Friendly Faces
Hospital volunteer hands out coffee, good cheer
By Kelsey Baker / For The Clovis Independent Friday, Jun. 27, 2008
For 41 years, Bernie Aispuro ruled the roost as warden of some of California's most infamous prisons such as Soledad and San Quentin.
If only the inmates could see him now.
Aispuro, 81, spends his days handing out coffee and good cheer as a volunteer in the surgery waiting room at Clovis Community Medical Center.
He believes people are people, whether they are behind bars or waiting anxiously for loved ones in surgery.
Juan Pedraza makes it his job to comfort heavy hearts
By Kelsey Baker / For The Clovis Independent Friday, Jun. 20, 2008
Sorrow, grief and tears are often fixtures at funerals, but at the Clovis Cemetery one man goes out of his way every day to help ease the pain.
Juan Pedraza, 49, has worked at the Clovis Cemetery for a little more than 12 years, putting in five and sometimes six days a week.
His official job title is operations manager, but it's the little things that he does that make a difference, say the people who work with him during funerals.
"During the cold months, Juan is the one that is always out there with blankets," said Lyndel James, manager of Boice Funeral Home. "In the five years we have known him, Juan has always been accommodating for our home and extremely conscientious of the families and what they are going through."
Clovis volunteer finds life rich with opportunities
By Stephanie Thorne / For The Clovis Independent Friday, Jun. 13, 2008
Bob Althoff may be retired, but that doesn't mean he's slowed down.
Some would say the 69-year-old Clovis man is practically a full-time volunteer, whether teaching reading to elementary school children, building houses for the needy or helping worthy high school students receive scholarships.
But he has a secret. He'll tell you with a smile he has an ulterior motive for everything he does.
"The No. 1 reason I do it is, it makes me feel so good," he said. "I just love the kids and love being there to cheer them on."
Golden Eagle's campus mom a fan of students, patriotism
By Stephanie Thorne / Special For The Independent Friday, May. 30, 2008
Rosemarie Reed's official title is student activities specialist II, but she's actually a campus mom, adviser, friend and cheerleader.
For 22 years, Reed, 61, has worn many hats at Clovis West High School. From helping out in the Special Education department to staffing the print shop in the front office, Reed has filled each role with a genuine love for what she was doing.
It's apparent to the students and employees around her.
"As long as she is helping someone, she gets satisfaction out of her job," said Jennifer Hunter, a graduate of the 2006 class. "She always had this glow around her. When she smiled or laughed, it just made us feel good."
Sports Annoucer gets close to dream
By Laura Hachman / For The Clovis Independent Friday, May. 23, 2008
As a kid, Terry Giffen dreamed of becoming the San Francisco Giants stadium announcer.
Although he never made it to the Giants, Giffen's deep, soothing voice is well known in Clovis sport circles.
He has been the announcer for boys basketball at Clovis High School, as well as at many wrestling duals. This season he added baseball to his announcing repertoire.
Giffen, a native of Fresno, was a dreamer and a die-hard Cal fan all his life.
Clovis Rodeo's 'Queen Mother'
By Josh Lopez / Special To The Independent Friday, Apr. 25, 2008
Her official title is director, but to contestants in the Clovis Rodeo Queen competition, Eva Pollard is known as the "Queen Mother."
Pollard's enthusiasm and respect for both rodeo and Clovis have molded past queens, who attribute their character and successes in life to Pollard.
Holly Andrus, 2002 Miss Clovis Rodeo, said Pollard "makes you want to be a better person."
"She's awesome," Andrus, 26, said. "She is very classy and elegant. She's like Jackie O. She really cares about the queen contest and she's all about making you a better person and having you grow as a lady.
Western artist Claudia Fletcher knew early on she had to draw
By Josh Lopez / For The Clovis Independent Friday, Apr. 04, 2008
In Claudia Fletcher's painting, "The Trade-In?" an early 20th century cowboy considers giving his horse to a motorcycle shop that takes all trades.
But in reality, the Clovis artist wouldn't trade horses for anything.
As a child, she loved horses so much that she drew them on the margins of her catechism books.
Fletcher said there's a camaraderie between horses and girls. "I think it's the freedom of getting on a horse and galloping across the field and getting away from home," Fletcher said.
Horses part of Clovis woman's early memories
By Joy Pickering / Special to The Clovis Independent Friday, Mar. 28, 2008
For a woman who has spent most of her life on a horse, one of Tish Wilhite's earliest memories is of being bucked off one and then being kicked in the head by it.
When Wilhite was 4, she was riding through a patch of deep grass on her grandparents' property in Sanger and fell off her horse.
She jumped up quickly to show she was OK, but the scared horse kicked her. She was rushed to the hospital and ended up with 12 stitches.
"I started kindergarten with a partially-shaved head," Wilhite said.
Everyone calls him Pastor
By Gabriel Alexander / Independent Staff Writer Friday, Mar. 28, 2008
Tim Rolen is a celebrity when he walks the streets of Clovis.
The pastor of New Hope Community Church seems to know everybody in town.
"Hi, Pastor Tim," one woman says while he's having a drink at The Little French Hen Café. "I saw you on TV."
Another woman hugs him before ordering a drink at the Old Town Clovis coffee shop.
Cougar Pride
By Kelsey Baker / Special To The Independent Friday, Mar. 28, 2008
The Cougar may be Clovis High School's mascot, but for 12 years one man has been synonymous with school spirit.
That's Richard Pippig, a 55-year-old volunteer team manager for four sports who has probably seen more Clovis High athletics than most people do in a lifetime.
"I love the kids at Clovis. Everyone is so nice to me," said Pippig, who lives with a disability that keeps him from driving and holding a regular job.
His smile, his shouted words of encouragement and his ever-ready willingness to help are fixtures on the sidelines virtually every time Clovis high football, basketball, and boys and girls volleyball teams play.
There's more to Rex Phebus than the rodeo
By Ian Holmes / Special to The Independent Friday, Mar. 28, 2008
He arrives at the Clovis Rodeo Grounds faithfully at 8 each morning, working until 3 each afternoon.
He holds the distinction of serving on the board of directors of the Clovis Rodeo Association for over 50 years, acting as president for five years from 1974 to 1978.
Standing by an electric cart with the words Clovis Rodeo Association on the side, 86-year-old Rex Phebus downplayed his accomplishments and service to the organization.
"Every day I come down and do little jobs here and there," the modest Phebus said.
Staying in tune
By Jillian Brackett / Special to The Independent Friday, Mar. 28, 2008
Try as he might, Pat Gutierrez can't seem to get away from Clovis High School. After two attempts at retirement in the past decade, Gutierrez is back in the classroom. And that's the way his students like it.
"Mr. Gutierrez is a really good teacher," said Clovis High sophomore Elizabeth Yanez. "He's been around for awhile so he knows what he's doing."
The 15-year-old plays piano and keyboard for the school's marimba band led by Gutierrez. She said it just wouldn't be the same with a new teacher; he wouldn't bring the wisdom "Mr. G" does.
Her brother, Richard Yanez, a 17-year-old lead guitarist, agrees.
'The King' of the sideline
By Morgan Steger / Special to The Independent Friday, Mar. 28, 2008
Clovis East sophomore Mark Gassett loves football -- the only problem is he can't play sports.
But Mark, often called "Markie" around campus, hasn't let the heart condition that prevents him from working up a sweat on the gridiron keep him off the field.
In fact, he's become a local celebrity of sorts, the king of the Clovis East High sideline, where he can be seen at every game in his Timberwolves jersey cheering and making his rounds as a varsity ball boy and water boy.
"Everybody actually knows me," Markie said.
Study break
By Joy Pickering / Special to The Clovis Independent Friday, Mar. 28, 2008
At Reyburn Intermediate, he's known as Mr. Grant. But at Rotary Skate Park, fellow skaters just call him Kevin.
The 43-year-old seventh-grade science teacher by day, skateboarder by night, doesn't act his age. And that's the way he wants it. "I skate with people of all ages -- teens, 20s and buddies my own age," Grant said. "It's a good way to get to know people who have the same interests."
Grant spends two nights a week skating the bowls and pools at Rotary Skate Park, where he often runs into his students. "Most of them are better than me," he claims modestly.
"The kids trip out to see their teacher skate in a pool," Grant said.
City clerk and Navy commander says life is what you make it
By Farin Montanez / Special to The Independent Friday, Mar. 28, 2008
Clovis City Clerk John Holt says there are people who are lucky and people who make their own luck.
The 45-year-old Navy commander, public official and proud father said he has made his own luck.
"I work my ass off at my job to do a good job," Holt said.
But what is a city clerk's job? "It's really boring stuff," Holt laughs.
The Dancing Man
By Morgan Steger / Special to The Independent Friday, Mar. 28, 2008
Sometimes Jim Ray's cowboy boots are the only footwear stomping out the right steps.
But that doesn't matter one bit -- Ray's Clovis Adult Education dance classes are all about fun and the dancing man, decked out in black from the brim of his cowboy hat to the tips of his ever-moving boots, is just the one to provide it.
Ray, 56, is a staple of Clovis Adult's Older Adult Program, where he teaches 10 classes covering all genres of western dance to some 1,500 students a month.
During one such class, he patiently called out steps on his microphone headset as the over-50 crowd that made up the bulk of his class turned, shuffled and toe-tapped along.
Energy, warm personality make Ellie Huston shine
By Kelsey Baker / Special To The Independent Friday, Mar. 28, 2008
So what kind of person is Ellie Huston, a non-stop Clovis booster who never runs out of energy?
"One of a kind," said husband Don Huston II.
"A real kick in the pants," said son Don Huston III.
Huston has spent most of her 70 years in Clovis, and most of that time boosting the city, either unofficially or officially in her current job as interimchief executive officer of the Clovis Chamber of Commerce.
City Planner
By Cindy Ryan / Special to The Independent Friday, Mar. 28, 2008
In just 49 short years, Dwight Kroll has saved a life, broken his back paragliding, traveled to the former Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War and rock-climbed in Thailand.
But he considers his greatest achievement to be his 25-year contribution to Clovis' personality.
"I'm proud to have been a component of what sets Clovis off from the rest of the state," said Kroll, city planner for the city of Clovis. "I enjoy seeing things work out [for Clovis], and my connection to what the community has become."
Mike Dozier, the city's community and economic development director, said Kroll should get the most credit for Old Town.
The Cookie Lady
By Jillian Brackett / Special to The Independent Friday, Mar. 28, 2008
Wherever she goes, Dorothy Narinian, barely 5 feet tall, leaves a big impression.
And usually a batch of cookies.
Walking through the corridors of the Clovis Senior Center, 84-year-old "Dot" stops every couple of steps to greet or joke with fellow seniors.
Several quip along the way, "You watch out for that one," or "She'll keep you on your toes. That Dot's a feisty one."
Success built on 12 orders of veal scaloppini
By Donna Taketa / Special to The Independent Friday, Mar. 28, 2008
People told them no one would support them, that they would close in three months.
They were denied credit by the bank and borrowed money from a friend just to buy groceries.
The Libertas didn't hire any employees for that unadvertised opening day of their restaurant on a Monday in 1969, but they should have.
That first day, business boomed at the small Italian pizzeria, and 12 orders of veal scallopini alone confirmed to Franco and Carmella Liberta they would be a success.
Gettysburg Elementary teacher lets love of kids S-P-A-R-K-L-E
By Ian Holmes / Special to The Independent Friday, Mar. 28, 2008
With five minutes to spare before dismissal, the teacher enthusiastically said to her students, "Let's play a quick game of Sparkle."
It's a simple game. Students are given a word and individual students call out one letter in succession. The last speller calls out the word sparkle. "The next word is thought," she quizzed the second-graders. "I thought about it in my mind."
As she pointed to the students, the designated spellers called out the letters, t-h-o-u-g-h-t. "SPARKLE," shouted the last speller.
The spelling game isn't the only thing sparkling in Valerie Casado's second-grade classroom at Gettysburg Elementary School. Casado's personality shines as the 53-year-old energetically discharges her teaching duties, instilling her students with self-esteem along the way.
