Contributions by community givers honored

On Saturday evening, June 14, 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 have helped to improve the image and quality of life in our community during 2007.

This year's recipients are: Charlotte White (Arts-Individual); Bakersfield Masterworks Chorale (Arts-Group); Central Bakersfield Community Health Center (Architecture); League of Dreams (All-America City Tradition-Civic/Nonprofit); Bakersfield RV Resort (Commercial Remodel); Chevron North America Exploration and Production (Business & Commerce); BARC – Bakersfield Association for Retarded Citizens (Education); First 5 Kern (Health); Pacific Gas & Electric Company (Environmental); Deborah Ormonde (Humanitarian-Individual); Project Linus (Humanitarian-Group); Don Perry (Seniors); Active 20/30 of Bakersfield – Mervyns (Public/Private Partnership); Paige Atkison (Youth-Individual); Bakersfield High School – Relay For Life Team (Youth-Group); and Kern Veterans Memorial Plaza (Chairman's Award).

Event sponsors and their categories are:  Rabobank, N.A. (Arts Individual); Kern Schools Federal Credit Union (Arts Group); Bank of the Sierra (Architecture); Chevron North America Exploration and Production (All America City-Civic Nonprofit); Wells Fargo Bank (Commercial Remodel); DoubleTree Hotel (Business & Commerce); Aera Energy LLC (Education); Valley Clean Air Now (Environmental); Interim HealthCare (Health); Klein DeNatale Goldner (Humanitarian Individual); ARRC Technology (Humanitarian Group); Pacific Health Education Center (Public/Private Partnership); Rosewood Retirement Community (Seniors); Castle & Cooke California, Inc. (Youth Individual); and Kaiser Permanente (Youth Group). Reception sponsor is Bright House Networks, and the Crystal Camellia sponsor is 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 by businesses and to promote our community.

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