Rotary Club of Tehachapi Installs Peace Pole in downtown Tehachapi, California-USA
September 17, 2023
On August 17th, the Rotary Club of Tehachapi formally dedicated a Peace Pole at Centennial Plaza in downtown Tehachapi. Having qualified as Peacebuilding Club, the Club was excited to have a Peace Pole installed after seeing one of its Interact Clubs, at Valley Oaks High School, have one installed on its campus in May.
The city of Tehachapi was a tremendous help in deciding the location, doing the physical installation, and publicizing the event to different media in Tehachapi and Bakersfield. The 8 languages on the Peace Pole are English, Spanish, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Chinese, Ibibo (a Nigerian dialect), and Kawaiisu, a Native American language local to the Tehachapi area.
The Club was blessed to have District Governor Marta Golding Brown attend as she was making her official visit to the Club that day. In addition, Past District Governor and current District Rotary Foundation Committee Chair Nick Frankel was present. Nick was the inspiration for the Club to erect a Peace Pole when he presided over an installation at the Taft Fort during 2022’s KernYES. Also making the drive was Assistant Governor for Group 1 Mary Lundstrom, District Secretary and Assistant Governor for Group 2 Kay Pitts, and Fernando Aguirre, District Vocational Director.
In a show of support for the Rotary Club of Tehachapi, Mayor Michael Davies and city councilpersons Joan Pogan-Cord and Susan Wiggins also attended, along with City Manager Greg Garrett and Community Engagement Specialist Key Budge.
Paul Kaminski
Rotary Club of Tehachapi
President, 2023-2024