As you may be aware, there is a dog & cat over-population crisis in Kern County. There's never a better time to teach children about how to respect and care for animals than when children are young!

To help, The Northwest Voice is partnering with NOR, San Joaquin Veterinary Hospital, and ALPHA Canine Shelter and KGFM 101.5 radio to raise funds and awareness in our first ever Pet — Donation and Adoption Awareness Drive:

Please join us on August 16 (in the morning, before it's too hot!), and bring anything from this list:

• Blankets, sheets, towels (for the shelters)
• Dog/cat toys
• Dry dog and cat food
• Paper towels
• Aluminum cans (for recycling!)
• Money!

 There will be a live remote by KGFM 101.5's Rachel Legan, veterinary advice on hand for questions, members of the SPCA, and adoptable dogs on site. Please bring your coffee and take your dog for a walk -- for a good cause!

There will also be drawings for FREE spay and neuter vouchers!

*Click on the flier above for more info.!

Take "The Voice" on vacation!

Northwest and Southwest Bakersfield residents (or employees), summer is fast approaching, and it's time to pack sunscreen, passports, and DON'T FORGET your copy of The Northwest or Southwest Voice!

Vacationers using our Voice in their photos and then sharing them via our web site will be entered into a contest to win dinner on US! (Dinner seems to be a very popular prize -- PF Changs?  BJ's?  Roadhouse?  Winner may even get to PICK where they want to eat!)

Get creative!  Northwest Bakersfield neighbor James Seay and his wife Carrie traveled to Washington D.C. and took their Northwest Voice to the Pentagon!  No, that isn't a prop!  James is really standing where presidents have stood -- and THAT is a copy of our Northwest Voice!

Join the fun!  We will be publishing photos as they come in all summer.  In August, we will select the best photo and make you famous!!

(*special consideration will be given to the resident who takes The Voice to Fenway Park and gets Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek to hold it!)

Enjoy your summer, and don't forget to Take "The Voice" on vacation!

To enter, simply go to either www.northwestvoice.com or www.swvoice.com, click the yellow "share your voice" banner at the top of the page, which will direct you to sign-in, sign-up, or POST an article!  Use the headline "Take The Voice on vacation" and we will take care of the rest!

OK, any parents of high schoolers?  It's that time again (prom season), and The Southwest Voice is awarding dinner for TWO to the best prom photo we receive.

Even if you don't have a high school-age child who went to prom, if you KNOW someone who did--get a photo!  The person who submits the photo gets the prize!  :)

The deadline for submission is this Wed. at midnight.  Yes, and I will be up at midnight to see the pictures (just kidding--no, I'm not kidding). 

It's easy to do.  Just go to www.swvoice.com and click on the yellow flag that says "Share your voice." 

Here's my daughter and her date -- but I can't win the contest!

You can click the pic above to view MORE prom photos!

Happy Mother's Day!!  Enjoy Raising Bakersfield!

Congratulations, Kevin Morrison and son, Layton! 

Layton is the winner of The Southwest Voice's monthly "Athlete of the Month" contest and will receive a $50 gift card to Sports Authority! 

And by the way... that was about the cutest photo ever.  Made me get all teary because I can remember like it was yesterday when my son looked like that rounding the bases.  Click HERE to see Layton's adorable picture.

To answer your question, Kevin... c'mon down!!!  I'd love to show you where "all the magic" happens!  hahaha!  Kevin and Layton are going to come by the offices of the Northwest and Southwest Voice to see the newsroom (and maybe get a little extra prize--just for being such a cute baseball player!).

Hi guys!

I'm a bonehead and posted this info as an article this morning, so that's why you're getting such short notice.  However, The Northwest Voice and Southwest Voice publications are offering FREE TICKETS to the Dryer's and Junior Achievement's "Ice Cream Sunday" this Sunday at 1 p.m. at Stramler Park!

Click HERE to enter for the Northwest Voice

Click HERE to enter for the Southwest Voice

Yikes!  I thought I had one, but coming down to the wire, it would appear that I have no athlete to honor with a FREE $50 gift card in our upcoming issue of The Southwest Voice!

Do you live in Southwest Bakersfield?  If you would like to nominate your little sportster for our monthly contest (and really help me out this week!), go to The Southwest Voice web site TODAY.  :)  The title is just "Youth Athlete of the Month," and don't forget to upload a photo of your athlete and the name of the person nominating him or her.

Thanks!

Dana

Greetings, friends and neighbors!

I want to draw your attention to a blog with a great cause! 

Recently, a teacher at Olive Drive Elementary was inspired to deliver goods to our troops overseas.  YOU CAN HELP!

CLICK HERE to read the details, and I urge each one of you to donate at least one item from the list (or make your own list of items, share it here, and receive my eternal gratitude).

I'm sure Olive Drive wouldn't mind your donations (in fact, they would LOVE your donations!), but I urge any school (Southwest, Northwest, East, South...anywhere!) to become involved in this great cause! I challenge other schools to meet or BEAT Olive Drive Elementary's donations.  There are no losers in this endeavor, only winners.

I realize that we all get busy with our lives and that it's easy to temporarily forget that our soldiers are still out doing what they do.  Let's not forget them! 

Is there a prize for who donates the MOST to our soldiers? Nothing tangible other than a reminder to our troops of their value, our gratitude, and our constant and unflagging support.

Imagine what you would be doing to help our many men and women in the miliatary who don't have even the basic toiletries from home. You could be your own sort of hero.

Thank you,

Dana