Who will be Honorary Mayor?

Jill Coppler

(Updated: Thursday, April 23, 2009, 4:07 PM)

At last week's kick-off dinner, six candidates were introduced for this year's Oakhurst Honorary Mayor race. The intent of the race is to raise funds for local charities and each dollar donated to the candidate's charity counts as a vote. We asked and they answered.

Who will you support?

Chris Baker (and campaign manager, Adrian Baker) - Sierra Lions Club

Q: What made you want to run for Honorary Mayor?

A: "I stepped forward because it's good for the Lions. We're always looking for funds and ways we can reinvest in the community."

Q: What will the funds go toward?

A: "Funds will help maintain and improve or repair Camp Pacifica, Leos (the junior Lions club), sight conservation and vision improvement. Camp Pacifica is a summer camp for people with disabilities and it's completely free for those that attend."

Q: What makes you the right candidate for the Lions Club?

A: "I'm trying to put the fun back in fund-raising; trying to be light-hearted and inclusive. My hope is that everyone has fun, that's how it supposed to be because Oakhurst is the winner in the end."

Q: What will be the biggest challenge?

A: "The biggest challenge this year will be the economy. The general atmosphere seems to be that people are hanging on to their dollars tighter. The great thing about this community though, is that they always step up. But we know that they do get hit up all the time."

In the interest of full disclosure, Chris Baker is the husband of Sierra Star Creative Services and Website Manager Lisa Baker. Adrian Baker is their son.

Viviann Carlson - Bass Lake Education Foundation

Q: So what prompted you to run for Honorary Mayor?

A: "Basically what really fueled me this year was going back to work full-time. My son began attending the after-school program at Wasuma, and as a result, I learned more about how it started with a local mom who wanted a program comparable to the resources the Boys & Girls Club offers. She spent at least a year researching and applying for grants to start this new program and it's been a great success. So, to see that closed down, after so much work, would be just a shame. And the thing is, all of the schools in our district have similar needs."

Q: Where will the funds you raise go?

A: "The foundation funds Bass Lake Elementary School District. We have five areas we are targeting; areas these funds could be used for are science, music, art, after-school programs, and classroom reductions. The funds will be divided between the district's schools on a per-kid basis."

Q: Why should the community give you their vote?

A: "Our tagline is: our kids, our community, our promise -- which is really saying that our kids are the future of this community that we love so much, they are our promise. Our community is so unique. Better education means not only a bigger draw to potential homebuyers and economic benefits, it means better community leadership and responsibility. So much depends on the quality of education our kids get, because that will in turn shape the future of this community."

Brian Gearhart - Eastern Madera County SPCA

Q: What is it about the SPCA that made you decide to commit three months to it?

A: "I really decided to run for my love and passion for animals. I was recently at a (crowded) shelter. Going there and seeing all these animals, cats and dogs that are caged without much of a life, it's sad. They've got little to no movement; they just don't get the life a dog should have. You look in their faces, all sad, and you just wish you could take them all home."

Q: So how will your votes (dollars) be spent?

A: "The funds raised will help to build a needed shelter for animals in Eastern Madera County, so that animals will have a home."

Q: So what makes you the right candidate for the race?

A: "Well, my last name sort of lends itself to a good slogan, 'Gearhart: having a heart for animals' is that good enough?"

Q: What does it take to run for Honorary Mayor?

A: "In order to do this, you really have to be a go-getter, but down-to-earth; a people person. You know, it takes going out to the business community to get support. For me, it comes naturally. I like being involved. I've helped with the Manna House, the Boys & Girls Club, Relay for Life, led Kids Day up here. I guess you could say I'm highly involved. The reward, for me, is that at the end of this race, we are all winners, because in the end we'll all have raised money and awareness for our charities."

Q: So what will be the biggest challenge?

A: "It will be interesting, it's hard times with the economy, but I hope it doesn't stop people from giving. I hope to still see people contribute."

Allan King - Wild and Wonderful King Vintage Museum

Q: Why are you running for Honorary Mayor?

A: "The main reason for our running is the upcoming Abraham Lincoln exhibit, that's mainly what we need the funds for, then, after that, funds for operational costs. There are a lot of unique things we have and we'd like to stay open longer hours."

Q: Why should the community support the Lincoln exhibit?

A: "I don't know if the people know the value of this Lincoln exhibit. There will only be four in all of California and only 40 in the entire U.S. We are the only ones in the whole Central Valley to host the exhibit, so this can mean a lot for the community. It's amazing that we could get it here in Oakhurst when there were other bigger cities like Fresno that could have hosted it."

Q: What is special about the museum?

A: "With lots of locals still donating, it's really become a community museum. Originally, I didn't want my name on it, because it's not just our museum, it's the community's, but I got outvoted.

We got all sorts of items donated along the way; things people didn't want to throw it away, but couldn't keep. Everything we have in there has some story behind it."

Gerald Ongman - Sierra Senior Society

Q: Why did you decide to run?

A: "We got together and decided this would be a good opportunity to raise money, so I was asked to run. The kick-off went well even though it was cold; lots of folks stopped by to say hello. We had a leg up, I think, because we were the only ones that had hot coffee."

Q: What will the funds go for?

A: "As you know, this is our 25th anniversary year and the building is really getting old and needs some work, so we hope the money from this race will help with that. People may not realize, but we don't get any tax dollars to help us, we are privately funded by this community."

Q: Why is the senior center important to the community?

A: "Having a senior center is important, it's very valuable for seniors to get out, interact with others, to get a good meal and mix with their community."

Q: What are some ways the community can support their seniors?

A: "We can always use volunteers; that is number one. Of course financial help is needed too, but volunteers are paramount."

Liz Ware - Boys & Girls Club

Q: What makes the Boys & Girls Club special?

A: "The Boys & Girls Club is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping give kids of all ages a safe, fun and caring environment. People should support the Boys & Girls Club to continue to give the kids a fun, but structured, place to go after school and any other time they want to go."

Q: Where will the funds you raise go?

A: "The funds raised will be going to programs and services to keep the Boys & Girls Club open for years to come."

Q: What does it take to run for Honorary Mayor?

A: "It took quite a bit of time and dedication to plan events that will take place in the future. There is so much energy needed to make sure the fund-raising events run smoothly."

This week in the Honorary Mayor race

Tune in Sunday to catch the "Community Correspondent" show on several Clear Channel stations. The 55-minute interview includes a discussion with Honorary Mayor candidate Liz Ware, Campaign Manager Janice Ware, Boys & Girls Club Board Member Rima Runtzel and former Honorary Mayor Mary Lou "Lou Lou" Finley. An mp3 file will be posted on www.supportbgclub.com. The show airs at 7 a.m. on KALZ 96.7, KBOS B95, KHGE Big Country 102.7,KCBL/KEZL Fox Sports Radio, KRZR The Wild Hare 1037 and at 11p.m. on KSOF Soft Rock 98.9 and KRDU Christian Talk Radio 1130.

Check out the following businesses that have placed collection boxes in their stores for the Bass Lake Education Foundation: Taste of China, Round Table Pizza, Right Cut, Northshore Board Shop, Jamba Juice, Quiznos, Miller's Mountain Sports, Beauty Spot and Belissimo.