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Kerman Harvest Festival, Parade Held Sept. 13-16

The only disappointment with being named a grand marshal of the Kerman Harvest Festival and Parade is that you don’t get to keep the cool ride supplied by the Chamber of Commerce! Below, Rhonda and Steve Armstrong enjoy the place of honor Saturday morning, Sept. 15.

News Photos

Annual Harvest Festival Kicks off on Sept. 13

The 63rd Kerman Harvest Festival kicks off Thursday evening, Sept. 13, at about 5 p.m. in Kerckhoff Park. Admission is free that evening, and at about 7:15 p.m. opening ceremonies will be held, and Grand Marshals Steve and Rhonda Armstrong will be introduced.

The evening will also feature seniors night activities.

Local booths, a carnival and live music each evening will be the main attractions for the four night event. Admission will be charged on Friday through Sunday, $4 for adults and $2 for children.

A highlight of the Festival will be the parade, held on Madera Ave. and beginning about 10 a.m. Saturday morning.

Rhonda and Steve Armstrong

Steve and Rhonda Armstrong have been named Grand Marshall for the 2007 Kerman Harvest Festival this year. The distinction is quite an honor in the community of Kerman. The Grand Marshall designation is bestowed on an individual or a couple who has been heavily involved in the community for many years.

The Kerman Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors examines the civic involvement, community service, extracurricular activities, of the person or couple has participated in over the years.

The Armstrongs have been married for 33 years, living and working in Kerman their entire lives. Steve has coached numerous sports teams, announced at countless parades and football games as the "voice of Kerman", founded the Kerman Quarterback Club, and was named the Fresno County Volunteer of the Year in 1992.

Rhonda has served on the City of Kerman Planning Commission and the Kerman Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Rhonda has worked at Kerman telephone for 35 years, Steve has worked for the compnay for 30 years.

This fall they will be making a major transition in their lives and careers – they have decided to move to Foresthill, Calif., where Rhonda will serve as Vice President of Operations for the company, and Steve will work as an Install & Repair Technician. They are excited about the move, but will greatly miss the Kerman community.

Grand Opening Held for New Sikh Temple

Hundreds of visitors from throughout the Valley turned up in Kerman Sunday, July 1, to celebrate the grand opening of the Sikh Gurdwara Anand Garh Sahib temple, on vineland, near F St.

The site boasts the new temple, and plans are to build a larger structure, with the current building becoming a community center. The project was budgeted at $1.2 million.

There are other Sikh temples nearby - one in San Joaquin and another new and larger facility in Fresno, which also opened over the weekend.

Thirty or so protestors turned up as well, chanting on the sidewalk across the street from the temple for about an hour. They were unhappy with some of the actions of Punjabi visitors to the grand opening, citing political and religious differences going back to the Punjab region of India, and a desire for an independent homeland.

Rotary Names Businessman, Volunteer of the Year

ABOVE (l to r) Jeff Copeland, Steve Slumberger, Paul Betancourt and Josh Daniels.

On Friday, June 8, the Kerman Rotary Club presented its annual community awards.

Steve Slumberger was recognized as "Kerman Rotary Businessman of the Year". Rotary President Paul Betancourt said, "Steve never asks for himself, he just continually gives to the community.

Josh Daniels earned the "Kerman Rotary Volunteer of the Year" award. Daniels has led a Bible study for middle school students that blends study, community service and paintball, among other things. Betancourt noted that Josh and his wife, Dr. Suhrei Daniels, represent the next generation of people giving back to the community.

Jeff Copeland is the President-elect of Kerman Rotary and will take over the reins on July 1.

Kiwanis Presents Scholarship

Erica Salazar is shown above receiving a $750 scholarship from Kerman Kiwanis representative Ronnie Garcia. Salazar will be attending UC Davis, taking pre-med courses. She says her dream job would be to return to the Valley, as a pediatrician working for Valley Children’s Hospital.