Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center, represented by, from left, Dr. Giridhar Gorla, Michelle Avila, Yvette Marin, Carey Hukill, Lynne Joseph, Dr. Bruce Joseph and Dr. Ravi Patel,
Photo by Henry A. Barrios
COMMUNITY
Selfless in service Thirteen local citizens heralded as Kern County’s Red Cross Heroes for 2011
T By Dana Martin
The state of a state (or, in this case, a county) can, in some ways, be measured by the quality of its citizens. And, if a sampling of those citizens can speak for the overall health and spirit of an entire community, then Kern County must be doing all right. There are no finer representations of selfless service to humankind than what can be found in the San Joaquin Valley. For proof, we offer 13 stories. Each is a vignette, a brief impression of the person’s character and actions that serves as proof of their above-and-beyond acts of heroism. For the last nine years, the American Red Cross Kern Chapter has taken nominations from the community for anyone who performed heroic acts during the prior year. For 2011, the local chapter had to sift through 48 nominations but finally (and with great effort) narrowed the list to 13. The Real Heroes yearly event recognizes county residents who have acted with courage and selflessness in times of emergency in 2010. Read their stories and bask in their greatness. They represent the best in us all. Adult Role Model
Jeri Carreras
For most people, reaching the age of 75 means smoother sailing — time for retirement, travel, or maybe taking up a hobby they 92
Bakersfield Life
June 2011
seldom had time for during harried years of raising children and working a job. Jeri Carreras would be an exception. Carreras is a foster parent, but not the kind that keeps average foster children (a selfless act in itself). No, Carreras goes a step further, fostering only the medically fragile children of Kern County — the babies who weren’t supposed to make it, the diseased, the stricken. While most people Carreras’ age are reaping the rewards of their golden years, she drives to specialists in Madera or Los Angeles, attends doctor appointments and advocates for the small voices who cannot speak for themselves. Seriously ill children blossom, grow, and heal under her care, and her selfless dedication to these fragile citizens has been ongoing for 30 years. Youth Role Model
Braylin Camp
If Braylin Camp epitomizes the next generation of youth in the 21st century, then we just might be all right. You see, while most girls her age are playing dolls or dressing up, this noble 9 year old is taking care of the city’s needy. It all started on a particularly cold winter morning when Braylin, then 8, noticed a child without a coat. Called to action, she gave away her own coat (she had more than one and counted herself lucky), but her innate philanthropy didn’t stop there; Braylin filled a trailer with coats, blankets, shoes and diapers for the needy and