Children learn about their hometown

The children who attend the Shafter Youth Center Summer Program were treated to a free history lesson as part of their curriculum last week as they held "Shafter Week".

According to Director Angie Nelson, the week was full of visitors who gave the kids valuable information about the history of the city, as well as displays on how the city is run today.

A visit from the Green Hotel's Susan Shaffner was up first as she told the kids some of the history of the hotel and how it came to be included in the National Historic Registry of historic landmarks. Shaffner gave the kids examples of what it was like to stay in the hotel, as well as what its use is today.

Barbara Gladden and Dixie Crane made a visit to talk about all of the wonderful items and history that the Shafter Depot Museum has to offer. They said that the museum is full of items that the residents of Shafter used throughout the generations including a collection of farm equipment, communication tools, household items that were used through the years, as well as clothing that was popular throughout the decades. Lynnda Martin came and spoke to the kids about the importance of recycling and composting. She told the children that the laws would be changing when it comes to how people throw away their garbage and the sooner our children learn the right way to dispose of it the better off we will be. They were there courtesy of American Refuse, a company that has been leading the charge when it comes to enlightening our community and schools the requirements that are coming when it comes to how we dispose of our waste.

Shafter Branch Library Director Ethan Picman finished off the week by kicking off the Summer Reading Challenge, sponsored by the Kern County Libraries. Picman said that kids can read books and get credit for them, accumulating points throughout the summer that will result in prizes at the end of the summer. Picman said that reading can transport you to another time and place and it doesn't even cost a thing. The kids had a lot of fun learning about the city of Shafter what their hometown is all about.