Rotary Club of Tehachapi

06/06/2026

Kern Supervisor Chris Parlier Speaks at Rotary
At the May 28, 2026, Rotary heard an interesting update from Kern County Supervisor Chris Parlier. Supervisor Parlier was elected to represent Kern County, District 2 on the Kern County Board of Supervisors, and was sworn into office on December 17, 2024. Supervisor Parlier previously served for eight years on the Bakersfield City Council, two of which he served as Vice Mayor. He is an honorably retired Special Agent with the California Department of Justice and a veteran of the United States Air Force. He was joined at the meeting by Mike Herrera and Paul Yanez.

President Suzie Andreas-Bervel shared a few interesting facts about Supervisor Parlier, who said he prefers to be called “Chris” instead of “Supervisor”: 1) District 2 is huge geographically and makes up almost half of Kern county’s 8,000 square miles; 2) District 2 is bigger than the states of Rhode Island and Delaware combined; and 3) During his first month in office, he put 1,300 miles on his truck!

Parlier began his presentation by saying that last year was the largest budget for the county, totaling $4.5 billion. His priorities have always been public safety, especially given that he is a retired law enforcement officer. He also believes in the improvement of quality of life for all communities, road improvements, and economic development. He called Tehachapi “the jewel of District 2.”

District 2 covers almost 3,700 square miles, encompassing the communities of Tehachapi, California City, Rosamond, Boron, Mojave, Taft, Maricopa, Frazier Park, and parts of Bakersfield. Parlier sees Tehachapi as the “hub of East Kern,” due to its strategic location connecting mountain, desert, and valley communities. It is a growing center for logistics, rail, and clean energy, and the County has strong partnerships with the Tehachapi city leadership and the business community. He further said that Tehachapi is a key access point to regional healthcare, public safety, and workforce housing, and serves as a model for rural innovation and quality of life.

Parlier stressed that economic development is important, and that Kern County is “open for business and strategically located.” District 2 has demonstrated tangible results in business development and adding jobs in East Kern. He is concerned that state overreach has a negative impact in Kern County, so they must prioritize protecting taxpayer dollars and continue to leverage strong relationships and strategize.

Parlier is committed staying engaged with small communities and discussed the steps he has taken to stay connected in Tehachapi. He holds monthly Tehachapi Common Interest meetings to stay in touch with the city leadership, county agencies, and all the government entities in the area. He has supported various community functions, like Cheers to Charity, the fishing derby, Apple Festival, and the Tehachapi Art Commission. He also sponsored two local Tehachapi police officers to attend and receive specialized narcotics training at a national conference on how to write search warrants and handle drug related issues.

Parlier also talked about holding a community meeting in Caliente, which was attended by 85 residents, to learn about their needs. In addition to getting a resident deputy into the community, he learned there were no mileage markers along the roadways. This can create delays when there is an accident or incident in the community. He worked to get mileage markers installed and also has worked to improve communications by getting Starlink to the community for emergency services.

Chris also discussed some actions they have taken to improve public safety. The county purchased a new fire helicopter for East Kern that can be used for both firefighting and rescue. He also has advocated for improvements in the communities that included strategizing with law enforcement, code enforcement, and fire personnel, as well as enhancing community policing by expanding patrols. Another focus has been leveraging technology for crime prevention, and he showed some video footage of new drone technologies. Drones can be deployed quickly and in areas that are difficult for traditional vehicles to access. This enables them to determine where to set up triage pads and medical service, which is life saving. He said these drones can also be used with wildfires to quickly and safely detect hotspots without fire crews manually traversing the burned areas.

Parlier also briefly discussed the benefits of Flock camera technology. On the day it was activated in Kern County, law enforcement was able to find a child who had been abducted within an hour, as well as detect multiple stolen vehicles. Flock cameras have now been installed through Tehachapi, California City, Rosamond, and Mojave.

Parlier closed out his presentation by sharing how to report a problem. The best way is to download the MyKern App, where a citizen can report graffiti, potholes, safety concerns, basically any issue, and that is the quickest way to get a response. Other options include calling his office directly or locating the appropriate place to report a problem on the Kern County website.

To thank Supervisor Parlier for his presentation, President Suzie Andreas-Bervel presented him with a certificate, and a donation will be made to the Rotary Foundation in his honor.

06/01/2026

At a recent meeting of the Rotary Club of Tehachapi, the Club heard from Diana Buerge, President of the Friends of the Tehachapi Depot (FOTD). Buerge has served as president since 2024, and she was joined by Marlan Woodside, vice president at the Depot. She said that she seems to be a “professional volunteer,” spending her time between the Tehachapi Depot, Visitor's Center, Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve, Tomo Khani Historical State Park, and Red Rock Canyon State Park. She loves history, the outdoors, and especially getting to spend her volunteer hours with people!

Buerge began her presentation by sharing a picture of the original Tehachapi train depot. The depot has been a significant project in downtown Tehachapi for the past two decades. It was an old, rather rundown depot, even abandoned at one point. After it was remodeled, it infamously burned down. It was rebuilt as a replica of the original 1904 depot using the original floor plans. After the fire, there was still a standing wall on the Green Street side of the original depot, so they took a sample to have the walls designed as close to the original as possible. The structure was upgraded to meet modern building codes while maintaining the historical integrity and aesthetics. A grand reopening was held on June 5, 2010 when it revealed to the public after the rebuild.

Buerge talked about the current plans for expanding the depot museum. They are currently building behind the restrooms for the Caboose and Annex Project (CAP), at a cost of $275,000. She explained that this addition is necessary, as they currently have many historical railroad artifacts in storage. The new annex will provide more space to safely house and exhibit these items protected from the elements. This new space will also provide necessary room to protect their artifacts while they are safely cataloged, restored, and then used to create new exhibits.
The annex project coincides with the acquisition of the old Southern Pacific caboose at Kohnen’s Bakery, which will be moved onto the museum property. The caboose will be restored and used to house additional exhibits. FOTD is working with Jeanette Pauer and Make Art Tehachapi, the non-profit dedicated to restoring, preserving, and installing murals downtown for the painting of the old caboose.

Buerge talked about the importance of their volunteers and the value they bring to the museum. They have many different roles that volunteers can fulfill, such as working in the gift shop to help with cashiering, providing interactive experiences for visitors, telling stories, maintaining artifacts, doing maintenance, and many other tasks that contribute to the successful operation of the historic depot museum. She said they are always in need of more volunteers.

2026 is an exciting year as the world-famous Tehachapi Loop was built in 1876, and this summer marks the 150th anniversary of the completion. They are also celebrating the 150th anniversary of railroad tracks that were laid to create the 2nd transcontinental railroad. In 1876, the laying of the railroad lines through the Tehachapi pass connected northern California to southern California, as well as the rest of the country through the lower states.

Buerge also spoke about the importance of the Tehachapi Loop overlook, and why they improved the overlook location. She explained that people have come from every continent of the world except Antarctica to view the engineering marvel that is the Tehachapi Loop. Often, people will visit the Loop, but do not come into town to visit the museum. A few years ago, they spearheaded the construction of a safe, dedicated, elevated viewing platform, as previously it was only possible to stand on the narrow shoulder of the road. One of their volunteers has taken a particular interest in the overlook and spends time there, talking with all the visitors. In addition, he has taken responsibility for posting American flags at the location. He goes up on the weekends to post the flags, and also posts other flags during different celebrations; for example, he posted the USMC flag during the Marine Corps birthday. He even puts up shade canopies during warm weather for the visitors.

Buerge closed out her presentation by highlighting some of their upcoming events. On June 9th, they will host an evening presentation by Eugene Moy, President of the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California. Moy is an authority on the contributions of the Chinese laborers. Social hour with light food will begin at 5 p.m. and the meeting will begin at 6 p.m. RSVPs are needed, so contact the FOTD if you are interested in attending.
FOTD are also partnering with the city for a wine experience and walking tour. Visitors will start at the depot, make a few stops along the walking tour, then return back to the depot. There will be live music and local wineries will be pouring wine, with all proceeds benefiting the Caboose & Annex Project (CAP). They also have some special events scheduled for the 4th of July, and are making plans for some exciting and interesting events throughout the next year.

To thank Diana Buerge and Marlan Woodside for attending the meeting and making such an interesting presentation, President Suzie Andreas-Bervel presented them with a certificate, a Rotary swag bag, and a donation will be made to the Rotary Foundation in their honor. The Tehachapi Rotary Club meets at noon every Thursday at Kelcy’s, and is a time to gather for fun, friendship, learning about important and relevant topics, and working together to support our local community. Rotary is the largest service organization in the world, and is committed to “Service Above Self,” devoting time and resources to projects that make a difference around the globe. For more information about the Rotary Club, you can visit their page at http://www.facebook.com/RotaryClubofTehachapi/

05/26/2026

What’s Happening This Week!
Speaker – Kern County Supervisor Chris Parlier – This week, we will hear from Tehachapi’s representative to the Kern County Board of Supervisors, Chris Parlier. Supervisor Chris Parlier was elected to represent Kern County, District 2, and was sworn into office on December 17, 2024. Chris previously served for eight years on the Bakersfield City Council, two of which he served as Vice Mayor. He's an honorably retired Special Agent with the California Department of Justice and a veteran of the United States Air Force.

Event Details
📅 Date: Thursday, May 28th
🕓 Time: 12:00 Noon
📍 Location: Kelcy's Restaurant
🍽 Lunch: Free for Members, $20 for guests

Duty Schedule for Thursday, May 28, 2026
Greeter: Judy Trujillo
Flag Salute: The Loop
Inspirational Moment: Marilyn Kaminski

SAVE THE DATE! Interact Student Presentation: Mark your calendars for Thursday, June 11th, when our Interact Clubs will be at our meeting to give us an end-of-year presentation on all their activities! It's always fun to hear from the Interact kids, so I hope we get a good turnout that day!

I hope to see you this Thursday, May 28th, at noon at Kelcy’s!

Yours in Rotary Service,
Suzie Andreas-Bervel
2025-2026 President

05/22/2026

At our meeting today, President Suzie Andreas-Bervel shared with the Club she received a letter from Kyle Yates at the Salvation Army about their summer camp. The Salvation Army wants to send 10 Tehachapi children from low-income homes to a 6-day summer camp at Camp Redwood Glen in Santa Cruz this summer. The cost is $350 per child, and the Rotary Board voted to sponsor 3 children for the Salvation Army. We were pleased that Kyle Yates, Service Center Coordinator for the Tehachapi Salvation Army, was present to receive a check for $1,050 to send 3 local children to camp this summer.

Kyle said that this experience is transformative for many children who attend, as it gives them the opportunity to experience a wonderful summer camp which gets them out into nature. He said that this camp can create formative memories that can change the trajectory of their lives. He explained that they serve many children who live in challenging circumstances, and engaging in outdoor experiences can be motivating and healing. Kyle shared that they have many children who are being raised by single mothers, and they even help support several single grandmothers, single women who are raising their grandchildren. This camp is provided at no cost to the family, and he said, "I tell them just get your child here and we will take care of the rest!" He said that the camp has been very successful in the past, and he will often get stopped by former campers in the grocery store, telling him about the impact of that experience.

Kyle thanked Rotary for their generous donation, and said they now have total funds to send 4 kids to camp. The Salvation Army still needs about $2,100 to meet their goal to send 10 children from Tehachapi. The Rotary Club of Tehachapi has enjoyed a wonderful relationship with Salvation Army, so we appreciate that Kyle brought us this opportunity and are so happy to help with this wonderful project!

05/14/2026

05/13/2026

We hosted a lovely Senior Tea Party today at Wood’s Pavilion! We served up a variety of homemade tea delicacies, like traditional Coronation chicken sandwiches and British sausage rolls to egg salad and cream cheese with olives to the deviled ham and pimento cheese that grandma used to make, all with pots of tea. Then came beautiful dessert trays of deliciousness made by our own Linda Pettitt and Christy Rabe. The tables were beautifully set with personal china, lending an elegance to the afternoon tea. Happily, there was hardly a crumb left, and we gave away lots of door prizes, and prizes for the best hat, best dressed, oldest guest (who was 94-3/4 years old!) and best table scape! It was a beautiful afternoon and everyone had a wonderful time! Thank you to everyone who came!

05/12/2026

What's Happening this Week!

Speaker this week - Diana Buerge, President, Friends of the Tehachapi Depot Railroad Museum

Diana Buerge has been President of the Friends of the Tehachapi Depot since 2024. She says that she seems to be a “professional volunteer,” spending her time with the Tehachapi Depot, Visitor's Center, Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve, Tomo Khani Historical State Park, and Red Rock Canyon State Park. She loves history, the outdoors, and especially getting to spend her volunteer hours with people! Diana will be sharing some updates on what’s happening at the Depot, especially with what they are doing to house artifacts and create new exhibits. In addition, 2026 is an exciting year as the Tehachapi Loop was built in 1876, and they are celebrating the 150th anniversary of railroad tracks that were laid to connect northern California with Los Angeles, creating the 2nd transcontinental railroad. I hope you will come to our meeting the Thursday to hear more about what’s happening at the Tehachapi Depot!

Event Details
📅 Date: Thursday, May 14th
🕓 Time: 12:00 Noon
📍 Location: Kelcy's Restaurant
🍽 Lunch: Free for Members, $20 for guests

Duty Schedule for Thursday, May 14, 2026
Greeter: Christy Rabe
Flag Salute: Woods Family Funeral Service
Inspirational Moment: Mike Gilbert

I hope to see you this Thursday at Kelcy’s at noon for fun, fellowship, and a presentation by Diana Buerge, President, Friends of the Tehachapi Depot Railroad Museum!
Yours in Rotary Service,
Suzie Andreas-Bervel
2025-2026 President

05/12/2026

At the May 7th meeting of the Rotary Club of Tehachapi, the members enjoyed an interesting presentation on the importance of music education by Deborah Hand-Cutler and Peter Cutler. As owners of Fiddlers Crossing and Mountain Music, Peter and Debby have become mainstays of the acoustic music scene in Tehachapi. Debby, along with Robby Martinez, founded the Tehachapi Pops Orchestra (TPOPS), a community-based, non-audition orchestra in Tehachapi. TPOPS providea a friendly, mentoring environment for musicians of all ages and skill levels, and they play a range of genres, including show tunes, rock, and light classical. They rehearse at Fiddlers Crossing and perform several concerts throughout the year. Debby and Peter are strongly committed to music education and were here to talk about the importance of music education in the schools.

Debby began by sharing an anecdote of being at an event and speaking to a 9-year old girl who was not singing. When she questioned why she wasn’t participating, the girl responded, “I can’t sing”. This was very sad for her to hear, and she was resolved to find a way to help people find a way to get in touch with music.
Debby said that, when she was a little girl, there was always music and art in schools, clubs, and the community. After doing the pledge of allegiance in the morning, students would follow it up with a patriotic song. There were also other artistic activities, such as painting, drama, and crafts. On field trips, they would sing on the bus to and from the destination.

Music is a discipline that has roots going back to ancient times. Plato outlined the 7 disciplines all children need to learn, and she said that music is number 1. Unfortunately, when schools are struggling financially, the arts are often the first programs to be cut.
She was once attending a school board meeting, where it was discussed that 3rd grade students were struggling with understanding fractions. She shared how music can help, because the structures of music and rhythm are rooted in mathematics. Also, people can learn and remember things when it is contained within a song. Music can be a tool that enhances the learning of other disciplines. She shared other ways in which music changes the life of children, especially those who may be autistic or have other challenges.

Debby said she was fortunate to grow up in a home surrounded by music, as her mother was a singer. Although her dad was a football coach, he was also very musical. Her sister wrote songs from an early age, but Debby struggled with singing because she could not carry a tune. But when her parents got her a ukulele, she learned that she could carry a tune when she had some musical support. When she saw her sister learning violin, she wanted to play too because she always wanted to do whatever her sister did. was 8 years old she began to play the cello. Her sister suggested that she try the cello instead, and she loved the idea, even though she didn’t know what a cello was! When presented with this huge instrument, she could hardly get it under her chin, but she was hooked, and the cello became her instrument.

Peter took a few minutes to talk about his musical journey, which began middle school. He was given a choice to enroll in either art appreciation or music appreciation, so he chose music. He was “absolutely fascinated” with it and said that experience changed his life. He took a music appreciation class again in high school with the same teacher. His next role was to be a teacher’s assistant for that teacher, and his favorite task was to go through the teacher’s entire record collection and clean them, which he loved.
Peter and Debby talked about Fiddlers Crossing, which has a “listening room,” where people come just to hear music. They retain artists with national and international recording status to provide concerts, and they serve refreshments. Their next concert is by Water Tower, a California punk rock bluegrass band, on Friday, May 15th at 7:00 p.m., and there are only about 15 seats left. They also are planning for two special patriotic concerts that will be held on July 3rd at 3 p.m. and July 4th at 5 p.m. For more information on their events and ticket purchases, visit fiddlerscrossing.com

Debby ended her presentation by assigning everyone some homework. She asked for everyone to google Elgar’s Enigma Variations and listen to the final variation, as it is one of the most emotional and beautiful music masterpieces of all times! To thank Debby Hand-Cutler & Peter Cutler, President Suzie Andreas-Bervel presented them with a certificate, a Rotary swag bag, and a donation to the Rotary Foundation will be made in their honor.

05/12/2026

At our meeting on May 7th, President Suzie Andreas-Bervel awarded the Peace Baton for May to South Street Digital, and Audrey Post and Eric Horn were present to receive the award. Inspired by the relay races of athletics, baton passing represents more than just the handoff of responsibility; it also stands for teamwork, trust, and shared leadership. Within the context of Rotary Service, it reminds us that many others in our community play a vital role in helping to achieve our collective mission. The baton becomes a powerful symbol of continuity, collaboration, and our shared commitment to service.

South Street Digital has been extremely supportive of Rotary by printing banners, tickets, promotional flyers and other supplies for fundraising events for many years. They are strong supporters of the annual Wine Paring Dinner, and a few years ago, they provided the tickets and promotional posters for the James Lee Stanley concert, which kicked off the fundraising to help establish the Warrior Pantry. Lydia Chaney and Audrey Post have allowed Rotary to maintain and sustain important projects, while making it much more affordable. Audrey has also recently helped by creating QR codes that can go on Rotary's promotional fliers and information, linking the community to our social media and other online platforms, helping us reach a broader and more tech-savvy sector of the community!

Marian Stephens, who heads up Rotary's Kindergarten book project, shared some words about the support she receives from South Street. Marian has been a Rotarian for 38 years, belonging to clubs in Virginia and Pennsylvania before moving to Tehachapi. While in Pennsylvania, she learned about their Kindergarten book project, where every Kinder student receives a personalized book that they get to take home and to keep. When she came to Tehachapi about 20 years ago, she brought the same project to the Tehachapi community.

For years, the books were printed by a company in Michigan, and unfortunately, a few years ago, the vendor went out of business. Marian was worried that this jeopardized the future of this beloved project, so she went to Audrey at South Street Digital and asked if they could help. Audrey said “No problem!” This project helps nurture a love of reading, and the children love getting their personalized books and reading a story about their teacher, their friends, and their pets! Marian complimented South Street Digital on how they are always so community-minded and involved in many events in Tehachapi, in addition to their support of Rotary.

President Suzie Andreas-Bervel presented them with the Peace Baton for May and a certificate, thanking them for all their support! We feel truly blessed to have Audrey, Lydia, and Eric at South Street Digital as our partners in the community!