Cheryl Borthick
Kernville Chamber President

I’d like to thank you for the honor of serving the Kernville Chamber these past three years as president.  I consider it a great privilege to have chaired the last two Whiskey Flat Days (WFD) and increased the volunteer base with many fine clubs & organizations in the Kern Valley (Rotary, Elks, Little League, AYSO, Sweet Adelines, So Fork Women’s Club to name a few).  Folks from all of these organizations have helped with WFD and our Rodeos.

I believe our actions have helped us build the membership up to 175 including “Bronco Bob” our newest honorary member as this year’s WFD mayor.  This number also includes more than 10 businesses around the Circle Park.  In fact, we have seen more participation from this business area since the Circle Park down town Business Men’s Assoc. which was the precursor to the Kernville Chamber being established 52 years ago. This could be due to the wonderful event planned by our Hospitality Chairman, Jeanette Rogers.  This event held in March was called the “Taste of Kernville” and involved many businesses in and around Kernville, even those who were NOT members of the Chamber.  From that evening, we were able to add several new members and some renewed their membership.

 In my first year as president, I learned that the chamber paid for all electricity in both Kernville Parks, along with the Rodeo grounds and ball field, the community building and the sign on Hwy. 178 and Sierra Way.  In December the bill for Circle Park was over $1200.00.  So, I enlisted the schools in a contest.  Each class made a donation box and chose a business to put the box in.  The class that raised most money at the end of December won a pizza party.  This helped defray the cost to the chamber and got the whole community participating.  Since that time the Kern Valley Hot Rodders have collected money from within their own ranks and donated to the cost of the electricity. We have included them in our affiliate membership status.  We’ve also done the same with the Kern Valley Golf Course who donate their golf carts to us for WFD.

In the last three years there have been changes in the office staff - Michelle Sweet in October 06 and then Ann Perkins in February 08.  They have been terrific staff, helping us advertise and promote the chamber & your businesses everywhere, attending trade shows on our behalf, getting the best deals possible for our printed advertising and also radio and TV. They have reestablished the newsletter three times a year, which features events, businesses and general chamber news.  

 We’ve also rented our office room C and the community building on a monthly basis.  The use of the community building has been provided to several valley wide organizations for their meeting use.  We’ve worked hard on grants from the Board of Trade, completing the attractions brochure, the most asked about information at the trade shows this year.  A White Water Rafting brochure will be completed this year.

Part Two of the message from Kernville Chamber President

Cheryl Borthick will run next week