I think it's supremely important to be involved in your community.  I came here because I really liked it here.  I want to have a hand in keeping it a nice place to live.

I've been trying to get out more and do some volunteering.  It's a little more difficult than I thought it would be though.

The last two years have left me with a sour taste in my mouth towards our  local government. I used to attend council meetings and speak out on things I felt were important, but after realizing that our council is going to do whatever they want to do regardless of how the public feel I got fed up.  Now I just want to move away from town. We won't leave Tehachapi, but I WILL NOT be buying a house in town that is for sure. I do volunteer work here and there,but oddly enough like Madkow said it's harder than it sounds.

If either of you are pet lovers, and would like to help Tehachapi's homeless animals, the new STOP group (Save Tehachapi's Orphaned Pets) will be needing volunteers very shortly.... to assist with a membership drive, general fundraising, pet fostering, adoption days, etc.  Passionate volunteers are hard to come by, and we'd love to have you join us.  If you're interested, please email me at info@caninecreek.com and I'll pass on your info to the membership chair.  Thank you.  Susie

I moved here to Tehachapi from the coast after 23 years because I wanted to get a life-for me. I began to do foster care for the Tehachapi Humane Society when I arrived. I'd always been a cat person and now I rescue dogs.  After a few years of small group politics I went out on my own.  It is immensely satisfying to help local people who need to surrender a dog, sometimes because they didn't plan well, or the dog just isn't happy or, unfortunately, sometimes just because they are flakes.  I really enjoy helping people find a new companion dog for their family but working with people who share your motivation is easy.  I find that I get more satifaction taking in strays and making people feel a little better about making a difficult decision to surrender an animal.  I'm tough on those people but I've become a good judge of character and can usually tell when they really can't keep a dog and are trying to dp the right thing.  Anyway, long segue but I have joined Susie and some others in the new STOP group.  What a great group of determined, organized, motivated people!! And no small group politics-one agenda-to help Tehachapi's stray animals get another choice besides a one-way ticket to the animal shelter.

Anyone who wants to share their passion with us is welcome!  We'd be happy to put you to work and you'll know you ae making a difference in your community. And Countrygirl-we'll never ask you to go to a City Council meeting, O.K? Been there, done that too.

Well, you guys have all my info and I'm hoping to help at some point.  It's just unfortunate I can't do any fostering...  At least our current foster dog is finally recovering after a long, rough weekend (she got spayed and was feeling awful).  Unfortunately we haven't seen our cat in a few days :(  I guess she finally got fed up with being chased by our foster dog all the time.  Hopefully she comes around soon- it's cold out there!

I had actually looked into starting a YWCA a few years back and then soon found out that it takes a community that would help with fundraising and other things in order to come up with the over $200K you need plus volunteers to help out.  I had talked to a few business owners and other people and there were no takers.  It's a sad fact that the only things for kids to do in the town outside of AYSO and football is nothing.  They soon find drugs and other nonsense to fill their days.  This town really needs to think about a future for the kids in it.  I was so upset finding out that this town would rather have paintings on the sides of their buildings.

I love Tehachapi, especially the people.  The only thing I am very good at is making websites. Thus, I donate free websites and hosting to non-profit orgs and local musicians and artists.  I want all of Tehachapi to get online, whether rich or poor.  Sure, I also donate money to local charities such as the Tehachapi Community Theater, but donating my time to help people in Tehachapi get online is more difficult for me than handing over money because I like to travel and I enjoy my free time. Yet, I still volunteer.  I respect any and all who volunteer their time to help our community, because I know it's easier to just send a check.

I love the small town feeling here even with all the bickering and differences of opinions. When I moved here not quite two years ago, I brought with me the big city suspicions of those who waved or smiled at me for no obvious reasons, lol. "Neighbors" don't exist in Las Vegas.

I was involved for quite a while with the SCVFD and the SCVFD Auxiliary. I recently put my name on the list to volunteer with STOP, just waiting for the phone call. I offered to volunteer for TCT, but Annette never responded to my email :(

Tehachapi is where I plan on spending the rest of my life, hopefully. The "crik" done rose just this week and I survived that!

I help out with an organization that many may not have heard of, it is called high Spirits Equestrian group. This organization provides horse riding/lessons for the Mentally handicapp, Physically handicapp, and other disorders. Two of my 3 children and my older Brother all ride and participate in the yearly Horse Show at Hansen Dam. This organization does not charge anything for the riding/lessons and is all funded by donations or non profit grants. It has been a great experience for my children/brother to be able to participate in something like this. There is NOTHING else in our community for them to do because they are not NORMAL.

Joty and anyone else who is interested in volunteering for STOP (Save Tehachapi's Orphaned Pets) should register on the STOP general information Yahoo message board located here:

http://pets.groups.yahoo.co...

As many of you know, the first fundraiser for STOP is Petals for Pets... the bare root rose sale from Susie Hubbard's award-winning garden here in Tehachapi.  (Which, by the way, has already raised nearly $1,000 and it doesn't even end until February 16th!)  I believe we have the manpower needed to complete this event.  The next STOP fundraiser will be in conjunction with the Canine Creek 4th annual Birthday Bash and Charity Fundraiser on April 5th at our new location on Tehachapi Blvd.  We will mostly likely need volunteers for that, so please sign up on the Yahoo group.  We'll announce the needs as it gets closer.  Thanks for offering to help.

I forgot another great thing to do for your community!  Whenever you go out for a walk or a hike, bring some plastic grocery bags and pick up trash along the way!  Just today I filled up two large bags in the dirt pathways south of Cherry St in town.  There's always trash that has been blown into those fields (and sadly some that has just been dropped).  It's so nice to walk along clean streets and pathways!  When the weather is nice enough, I like to walk to do my errands, and I pick up trash on the way back.  Just don't forget to bring a glove (I use a latex glove) so you don't have to touch some of the nasty stuff with bare hands!

Hurray for you madkow! Even though it's a never ending battle - you are making a difference. I would love to get a group together and clean Tehachapi Blvd east of town. I think Lehigh should do a road cleanup, but it doesn't look like that'll ever happen.

We do a road cleanup twice a year in Sand Canyon. I hate to bend over so I bought me one of those grabber things. :)

Hey Joty- if you ever get a clean-up organized, let me know and I'll come help :)

Thanks madkow, I will. Once spring gets here for real, I think I will approach Lehigh (ok, that spelling doesn't look right). It's the nastiest along there in front of the plant. It's not them, it's all the idiots going to the dump who don't know how to cover their loads correctly.

I love T'pi and it is so disheartening to see trash like that anywhere in or outside our little town.

   Hey Joty....

I honestly don't remember getting an email from you about TCT.  I know we corresponded during my first run with "The Vagina Monologues", if it was during that time, it probably went on the "I'll get to it when I can take a breath" list!   I'm truly sorry.

Here's how anyone can help out and be come a member of TCT: