On Saturday evening, May 30, before a live audience of over 500 at the DoubleTree Hotel plus the television audience watching from home, 16 Beautiful Bakersfield “Crystal Camellia” awards were presented to local businesses, organizations and citizens who helped to improve the image and quality of life in our community during 2008.

This year’s recipients are: Edward A. Bue, Jr. (Arts Individual); Bakersfield Museum of Art (Arts Group); Brimhall Square Shopping Center (Architecture); Bakersfield Young Marines (All-America City Tradition-Civic/Nonprofit); American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Kern County (Business & Commerce); Bakersfield Marriott at the Convention Center (Commercial Remodel); David Marcus (Education); Bakersfield Memorial Hospital (Health); Sandy Morris (Humanitarian Individual); Project Linus (Humanitarian Small Group); Jesus Shack (Humanitarian Large Group); A Life Interrupted: Bakersfield Police Department, State Farm Insurance Companies and Three Way Chevrolet (Public/Private Partnership); George Kimm, Jr. (Seniors-pictured above); Elizabeth Schull (Youth Individual-pictured above); Stockdale High School (Youth Group); and American Sound Recording Studios (Chairman’s Award selected from all nominations submitted for exemplary actions that demonstrate the true meaning of Bakersfield: Life As It Should Be-pictured on homepage).

Event sponsors and their categories were: Rabobank, N.A. (Arts Individual); Kern Schools Federal Credit Union (Arts Group); Bank of the Sierra (Architecture); Chevron (All-America City Tradition-Civic/Nonprofit); DoubleTree Hotel (Business & Commerce); Wells Fargo (Commercial Remodel); Aera Energy LLC (Education); Interim HealthCare (Health); RJ’s Bar & Grill (Humanitarian Individual); ARRC Technology (Humanitarian Small Group); Mayor Harvey L. Hall (Humanitarian Large Group); Rosewood Retirement Community (Seniors); Pacific Health Education Center (Public/Private Partnership); Golden Empire McDonald’s Operators (Youth Individual); and Kaiser Permanente (Youth Group). Reception sponsor was Bright House Networks, and the Crystal Camellia sponsor was Raymond’s Trophy & Awards.

The annual Beautiful Bakersfield Awards are presented by the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce as part of its organizational mission to support community service involvement and to promote our community.

The awards program was produced and telecast by KGET-TV 17 and televised live on Saturday. The evening celebration began with a reception honoring all nominees with visual displays highlighting the many projects and people nominated for this year’s awards.