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History of the California City Community Club

The California City Community Club was founded in 1959 by a group of twenty California City residents. These pioneers foresaw the needs and services that would be required as California City grew. They picked “4C’s” as the nickname for the Community Club. Over the years, these pioneers initiated projects and organized people to improve the community as it developed.

Early on the 4C’s saw the need for a community building where people could meet and discuss community projects for the growing City. As a result of their efforts, the first town hall building was dedicated in November of 1960. They also saw the need for a fire department to protect the residents in the budding community. The members of the 4C’s put their organizing and promoting talents together and a volunteer fire department was formed early in1960. Later, the Kern County Fire Department was contracted to take over fire protection for the City and a new firehouse was built. The 4C’s also saw the need for some shade and beautification for the City and developed a tree-planting program, with 100,000 trees eventually being planted.

As the City and population grew, again the California City Community Club saw a need and led the planning for local self-government. The 4C’s established the California City Chamber of Commerce to promote the idea of City incorporation throughout the business community and to City residents. The Club arranged seminars and meetings to inform the residents of the benefits of self-government. They actively campaigned and promoted an incorporation drive, obtained signatures on petitions, and provided representatives to carry the petitions to the levels of government necessary to obtain incorporation. When the citizens of California City voted to incorporated, the 4C’s introduced and promoted elections that established the first City government officials. After the City government was established many of the officers of the Community Club ran and held City offices.

During the early years, the California City Community Club established a store and a credit union for the community. Although no longer functioning since commercial enterprises have long since taken over those services, the funding provided by those early entities still support the activities sponsored by the Club today.

In xxxx the California City Community Club acquired a historical California City building at 8190 Dogbane Avenue. This building once housed the volunteer fire department and was used as a community meeting place. Since acquisition by the Club, the building has been rented out for offices and storage, which has provided additional funding for the Club to use in its support of community activities.

Members of the 4C’s started and acted as sponsors for many of the community service clubs we have today, including the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, Little League, and Youth Soccer. The 4C’s paid for fencing for Balsitis Park, the location of the first Soccer League games. When the California City Middle School created the “Howler Awards” the 4C’s were there to provide financial support that continues today.

The California City Community Club supported the two-day erection of the Sprague Building by funding the electrical fixtures. The 4C’s continues to be an active member of the California City Chamber of Commerce and over the years has provided organizational support for the various celebrations of the anniversary of the City’s incorporation, including sponsoring the “Casino Night” and the end-of-year Dinner Dance for the recent 50th anniversary celebration.

In the past, the California City Community Club has sponsored pageants for Miss California City, Miss Teen California City, and Junior Miss California City. Since 1979 the 4C’s has sponsored the Little Miss California City Pageant.

The Club was established as a non-political, non-denominational, non-discriminatory and non-profit organization dedicated to improving life in the City.  The Board of Directors and Officers volunteer their time and efforts to provide a positive attitude in support of California City and its continuing growth and development. The Club currently focuses on supporting youth activities and other non-profit organizations and community activities.

Each year the Club holds a Harvest dinner in November, and in January it holds a spaghetti dinner at which current members can renew their membership and new members can join. The Club holds only one membership meeting a year, which is part of the spaghetti dinner in January. At this meeting the Board Officers and Board Directors are elected for the upcoming year.

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