Hanford Insider

Hanford Insider: The Spirit of Community - Dream It, Be It Conference, City Updates, and Local Celebrations!

• Rob Bentley

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Discover the heartbeat of Hanford as we dive into the magical world of the Dream it, Be it conference with our special guest, Marlene Tapia. She shares her inspiring story of joining the Soroptimist Club and the incredible community work they champion. Get the latest buzz from Hanford, including the exciting new developments from the City Council and Planning Commission meetings, such as transportation plans, a new hotel, and a taproom. Revel in the vibrant spirit of our local schools as they spread kindness, and don't miss our spotlight on the dedication of Kings County law enforcement. Plus, we have a fantastic lineup of upcoming events like the Little Shop of Horrors musical, a vendor fair, and a whimsical Mad Hatter Tea Party that you won't want to miss.

But that's not all—there's a world of community involvement waiting for you. Learn how you can be part of the Soroptimist Club's transformative conference at Hanford West High School, from scoring those last-minute tickets to volunteering or donating prizes. Celebrate our local sports heroes, like the Hanford West girls' basketball team, riding an undefeated streak, and cheer on Hanford High girls' soccer team's triumphs in the WYL. We also join in the excitement as Hanford native Maximus Ekk signs with the Nashville Soccer Club. Whether you're new in town or a lifelong resident, join us for a thrilling exploration of the events, news, and remarkable individuals that make Hanford truly unique.

You can find the Hanford Insider at www.hanfordinsider.com and on social media at @hanfordinsider
Thank you for supporting the show!

Speaker 1:

On this episode of the Hanford Insider, we'll get a preview of the upcoming Dream it, Be it conference with Marlene Tapia. Then you'll get an update of Hanford news along with a look at the community calendar, and I'll be back later with your sports report.

Speaker 2:

This is the Hanford Insider, the podcast, where we dive into what makes our community tick, From local stories and hidden gems to conversations with people shaping our neighborhood. We're here to celebrate, explore and connect. I'm your host, Rob Bentley. Whether you're new to Hanford or a longtime local, this is your source for everything happening in our town, From events and news to unique conversations with people who make Hanford such a unique community. I hope you enjoy the format. I mentioned in my newsletter last week that the local schools have been busy spreading kindness. It was great to see Frontier Elementary create custom coffee sleeves for Starbucks customers on Friday. Be on the lookout for more acts of kindness being shown by our local school children. You can participate as well by showing some love during this month of February. I want to thank those of you who reached out to me letting me know how much you enjoyed last week's episode about the Kings County positive law enforcement. We were reminded this week through several terrible circumstances just how fortunate we are to have such dedicated and caring public servants in Kings County. Let's take a look at this week's community news. The Hanford City Council will be meeting again on Tuesday, February 4th At the study session in the afternoon they'll be finalizing the process for selecting members of the Measure H Oversight Committee. At the regular meeting at 7, they'll begin by recognizing Kara Fleming for her efforts organizing Operation Christmas Blessing. If you go back to the December 1st episode of the Insider, you can hear how this community leader shares her love to so many children in the community during the holidays each year. The council will then receive the draft plan and give input on the active transportation plan. The plan was developed through extensive community engagement. The plan strongly indicated the priority and need for walking and biking trails, which Hanford lacks. This plan is critical to the city's future plan for growth, as for the past 133 years our community has been developed as car-centric. The Plan Update 2024, establishes a vision for the future of active transportation in Hanford that ties into the city's general plan and parks and recreation plan. As recommendations are implemented, the City will improve health and safety, encourage mode shift and enhance the quality of life of residents and visitors of Hanford. The full report is very interesting and I encourage you to look it up on the City website. I'll have a recap of highlights of the City Council meeting. On next week's Insider At the Planning Commission meeting. On next week's Insider. At the Planning Commission meeting last week they were presented with a proposal to build a three-story 105-room hotel on Lacey Boulevard, behind Foodsco and across from Planet Fitness. They also received a conditional permit application for a new taproom that is being planned in the old Artworks building on 6th Street between Dowdy and Irwin Street in the old Artworks Building on 6th Street between Dowdy and Irwin Streets.

Speaker 2:

Here are some things coming up on our community calendar. Hanford West High School Musical Theater will be presenting the Little Shop of Horrors on February 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th at the Hanford Presentation Center. Performances are at 7 pm each evening, with a matinee performance on Saturday at 2 pm. General admission tickets are $15. The first 8th Street Vendor Fair of 2025 will be held this Saturday, February 8th, in the parking lot next to the Carnegie Museum from 10 am to 4 pm. The Children's Storybook Garden and Museum will be hosting a Mad Hatter Tea Party on Saturday, February 8th, at 10 am, when Harry Met Sally will be showing at the Hanford Fox Theater Saturday evening, February 8th, at 7 pm. Tickets are available at the door. The Mighty Oaks Chorus will be performing Singing Telegrams on Valentine's Day from 2 pm to 6 pm.

Speaker 2:

If you're interested in this. Send me an email at hanfordinsider at gmailcom and I'll send you a copy of their flyer Looking way ahead to June 7th. Those of you who are classic car enthusiasts might be interested to hear that the Carnegie Museum of Kings County Car Show has opened up registration for this huge event in downtown Hanford. You can find out more at carnegiecarshowcom. If you have an event coming up and you'd like some help getting the word out, let's work together. Send your information to hanfordinsider at gmailcom. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter to get a complete calendar of events. The Dream it, Be it conference at Hanford West High School put on by the Sroptimist International, is Saturday, February 15th, and we're pleased to have on the show Marlene Tapia.

Speaker 3:

How are you doing, Marlene?

Speaker 2:

Hi, marlene, before we get to the conference, tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got involved in the conference.

Speaker 3:

Yes, of course my name is Marlene Tapia. I'm the chairperson for the Dream it Viet, but I'm also the ECE administrator. I work for Kings County Office of Education and I got involved in this club when one day my daughter came with the Dream it Viet conference flyer. I look at it and I found it interesting of all the things that they were doing. So I signed up my daughter, but way in the bottom it said that this conference was by the Surrupt Themis Club. So I didn't know who these ladies were. So I Googled them and when I went to the website I just saw their mission and what they do for the community and I was amazed and I decided to be part of that amazing work that they do.

Speaker 2:

Well, they certainly do a lot of work. How long have you been involved in the Seroptimist Club?

Speaker 3:

This is my second year.

Speaker 2:

Your second year, and what other types of activities does Seroptimist Club put on?

Speaker 3:

They also have Live your Dream. They have the Child's Free and the Festival Tree.

Speaker 2:

That's outstanding. So this conference for young girls we've been hearing about it for several years. We've seen the banner downtown and we've seen flyers floating around on social media. What is this event and what is the? What's the reason that you put it on?

Speaker 3:

Okay, so first I would like to start with history about what the Dream it Be it is. So the Dream it Be it is a surreptitious international program that was launched in 2015. So it doesn't have probably like 10, 9 years Actually 10. So to help girls age 14 to 18 years overcome barriers and achieve their career goals through mentorship and workshops. And what I really like about this program is that it was developed to address the challenges young girls face, such as limited career guidance and confidence, and to help them in the future to have a successful life.

Speaker 2:

So this conference is going to be exciting.

Speaker 3:

What's planned for the young women? Okay, so this conference is for girls to overcome barriers and achieve their career goals through mentorship and workshops, and what I like about this program is that it was developed to address the challenges that young girls face, such as limited career guidance and confidence, and also to equipment with tools that will help them for later in life.

Speaker 2:

So you've got a full day on the 15th. What's on the?

Speaker 3:

agenda. At 9 am we will start our conference. First we're going to start with registration. It will be at 8.30 to 9. Then we will have the welcome and it will be lead by me. Then we will have daily rules. We will have an icebreaker. It's really fun to have the icebreaker because it gets the girls comfortable. They opened up last year when we did the icebreaker because it gets the girls comfortable and they open up Last year when we did the icebreaker. They were talking to each other and they get very comfortable because before that they look shy, they don't want to speak with no one, but after the icebreaker everything's still good.

Speaker 3:

So then, what to expect? We're going to have a former participant from last year. She's now at Fresno State. She's going to be talking a little bit of what to expect. After that we're going to have Amy Gomez. She is a owner of the Nephrasthetic here in Hanford and she will be talking about rising above obstacles and about body positivity. Then we're going to have a break after that.

Speaker 3:

Then we will have an activity. It will be a fun activity. Girls will be planting and we will connect it to their dream. And then we are going to have Mary Ann Forsherman. She is a club member and she will be talking about discovering your dreams From that. We will have lunch the girls love that and then we're going to have an instructor that will be teaching us yoga yoga chair Because you know, sometimes we feel a little bit stressed and just to self-regulate ourselves when we feel a certain way. So we want to teach the girls techniques on how to deal with stress. We will also have an instructor from COS. Her name is Catherine Medrano and she will be talking about positive relationships and the closing remarks.

Speaker 3:

But you know what's the best part about this conference? The prices. We have amazing prices this year. We are going to raffle a 50-inch television, we're going to have beaks, we're going to raffle a Stammies those are so famous, so popular and many prizes. So we do raffle $1,000 in prizes, a lot of gift cards, sephora, ulta. So this is the best part for the girls and it's also an incentive. And while they go for the incentive, they hear all this amazing information and they can take some tools.

Speaker 2:

So I imagine getting the word out through social media has been pretty popular, but what are some other ways that you've been able to reach these young girls?

Speaker 3:

So, yeah, have you mentioned before? We have our banner hanging downtown Social media as well and the flyers. We do send flyers to the school, so we have Outreach League. Her name is Debra and she has been doing an amazing job. She goes and talks to the students and she presents what we are going to have during the conference and the prizes as well, and during that time she guides the girls on how to register for the training.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, that's great to be able to reach so many people. I know we've talked about your involvement in SROptimist and I'd like to dig a little bit deeper. And why do you feel that this kind of conference is so important for young ladies?

Speaker 3:

Well, it is very important. Well, I was a teenage mom I'm going to start with that and I didn't have that support. And, how I said earlier, we help the girls know their options. The whole focus of this training is to help girls achieve their career goals and also to let them know that there's a career, there are options for their careers. So, having professionals from different backgrounds and races, the girls will be exposed to see them and believe in themselves that they can do it too, because they might see a professional and they might be like, oh, it was easy for them, but no, in reality they don't know all the struggle.

Speaker 3:

And for me it is important and I wanted to be involved because I didn't have that. I didn't know about Suroptimist Club, I didn't have a support, I did it all by myself and it is hard being a teenage mom and also a little bit of my background. I came from Mexico, not knowing the language, and you're always looking for support. Where do you find that support? And I feel that this club can give that to the girls and, of course, through the conferences and how I send mentorship and workshops. So it will open many possibilities for the girls. And I would like to say a story from last year. In one of our evaluations a girl said I am so happy to see a professional woman that looks like me, that has the same color, that her language is not English, it's Spanish. So that motivated me this year to do it again and have different backgrounds, because all of our presenters are from different backgrounds.

Speaker 2:

That's outstanding. That's exactly what you're looking for.

Speaker 3:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

The conference is coming up on Saturday, february 15th at Hanford West High School and I know the ticket deadline has passed but I understand you possibly may have some more tickets. How can they contact you or a member of the club to get involved?

Speaker 3:

So once we close our registration on February 1st, I suggest that the girls or the parents can go to the website and just sign up again, Just sign up and then from there we will get those applications.

Speaker 2:

And that website is sihanfordorg.

Speaker 3:

Yes.

Speaker 2:

I know you have a lot of volunteers in the SROptimus Club. They do a lot year-round, not just in January, February for this event, but year-round. But if somebody wanted to volunteer at this event and help out and maybe learn a little bit more about the Throptimus Club, how could they get involved as far as a volunteer? What kind of volunteers do you need?

Speaker 3:

Yes, they can email the website that we have. They will go to sihanfordorg as well and from there the person that's in charge of the background check will get in contact with that person. But we do need right now table monitors. So the table monitors are in charge of encouraging the girls to participate, to get them tickets for the prizes. So the table monitors, if they see that a girl's participating or she's being kind to others, they give tickets and they just form a relationship with the group of girls that they're in charge with.

Speaker 2:

I know the girls are going to love the prizes and I would imagine you probably could use a few more donations of prizes. If somebody was interested in donating either cash or maybe they have a gift basket that they'd like to donate do you have needs for that?

Speaker 3:

Yes, it's always welcome to have those types of donations. Last year we had Kings. They donated a check to us and with that we purchased more raffle prizes.

Speaker 2:

Well, that's great. We're certainly looking forward to it, and the Sroptimus Club always does an outstanding job with this event. It's a unique event in Hanford and it's been going a few years, but it's growing and growing, and on Saturday, february 15th, at Hanford West High School and for more information you can stop by their website at sihanfordorg and Marlena, I'd like to thank you for joining us. It's been a great day and I look forward to hearing great reports from the conference.

Speaker 3:

Thank you for having me and, yes, this was a really nice opportunity to spread the word. And now it's time for Hanford Insider Sports with Eric.

Speaker 1:

Benley.

Speaker 1:

We start in the gym with basketball, where the Hanford West girls went undefeated in their three games last week, taking down Central Valley, christian, exeter and Parlier, with all of the wins coming by more than 20 points. Coach Aaliyah Turner has the Huskies a perfect 6-0 in Tri-County Sequoia League play. The Sierra Pacific girls picked up a win against Reedley but fell to Emmanuel and Clovis and now sit at 15-8 overall. 4-1 in Tri-County Kings Canyon action. And the Hanford High girls lost their two games to Dinuba and Tulare Western last week. In boys basketball, sierra Pacific picked up a pair of wins besting Emanuel and Kingsburg, as the Golden Bears sit atop the Tri-County Sequoia League at 4-2. The Hanford West boys were able to pick up their second win of the year as they took down Reedley 70-55. And the Hanford High boys lost a pair of close games to Dinuba and Tulare Union.

Speaker 1:

In soccer, we'll start with the girls' side, where Hanford High continues to prove that they're a step above their competition, as the Bullpups shut out Dinuba and Tulare Union last week. Coach Jordan Barba has the Bullpups sitting at first place in the WYL with a perfect 7-0 league record. The Sierra Pacific girls picked up a win against Selma before playing Reedley to a 3-3 draw. The Golden Bears remain unblemished in league play with a 3-0-3 record and the Hanford West girls fell to Reedley before battling Washington Union to a 2-2 draw. And on the boys' soccer side, hanford High went 2-0 in their two matches, taking down Dinuba and Tulare Union. Last week the Sierra Pacific boys picked up a 2-1 win versus CVC before playing Emanuel to a 0-0 draw. The Golden Bears are still undefeated in Tri-County Sequoia League play at 4-0-2. And the Hanford West boys fell to Emanuel and Washington Union.

Speaker 1:

And it's always newsworthy when Hanford High and Lemoour face off, and last week it was wrestling's turn to take center stage as the Bullpups took down L'Amour 49-25. And in professional sports news, a big congratulations to Hanford's own Maximus Eck for being signed by the Nashville Soccer Club. At 19 years old, the Sierra Pacific graduate's rise at the professional level has been impressive, starting locally playing with the Central Valley Fuego before going to Tennessee where last year he played with the Nashville Soccer Club affiliate, huntsville City FC. Another congratulations to Maximus Eck. As always, we'd like to cover as many local sports as possible, so if you have a score report or a story idea, make sure to email hanfordinsider at gmailcom. I'm Eric Bentley, and this has been your Hanford Insider Sports Report.

Speaker 2:

That's all the time we have for this week's show. If you enjoyed this podcast and you'd like to show your support, you can go to buymeacoffeecom slash Hanford Insider to make a donation. If you'd like to join the Hanford Insider email list, stop by my website at Hanford Insider dot com to sign up for updates. You'll also get an exclusive copy of my newsletter in your inbox each week. I also need your help getting the word out about the show by liking and sharing on social media or telling a friend For more information about the show. You can find this podcast on Facebook, instagram, threads X and YouTube at Hanford Insider. If you have a show idea, be sure to email me at hanfordinsider at gmailcom and I'll look into it. Thanks for listening. Have a great week.

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