Susan Barr
Kern Valley Sun

Last Thursday night, the parking lot of the Lake Isabella branch of AltaOne Federal Credit Union, was transformed into the set of a charming western hoedown. The festive occasion was held as a “Business Appreciation” event to thank local businesses that serve the Kern River Valley. Colleen Bulgarelli, Service Manager for the Lake Isabella Branch stated, “We appreciate what local businesses do for our community and we are happy to share an evening of food and fun with them.” She also added, “Our members are the reason for our existence and our continued growth in the community.”

The event featured entertainment by local square dancing club, The Dam Dancers, as well as a deep pit barbeque dinner catered by Jim Wyly of Mt. Mesa Market. The setting was made all the more authentic by scattered hay bales, tables adorned with checkered cloths, bandanas and American flags. In addition to the great meal and entertainment, guests also had the privilege of listening to two brief, but very worthwhile presentations. The first was given by AltaOne CEO and President, Bob Boland. Addressing the receptive audience, he informed them that it was not by coincidence that the event was being held on the anniversary of 9-11. The date was chosen to serve as a reminder of the heroism and selfless sacrifice our country witnessed on that fateful day seven years ago. Boland wove his recollections of 9-11 into the talk about service to others and to the community as a whole. He also took the opportunity to thank several local firefighters in attendance for their service to the citizens of the valley.

At the conclusion of his presentation, Boland introduced the evening’s guest speaker, Allan Jaffe. Jaffe, a valley resident, is a volunteer with the Small Business Development Center in Ridgecrest. He spoke to attendees about the unique challenges facing small business owners in a rural setting such as ours. Jaffe addressed the need of being proactive in terms of reaching out to customers. He also stressed the importance of doing whatever it takes to build and keep a loyal customer base, especially when larger communities such as Bakersfield, are only a short drive away.

After Jaffe’s presentation, it was time for the Dam Dancers to take center stage for their second set of the evening. They encouraged members of the audience to join them as they went through some of the more basic dance steps. The group’s square dance caller, Rob Cunningham, put the seasoned and not-so-seasoned dancers through the paces, much to the amusement of the appreciative audience.

As the sun set and the enjoyable evening began to wind down, Boland reiterated AltaOne’s purpose for hosting the event, “This is what it is all about; being able to give something back to the community that gives their business to us.”