Bakotopia

**UPDATE** We have taken many items to the Folks in Beach Park

but it does not have to stop there. If you still wish to contribute items

you can take them out to Beach Park. Go to the back soccer fields

closest to the Car Dealer Ship. Ask for The Mayor Of Beach Park or

Ron and he can get the items from you. He will then distribute the

items to who needs them. Again, Last count there is 12 or more people

and families living in Beach Park with nothing but the clothes on their

backs. WOW! Did you know this? And this is just one Park in Bakoland.

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU HERE AT BAKOTOPIA AND ALL OVER
BAKERSFIELD THAT HAVE SENT IN ITEMS AND FOR THOSE THAT
HELPED IN OTHER WAYS SUCH AS MORAL SUPPORT AND WELL
WISHES! YOU ARE AWESOME! BLESS YOU ALL!

The Folks Told Me To Tell All Of You Thank You From The Bottom Of Their Hearts.

Keep Up The Great Work Of Love And Caring Bakotopias..It Is A Gift That Can Be

Given All Year Long :)

Hello Bakotopians:

Have you ever walked the streets of Bakersfield
and noticed that there is an increase of the homeless?

So many of us are blinded with our every daybusiness that we don't notice these people at all let alone that there is an increase in their numbers.

Have you ever talked to these people?
I mean sat down and had a "real" lengthy heart to heart conversation?

Most people are turned off at the very thought of it, but the pure fact remains that any one of us could be in their situation at any time. Believe it or not it is possible.

Here Is My Story:

We were celebrating my husband's 20th Class reunion over this past weekend.

It was a three day event filled with fun, food, and excitement.

The last day was spent at Beach Park in which we had a huge picnic.

{Again, Lots of fun and lots of food}.

Towards the end of the day it started to cloud up. Rain was in the forecast so we all started to clean up to get ready to leave. To escape to our warm cozy houses with our loving families.  We all said our goodbyes and well wishes, and  made the promise that we will see each other again real soon, and already made plans for the future reunions we would have together.

My husband and I were on the Planning Committee so we stuck around a little longer with the rest of the committee members and a few others to talk a little while longer and congratulate each other on a well planned and successful event.

At that point, a homeless man had walked up and very politely asked for our used soda cans and plastic bottles. That is when a class member and  I struck up a conversation with this gentleman.

At first he was a bit shy and timid. We got the impression that he was trying anything not to intrude on our party. 

We invited him over to take what he wanted, and helped him fish out a few cans out of the garbage from our party that overflowed with discarded food. There were whole hamburgers, chips, cookies etc.

I had a sudden horrible thought.

Here we are "stuffed" to the gills with food and content with happiness from the last three days with our dearest friends, families and classmates.

And here is a man that is out here in the harsh elements every day just struggling to survive off of what ever he can scrounge digging through mounds of food that we had thrown out.

So we promptly packaged up a box of food that had not been thrown out to give to him. But it was food that would only keep for a day or two.

As we talked to him we discovered that he was known as "The Mayor Of Beach Park." He was a representative and / or sort of President, to all the homeless people that ended up in the park.

He would organize the group and go about collecting what the group would need.

He told us many stories of how he got there and the stories of others.

On last count he told us that there were about 12 people in their group that reside at the park.

At that moment, we saw three others in the park going garbage can to garbage can getting cans out of the garbage.

{It was weird because during our festivities we didnot notice them at all, but now we could see them clearly}.

The Mayor told me that they were just waiting until the parties and the soccer games were over to collect what they could. They wanted to wait, so that they would not disturb us.

{Disturb us?! Oh my gosh, when you think about it we were the ones invading their home!}

I looked around for the other 12 and he told me that some were down collecting wood in the nearby river bed so that they would be able to cook their evening meal and to stay warm.

He wanted to make sure he would have everything ready for all that would show up soon for food.

This is their daily routine. When all the soccer players and patrons of the park end their days at the park they start in collecting cans, searching for food, & wood.

Figuring out were they all would sleep for the night, he told us many stories but one in particular struck home....

He told us that , once there was a teenager that had been strung out on Meth, and had ended  up in the park wandering in a daze.

They took him, shared their food with him, and got him back on track.

He is better now and he told us that this boy even came back to visit them to let them know that he was ok.

He told us of the awesome Potato soup that they had made the night before from scraps that they had found.

He made enough for all of them and was particularly proud of this.

They may even eat the rest of it the next day, as long as it didn't spoil, but even then they may have to eat it anyway.

{That’s right folks! They don't have a refrigerator or even sealed containers to keep it fresh!}

He told us about the time one of the churches had brought out a wonderful sheet cake of banana nut bread, but they had to leave it on one of there designated areas, while they went about the day of getting things that they would need to survive the night.

Apparently, someone came along and stole the bread and cake, but he had a good attitude and figured, “well they must have really been hungry to take the whole thing," 
and so he had to be ok with that. {WOW}.

Can you imagine?

No, I don't think that most of us can or have any idea unless you have actually had to endure this kind of life. If you can call it a life.

The last thing he told us as we handed over the leftover food to him was that he was thankful that he could help all his buddies in the park and others that came along looking for help, and the hopes that his Social Security check will come in after a "five year" battle that he has had to get it, so he could get off the streets!

You see this loving, caring, man, known as The Mayor Of Beach Park, this angel of mercy to all the homeless, had been a contractor, a builder, a musician, had a family, had traveled all over the world doing various jobs, etc.

Then, because of an injury that he had received while working, he was unable to work,and denied his dues.

Stuck in the situation he was in, he became HOMELESS.

Think about it people. This could be you or me.