May 28, 2026
Jill Burdick. PHOTO COURTESY BGCKC
Jill Burdick, Performing Arts Director with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County (BGCKC), recently received the Mission Impact Award at the Boys & Girls Clubs of America National Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Mission Impact Award shines a light on senior leaders who are shaking things up in the best way, through strategy, innovation, and measurable impact. Candidates are nominated by their peers and selected by a review panel.
As an accomplished and classically trained performer and educator, Jill Burdick has transformed BGCKC’s performing arts program into a leading stage for cultivating local youth talent and providing professional training in the community. In her 14 years of mentoring, educating, and coaching BGCKC youth, the program has grown from one performance team, and annual summer Broadway workshop, and two annual community performances, to a year-round program hosted at two local theaters, with two performance teams, four summer Broadway shows, and multiple community engagements to support other causes, agencies, and service groups with national anthems and musical performances. Many BGCKC performers have gone to performance colleges across the United States, and many have received scholarships to support their education and professional development.
For more information, please visit www.bgckc.org.
Dignity Health Bakersfield Memorial Hospital Recognized Nationally for Excellence in Patient Safety
Bakersfield Memorial Hospital, a member of CommonSpirit, earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety. Leapfrog assigns an “A”, “B”, “C”, “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country using evidence-based measures of patient safety focused exclusively on errors, accidents, injuries and infections.
"Receiving the Leapfrog 'A' Grade is a profound honor and a direct testament to the unwavering dedication of every single team member at Bakersfield Memorial," says Ken Keller, President/CEO of Bakersfield Memorial Hospital. “This recognition reaffirms our steadfast commitment to providing the highest quality, safest care possible for our patients and our community. It’s a reflection of our continuous pursuit of excellence in everything we do."
To explore Bakersfield Memorial Hospital’s full grade details and to find valuable tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit www.HospitalSafetyGrade.org.
Voters To Decide CALM Zoo’s Future
The Protect CALM Zoo campaign recently submitted over 32,500 signatures from registered voters to Kern County election officials for certification, seeking qualification of the measure for the November 2026 ballot. If voters say “Yes” in November, it ensures funding for a 20-year Master Plan that would transform CALM Zoo from a beloved local treasure into a legacy institution that draws visitors from across California and puts Kern County on the map.
“When more than 32,500 of your neighbors sign their name to something, that’s so encouraging and speaks to the importance of CALM to this community,” says Jim Damian, Businessman and President of the Board, Protect CALM Zoo. “Kern County spoke clearly, and we are humbled by that trust. Now our job is to carry that energy all the way to November and finish what this community started.”
CALM Zoo is the only zoo in the country dedicated exclusively to California’s native species, welcoming more than 100,000 visitors annually. If passed, this measure will fund the most ambitious vision CALM Zoo has seen since it opened its gates in 1983. With expanded and modernized wildlife habitats and new educational facilities that connect Kern County children to California’s natural world, the goal is a destination-class facility, the kind that draws families from across the state.
For more information, please visit www.ProtectCALMZoo.org.
Charmed & Chosen at the Give Big Kern Watch Party.
Photo Credit: Aprado Photography
During Give Big Kern, Kern County’s Official Day of Giving, Kern County raised $1,463,483 and inspired 3,061 volunteers to contribute 3,061 hours to support 130 local nonprofit organizations. Every year, on the first Tuesday of May, Kern Community Foundation hosts Give Big Kern. Held on May 5, 2026, Give Big Kern united donors, volunteers, businesses, and nonprofit organizations around a shared mission to strengthen Kern County through philanthropy and service.
“This year’s Give Big Kern was a powerful reminder of what’s possible when our community comes together with purpose and compassion,” says Fatima “Teems” Tulfo, Interim CEO of Kern Community Foundation. “This is what Kern County is about, neighbors helping neighbors. Every donation and volunteer hour helps local nonprofits continue serving people in our community. We are grateful to everyone who donated, volunteered, and supported Give Big Kern this year.”
Mark your calendars for Tuesday, May 4, 2027, for the next Give Big Kern. For more information, please visit www.givebigkern.org.
