Capuchinos named 2007 Citizen of the Year

By Volney Dunavan / Special To Sierra Star

(Updated: Monday, January 28, 2008, 12:30 PM)

"Augie and I want to thank the North Fork community for our selection," said Cindy Capuchino who, with her husband, were named North Fork's 2007 Citizen of the Year. The announcement was made Saturday night at a dinner hosted by the North Fork Boosters.

There was such an "awesome" group of generous time and energy giving people, she continued, "to make North Fork what it has grown to be: a volunteer, civic minded organized community."

Bill and Gretchen Choate, the 2006 Citizens, and Supervisor Tom Wheeler, the 1984 Citizen of the Year, reminded the audience that it was an honor in itself just to be nominated. Past citizens secretly vote for the new winner or winners from nominations from the public. This year's nominees were: Paul Abram, Pat Brown, Viola Carr, Hansel and Sue Kern, Juanita Noble, Mary Pearce and the Capuchinos. Many Citizens were nominated several times before they received the honor.

"It's a toss-up between tamales and enchiladas," Cindy quipped about the Citizen dinner she and Augie and their friends and family will host next January.

Augie has worked for 31 years in the local school district driving a bus or doing maintenance, usually at North Fork School. He conservatively estimated he has driven students on more than 85 field drips during the years for a mileage log of near 36,000 miles, some on a 16-hour day and some for three or four days. Previously he worked for the United States Forest Service.

"We should have handed the microphone over to Don Vasconcellos to get everyone up to date on the new fire station status," Cindy said.

There were mock serious calls from the audience about the much needed station, which has just received another major delay. Supervisor Wheeler quipped to the effect that the fire station would be built or those who vote for him would probably call for his impeachment. Augie has been with the North Fork Volunteer Fire Department for seven years, serving two as captain of North Fork's Company 11. Cindy also mused that they could have passed out flyers about the green reflective house number signs. This is an ongoing fundraiser for the Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary, one that was initiated by her husband.

Augie also is a runner. He placed fourth in the Valley of the Runner series, senior division, and has competitively appeared in the top 10 over the past 13 years. Annually he encourages eighth grade students to compete in his Catalina Ironman run of six miles to a 1,000 ft elevation, and has awarded trophies for that the past nine years at graduation ceremonies. He is the past president of the Sierra Track Club which generates money for high school scholarships. The entire family including daughters Brandi and Angelica were often involved with that club assembling race packets, maintaining water stations or acting as race officials.

Cindy has been with the Fresno Unified School District for 14 years. She has taught almost all elementary grades specializing in English language development, literacy, and English language arts. She has taught at Turner Elementary, Slater School and Wawona and Fort Miller Middle schools. She presently is at Tehipite, coaching the Bobcats in all phases of English and its use. She worked early on at Head Start while taking some early childhood education courses and earned her Masters in Education in 1998.

They both have been active with their church, St. Joseph's Mission Church, she spearheading yard and bake sales, and tamale and other dinner fundraisers. She also was a church lector for 20 years. Augie helps with the brushing and also organizes the annual work party.

As has been previously mentioned in the Sierra Star, the Capuchinos have taken on the Veterans Memorial Wall at Gas 'n Stuf in downtown North Fork. There are the names of North Fork young who have been or are serving in the various military branches since Sept. 11, 2001.

They cut, route and finish the names, almost all of which have graduated from North Fork School, and then hang the plaques on the wall. So far all have returned home safely, frequently having a picture taken next to their name on the wall.

"It was absolutely great to see so many people that we have known over the years, so excited and thrilled for us," Cindy says, noting that Augie says he still feels like it was a dream.

They are the niece and nephew of Tom and Eva Capuchino of Wishon.