Page 7 - Reedley E-edition 12-28-17

The Reedley Exponent BPanorama
Once again, Silas Bartsch School earns a top honor at walk/run See B10
Section | Thursday, December 28, 2017 www.reedleyexponent.com
Looking back at 2017
The View From Here
This week, I’m sharing some fun chats I’ve had re- cently and other observations from recent weeks.
I happened to
be sitting next to
Allison Botello,
a Reedley High
School junior, at
the Dec. 12 meet-
ing of the Kings Canyon Unified School District governing board.
I recognized her because she is an excellent representation of RHS students who not only study but are involved in a variety of activities. Botello was there as a member of the RHS Pirate girls golf team that in the fall season won their sixth straight North Yosemite League championship. Botello also was the team’s No. 1 player and was the medalist at the NYL Championships.
Talk about domination.
But I recognized Botello as a member of the high school’s FCCLA chapter – Family, Career and Com- munity Leaders of America. She’s involved in other activities as well.
Roberto Gutierrez, KCUSD’s assistant superintendent for person- nel, pointed out to me that Botello had painted Santa Claus’ sled that appeared in the Electrical Farm Equipment Parade on Dec. 7. Botel- lo said she’d been approached by family friends associated with the Rotary Club of Reedley.
Botello said she’s in the high school Art Club and came up with a design during the Thanksgiving break: “I was excited about it.”
She said the sled had been most- ly red in color. But, Botello said, she was told by organizers that “we want a more modern, sleek, con- temporary sled.” So she created a design of gold and silver and white.
Botello said she was pleased with how it turned out.
Having seen it myself that night, I can say she should be proud.
This year’s Toys for Tots pro- gram included a performance by Reedley High School’s Madrigals vocal music ensemble.
The annual event is organized by the Reedley Community Servic- es Department in partnership with other organizations. (I have a story in this edition’s Panorama section.)
Sarah Reid, superintendent of the community services depart- ment, recently told me she was “very excited” to have them ap- pear at the event. For one thing, the sounds of live, holiday music would
See COLUMN page B5
Staff Report
The past 12 months in Reedley were memorable for lots of reasons, particular- ly for people who had an impact and influ- ence on those around them and beyond.
The year 2017, for these individu- als, marked impressive milestones or a moment of warm remembrance. In all respects, they earned well-deserved ac- colades.
The images on this page are photo- graphs that ran in the Panorama section this past year. We salute people such as a schools chief who devoted 27 years to the Kings Canyon Unified School District and a celebrated chef and restaurateur who shared his story and recipes in a book.
It also was a year that many people paid tribute to a beloved musical leader unparalleled in local history.
To all these people, we say: "Thank you for sharing your talents with us."
Reedley (Fresno County) CA 93654
LEFT: Juan Garza, who retired June 30 as superintendent of the Kings Canyon Unified School District, was feted at a retirement party on June 9.
Garza served 27 years
in KCUSD, 15 years as schools chief. He was
the longest-serving superintendent in Fresno County and probably had the longest recent tenure of a schools chief in the Central Valley.
He was succeeded by John Campbell, who had been deputy super- intendent of human
resources. Erik Valencia / Photo Contributed
Felicia Cousart Matlosz
On April 22, a "Celebration of Life Memorial Service" was held for Burl Walter Jr., the beloved longtime band director for Reedley High School. He passed away on Dec. 5, 2016. The April ceremony attracted former stu- dents and colleagues from outside Reedley and was held in the RHS Performing Arts Theatre. For 35 years, Walter was Reedley High’s band director and music department chairman, from 1965 until his retirement at the end of the 1999-2000 academic year. A picture of him is seen on an easel in the above photograph.
LEFT: Jon Koobation, for years the chef and proprietor of Jon's Bear Club restaurant in Reedley, in 2017 saw the publication of his book filled with his recipes and life story. It's called "Cooking with Jon."
The Exponent / File Photo
RIGHT: Mark Norwood, the former longtime artistic director of Reedley's River City Theatre Company, resigned in 2017 from his post as theatre arts coordinator for the Kings Canyon Unified School District to become a member of the creative team at Knott's Berry Farm. He's seen here with his wife, Denise, at the popular theme park.
Photo Contributed
Holiday cheer for families at Toys for Tots event
By Felicia Cousart Matlosz
felicia@midvalleypublishing.com
Reedley’s Toys for Tots event is a holiday festivity that’s guaranteed to bring smiles to children – and to the many people who volunteer to make it happen.
Take Alezzander Gonzalez, who’s
5. He was in a lively conversation with Santa Claus at the Dec. 21 pro- gram held at the Reedley Commu- nity Center.
“Where’s your sled?” he wanted to know. And where were the rein- deer?
“They’re at the North Pole right now. They’re practicing,” Santa said.
The annual event is organized by the Reedley Community Services Department, in collaboration with a number of other agencies and vol- unteers. The national Toys for Tots program, run by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, seeks to distribute new toys to families who may not have the means this holiday season
to give gifts to their children. In Reedley, families reg- ister in advance for the event. Reid recently said about 219 children had been signed up. Isabella Claxton, a se- nior at Reedley High School, was among the many volun- teers wearing red Santa hats with the traditional white trim. She was there with the school’s Sports Medicine pro- gram. She said the members wanted to do their part in giv- ing back to the community and “ that just seems part of
the season.”
It’s also fun, Claxton said,
to be there with friends “and helping make kids’ Christ- mases.”
In addition to taking pic- tures with Santa and receiv- ing new toys for Christmas, refurbished bicycles are given (via random selection)
LEFT: Alezzander Gonzalez poses for a picture with Santa Claus at the annual Toys for Tots event held Dec. 21 at the Reedley Commu- nity Center.
RIGHT: Belen Manzo, 10, was one of the youngsters who also received a refurbished bi- cycle at the event. (Bicycles were given at random.) She's seen here with her mother, Nora Gudino.
See more photos
on B10.
Photos by Felicia Cousart Matlosz / The Exponent
See TOYS page B5
The Exponent / File Photo
The Exponent / File Photo
Pauline Aguilar, the longtime quilting coordinator for the West Coast Mennonite Central Committee, retired in late September. She also served in women ministries for the organization. She devoted 37 years in total to West Coast MCC and other agencies and church groups.