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People to
watch Locals making impact on Bakersfield By Lisa Kimble
One uses her pastry work to help tsunami victims; another is giving a booster shot to the city’s small business development. Yet another is aiming for sports’ greatest arenas, and a fourth is racing to help families with special needs. Mai Giffard, Brandon Martin, Anna Jelmini and Christy Porter are among Bakersfield’s standouts that have vaulted onto this year’s People to Watch list, and for good reason. They are keeping company with a legal eagle, a political sparkplug and the city’s only practicing pediatric nephrologist. Collectively, these local residents are leaving a lasting imprint on the community they call home, using their talents, passion and abilities to make Bakersfield truly beautiful. Whether by teaching teens about the perils of distracted driving, using unique ways to inspire children in the classroom, or tackling adult literacy, these men and women are deservedly on the community’s radar and worth watching in the coming months. Continued on page 50
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