Quartet's community involvement fits to a 'tea'
| Wednesday, Jun 02 2010 05:28 PM
Last Updated Wednesday, Jun 02 2010 05:28 PM
WHAT: Garden Pathways High Tea honoring "Women with a Heart for Bakersfield"
WHEN: Social at 11 a.m., High Tea 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 9
WHERE: Seven Oaks Country Club
COST: $65, single tickets. Proceeds go to mentoring and educational programs. Call 633-9133, gardenpathways.org
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Kim Albers
Cathy Butler
Susan Hersberger
Dayna Nichols
There was a time in Kim Albers' life when writing a check in support of a charitable cause exemplified community involvement, but there's a little more to it nowadays.
After listening to a sermon at The Bridge Bible Church in 2006 that urged congregants to take action in their community, Albers decided to volunteer at an outreach event for homeless people. She was further motivated by the sparse attendance.
"I had never spoken to anyone who was homeless," Albers said. "I went home that night and thought, 'There has to be a better way.' I really felt like I could make a difference."
Over the last three and a half years, Albers has spearheaded efforts to end chronic homelessness in Bakersfield. As the co-founder and executive director of Flood Bakersfield Ministries, a local nonprofit organization that provides food and mentoring services to those in need, Albers has developed programs to tackle what she considers to be a "serious problem" in society.
Her work has not gone unnoticed. Albers, a self-described newbie in the world of active citizenship, is one of four women who will be honored by Garden Pathways for dedication and service to the city at a "High Tea" gathering June 9 at Seven Oaks Country Club.
None of the women spend much time at Garden Pathways, and that's part of the reason they're being recognized by the nonprofit organization, which aims to help people find success through collaborative mentoring initiatives.
"It's more of what they're doing out in the community," Garden Pathways executive director Karen Goh said. "The criteria isn't that they have to be active at Garden Pathways, but rather that they've had a significant impact on the community at large."
Goh expects several hundred guests at the eighth annual "High Tea," where friends, family and members of the community will express their gratitude to a quartet that has its hands in numerous organizations and community-based projects throughout Bakersfield.
Cathy Butler, president of both the Downtown Business Association and the Arts Council of Kern, will be acknowledged for more than three decades of work on developing the downtown area.
Susan Hersberger, public affairs director of Aera Energy, will be honored for her leadership in several civic and arts organizations in Bakersfield.
Dayna Nichols, CEO of Castle Print and Publication, will be recognized for her involvement in groups such as the Bakersfield City School District Educational Foundation and Options Unlimited Bakersfield, which runs the annual Women's Business Conference.
The honorees impressed Goh with their ability to mobilize support for their respective causes despite the economic downturn.
"They genuinely care -- that is the common thread," Goh said. "They're having to do more with less. The economy has an impact, but one of our goals is to encourage more volunteerism and to inspire others."
For Butler, who has attended several Garden Pathways receptions, the value of community involvement was instilled in her by previous honorees. She hopes that her perseverance inspires the next generation of lifelong activists in Bakersfield.
"Hopefully, it will affect someone else and show someone else how fun it is and how rewarding it is," Butler said. "You never know what lives you touch."
Albers, though, is pretty sure she knows. She has coordinated hot meals, life skills classes and the distribution of non-perishable groceries. Her organization has helped women to overcome substance abuse and, in a few cases, reunited them with their children.
"It's a total honor for me," Albers said. "I get to watch miracles every day."
