custom low-rider show, music, food and dancing.
Pre-sale tickets are $7 or $10 at the door.
"Every cent that we make from this event will go toward La Raza Scholarship Foundation," said Edwin Henriquez, a Foothill High School Spanish Instructor and La Raza Club adviser.
Creating the foundation speaks to one of the primary goals behind La Raza, one of the most active clubs on campus, Henriquez said.
“We want to change the image of La Raza club. They want students to join for other reasons. La Raza group is to encourage students to go to school and college.”
Forming such a scholarship program could benefit students like Ashley Miranda.
Ashley is currently a senior at Foothill. She is helping organize the event by selling tickets and planning activities.
She said the club has exposed her to different universities through field trips.
Let's hope that this effort generates the right amount of success for a passionate group of kids who are trying to create higher ed opportunities for their own generation.

My dogs' battle with weight

I am learning that dogs have weight issues, too.

We recently took our three German Shepherds in for a check up and shots. Well, vet tells us that our youngest is underweight and her mother, the second in charge, is obese. Meanwhile, the leader of the pack, Miss Grandma, is in perfect health.

Now, how am I going to explain this to the younger two? Then I thought, "Maybe it's better that they don't know...." (I was a bit surprised by the news although I kinda knew our second girl (her name is Tanka) was gaining weight but I didn't realize she was considered obese!)

So I think we're going to increase meals with the little young, in hopes she picks up weight and with Tanka, well, it was probably my fault for not taking her on runs like we used to.... She got her name because when she was a pup, she was just a tank... she used to beat her sisters and brothers to the punch and nurse longer on her mama.

Don't get me wrong. As she got older, she was in the best shape ever... Yup, she was a pretty good-looking k-9... I guess, like many of us, the weight crept up on her. Many of us have been there... We get a little too comfy and we stop exercising or we fall into the middle-of-the-night sweet snacks... the list goes on...

So my goal for this year is to help her get back in shape. She'll help me too though... after having a baby, I need to exercise more to get back to my old self completely....

I am just happy that she doesn't have to look at any women or celeb gossip magazines that show "these great-looking canines" and wonder "now why can't that be ME?"