Community Involvement

  

Kerman Telephone Co. strongly believes it is a responsibility and a privilege to provide support to the communities they serve. Kerman Telephone Co. welcomes the opportunity to provide community service in the area of education, in the form of student scholarships, classroom volunteers, and support of various other academic and athletic endeavors. In addition, the company enjoys the opportunity to host and participate in a variety of community events and activities.
 Projects and Programs

Kerman Branch Library

Kerman Community Literacy Program
Story Time at the Library
Dial-A-Story
Literacy Website
Book Break
Book Drive
Reading and Writing Contests at the Schools

Scholarships & Awards
Kerman Telephone Co. Outstanding Student Scholarship (Scholarship Program)
Kerman Telephone Co. Sebastian Award (Category 1-4)
KermanTel.Net Academic Award (Category 1)
KerTel Long Distance Extracurricular Activities Award (Category 2)
Sebastian Enterprises, Inc. Community Service Award (Category 3)
Sebastian Enterprises, Inc. Technology Award (Category 4)
2005 Scholarships & Awards Recipients

Blood Drives

Harvest Festival

Christmas Parade

Kerman Branch Library


Kerman Telephone Co. has a rich history of supporting our community, which is evident by the contributions the Sebastian family made in order to facilitate the construction of the new Kerman Branch Library, which opened on June 24, 2002. Located at Highway 145 and Kearney Boulevard opposite the town community center, the new Kerman library is twice as big as the old storefront. The Sebastian family—which owns the Kerman Phone Co.—contributed $255,000 for the effort and the City of Kerman donated the land.

The library features:
• 4,370 square feet of floor area
• 28 public, 2 staff seating capacity
• Capacity for 8 public computers
• 21,484 library items including special collections and artifacts for Punjabi, Spanish, and Russian cultures
• Young adult and children's area


For more information visit, http://www.fresnolibrary.org/branch/kman.html.

    

Kerman Community Literacy Program


In the Spring of 2003, Kerman Telephone Co. launched the Kerman Community Literacy Program. The goal of the program is to increase literacy awareness and reading skills in the community of Kerman. Investing in the future of our children, through educational efforts and community partnerships, is at the heart of our mission.

• This grassroots, community-based initiative has the support of many businesses, schools, religious organizations, and community members.

Participants support existing literacy programs and help develop new ones, recruit learning partners to read with or tutor young children, organize book drives, donate resources and more.

Kerman Telephone has committed each employee to spend 1 hour per month (approximately 60 hours total) of work time to performing community service.

• The Literacy Program currently is focusing on Kindergarten through 6th grade students, with the goal of extending to adult literacy and job skills training.

Story Time at the Library
On a monthly basis, Kerman Telephone Co. partners with the Kerman Branch Library to host Storytime for students in Kindergarten through third grade.The students enjoy storytelling by our staff, music, an arts and crafts project, snacks, and prizes. There is always a theme for the afternoon, which usually correlates with a holiday or a special event in town.

Dial-A-Story
We have established a local Dial-A-Story program (846-4918), in which students and small children can call a local telephone number and select from several stories that have been read and recorded by various employees and community members. A designated listening station has been established at the library, so that children may utilize the program while they are visiting there.

Literacy Website
We are currently working to create a literacy website where students can play educational games, write book reviews, listen to stories, and much more.

Book Break
During Winter break, Spring break, and summer vacation, we sponsor reading contests in which students log the title and author of the books they read. For every five books read, students are eligible to earn prizes and gift certificates. The reading logs must be signed by a parent or guardian, and are submitted to the library, where prizes are redeemed.

Book Drive
We collect children's books on an ongoing basis, to be distributed to students whose families would not otherwise be able to afford them. The books may be new or used, and can be dropped off at Kerman Telephone Co. during normal business hours.

Reading and Writing Contests at the Schools
We currently conduct reading and writing contests at various school sites in KUSD. An educational topic is selected, and students are awarded prizes for participation. The top performing participants will have their picture and essay featured in the local newspaper.

For more information regarding the Literacy Program, or to find out how you can become involved, please contact:
Michelle Fancher
Kerman Telephone Co.
559-846-4815
mfancher@kermantelephone.com

    

Scholarships & Awards


This scholarship program provides a four-year college scholarship based on a student’s performance in each of four basic categories. Smaller one-time awards may be given to the winner of each individual category. Scholarships may be used at any 2 or 4-year college or university.

  • Kerman Telephone Co. Outstanding Student Scholarship (Scholarship Program)
    • $2,500 per year for up to four years with a minimum 3.0 GPA and full-time status.
    • Criteria in 4 categories: 1.) scholarship (GPA and class load), 2.) extracurricular activities (athletics, music, student government, etc.) 3.) community service (community groups, church, etc.), 4.) perseverance, good citizenship, need, leadership skills.
  • Kerman Telephone Co. Sebastian Award (Category 1-4)
    • $1000
    • Criteria: 1.) academics (GPA and class load), 2.) extracurricular activities (athletics, music, student government, etc.) 3.) community service (community groups, church, etc.), 4.) technology aptitude 5.) other (perseverance, good citizenship, need, leadership skills).
  • KermanTel.Net Academic Award (Category 1)
    • $500
    • Criteria: demonstrated commitment to academics through achievement of high grades and a challenging class load.
  • KerTel Long Distance Extracurricular Activities Award (Category 2)
    • $500
    • Criteria: demonstrated commitment to Kerman Unified School District through participation in school-related extracurricular activities.
  • Sebastian Enterprises, Inc. Community Service Award (Category 3)
    • $500
    • Criteria: demonstrated commitment to the community of Kerman through participation in community-oriented organizations.
  • Sebastian Enterprises, Inc. Technology Award (Category 4)
    • $500
    • Criteria: demonstrated an interest in and aptitude for computer science, digital telephony technology, or related fields.
  • 2005 Scholarships & Awards Recipients

    Sebastian Enterprises Inc., parent company to Kerman Telephone Co., is proud to announce the following Kerman High School Leo Awards recipients:

    Ashley Samarin – Community Service Award ($500)
    Jessica Harris – Most Outstanding Student ($2,500 per year for all four years of school)
    Deidra Metzler – Sebastian Award ($1,000)
    Mandeep Kaur – Academic Award ($500)
    Kelly Haupt – Extracurricular Award ($500)
    Jennifer Safreno – Technology Award ($500)

    Congratulations and best wishes to all of these outstanding seniors!

Selection Procedure
a) Scholarship packet review
b) Interview by panel
a. A panel including a Sebastian family representative, a KTC representative, the KUHS Senior Learning Director, a community representative, and a representative to be selected by the KTC Board.

Funding Mechanisms
Kerman Telephone Co., KerTel Communications, Inc., KermanTel Long Distance, KermanTel.Net, Sebastian Enterprises, Inc.

For more information, download application (link to download application) and (link to download worksheet).

    

Blood Drives


Sebastian Enterprises, Inc. (Kerman Telephone Co.) sponsors several blood drives each year in conjunction with the Central California Blood Center of Fresno. These events, which average an intake of approximately 30 pints of blood each, provide area residents with the opportunity to contribute to this life saving effort without having to drive to Fresno.

    

Harvest Festival


The Annual Kerman Harvest Festival is a major community-wide event, held for four days in September of each year. The event is much-anticipated by both children and adults, as there is truly something for everyone. The event, which began in 1945, has a traditional county fair atmosphere, complete with food booths, vendors, carnival rides, exhibits, and entertainment. Sebastian Enterprises is a major participant each year, through decoration of a float in the annual Harvest Festival parade, a food booth during the event, and sponsorship of a special “Children’s Pavilion” booth, complete with activities, games, story tellers, prizes, and kid-friendly entertainment such as Oklin Bloodworth and Radio Disney.

    

Christmas Parade


Each year during the holiday season, Sebastian Enterprises participates in the annual Pageantry of Lights Christmas Parade down Madera Avenue. Always an annual favorite, approximately 20-30 employees spend a week prior to the parade helping decorate a holiday-themed float with as many lights as possible. Many of these same employees walk alongside the float during the parade, passing out candy canes and spreading holiday cheer to the smiling faces in the crowd.

For more information on how to volunteer, or to submit other community programs or causes for consideration, please contact:

Michelle Fancher at Kerman Telephone Co.
Direct Telephone: 559-846-4815
Email: mfancher@kermantelephone.com

    

Michelle Fancher
Director of Community Relations
Employee Since 2003
KermanTel.net

At the time of Michelle’s hire, the Kerman Community Literacy Program had only been in existence for about six months, with many program components and ideas still in the infancy stages. Eager to reach out to the children of the community, Michelle organized after-school Story times for children at the Kerman Branch Library, helped implement the Dial-A-Story telephone program for children, as well as organized reading and writing contests within the schools. She also spearheaded a 4-day Literacy Camp for K-3rd grade students in the summer of 2004.

In addition to the Literacy Program, Michelle is responsible for assisting with marketing efforts and research, community outreach programs, employee training, company events, and customer relations.

A native of Kerman, Michelle feels it is very important to be actively involved in the community. She currently serves as secretary on the Kerman Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, is a member of the KUSD Education Foundation, and is a member of the Kerman Soroptimist’s Club.

Education is a very important aspect of Michelle’s life, largely due to the educational efforts and encouragement that she provides to the students of our community. Michelle earned her Bachelor’s degree from CSU Fresno in 1999, a PPS credential from Fresno Pacific University in 2004, and is currently in the final stages of completion for her Master’s degree from Fresno Pacific University in 2005.


 

 
©2005 KERMAN TELEPHONE CO.