A fair for special people

specialPeople082:

Student David Jauregui and ribbon-winning goat, Bomb, both put their best faces forward for a picture at the Kern County Fair.

specialPeople083:

Teacher Elise Carroll had her smile on for the camera, but her students seemed more curious about the other sights still awaiting them at the fair.

You really have to dig a deep trench through the Kern County Superintendent of Schools’ (KCSOS) archives to find the first mention of “Special People Day” at the Kern County Fair. A Bakersfield Californian story titled “500 Handicapped Children Spend Day at the Fair” was written on Sept. 26, 1963. The accompanying picture shows two members of the Kern County Sheriff’s Mounted Posse, Ernie Ferguson and Cliff Neeley, watching a circus performance with six special needs children. The article hints that this was not the first year the posse had opened up the fair for deserving children. It mentions that A. C. Wynn was serving his 10th year as event chairman. That means it may have been happening as far back as 1953. Some posse veterans think it may go back further than that.

Things have changed quite a bit since the 1963 article was written. Back then, the posse served “30 dozen hot dogs, gallons of milk and ice cream and soft drinks.” At the Sept. 25, 2008 Special People Day at the Fair, KCSOS statistics show the posse barbecued more than 3,000 hamburgers and hot dogs for the students, teachers and aides, with an equal amount of soft drinks and other food.

Each year the nonprofit posse teams with fair officials and the Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office (KCSOS) to provide special needs students with this day of meaningful experiences. While the posse paid for carnival rides, bought food and cooked the lunches, KCSOS volunteers and those from other school districts bused the children in and provided supervision.

The day offers much more than a free meal for the children. It is an opportunity for them to socialize and experience life outside the classroom. The opportunity helps many children with sensory problems, overcome fears when introduced to petting animals. Students with hearing and sight disorders see and hear the day in enjoyable ways others may not grasp.

There was evidence of that when students in teacher Kevin Crosby’s special needs class at Sunset School gathered for a group picture beside a well-groomed, freshly-sheered and extremely patient brown-faced, white-coated goat named, ironically, Bomb. Bomb, owned by Granite Pointe Elementary School student Brooke Antonsen, took second place in its class during Fair judging. The curious and cautiously careful petting of the goat by Crosby’s students must have just seemed like more celebrity treatment from an adoring crowd to the goat, who never flinched.

The student’s faces and body gestures indicated much more excitement. Some eyed the animal warily, wanting to touch, but not quite able to overcome the anxiety of doing so. Others touched once and backed off to absorb and evaluate the experience. Many just smiled and petted numerous times while the pictures were being taken.

Students in teacher Elise Carroll’s Rio Bravo Elementary class were not sure taking a picture was what they wanted to do as they posed in front of a souvenir stand. But once they were handed “soap bubble guns” and a large Sponge Bob Square Pants balloon, the experience seemed at least a tolerable intrusion. Then, it was on their way to experience more definable moments awaiting them throughout the fairgrounds.

The ultimate destination was the Bolthouse Courtyard where the culinary handiwork of the posse was waiting to be tasted and enjoyed by the children. As he approached his seat at one of the long tables, Suburu School student Raymond Lara showed off his own fair animal, a five year-old Chihuahua named Wheeler. Lara may have been the only student who brought his own animal to the fair. But it was not unusual. According to Mom, Susan Lara, Wheeler has been Raymond’s wheelchair companion ever since it was a puppy. They are buddies.

At Special People Day, the sights may be almost as meaningful to observers as they are to the students.


Print This Page   Email This Page