A ceremony took place Thursday, Jan. 7, at the Independence Room of the Clovis Veterans Memorial Building to swear in two members to the CVMD Board of Directors.
Arthur Patrick Ruth and Don Watnick were sworn in by Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig. Ruth and Watnick will serve a term of four years.
Watnick will serve as the Vice Chairman. He has been part of the CVMD Board of Directors since 2012.
He served our country as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy and has been a resident of Clovis for over 35 years. Watnick serves in various boards and clubs. He is also a member of the Clovis Hall of Fame Council.
Watnick said it was an honor to be on the board. He stated they are anxious to continue their work but due to the current COVID-19 shutdown it has been difficult to get anything done.
“There is a lot of history that we would like to impart to the youth of the community. We have a good working relationship with all the schools in the area,” Watnick said. “We have high hopes for the future, but there is not much we can do as long as the governor has us locked down.”
The other board member sworn in was Arthur Patrick Ruth, a long time resident of Clovis. This will be his first term as board director.
Ruth played baseball at Clovis High School and Fresno State before being drafted into the pros by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1991. He organized the first military signing day for Clovis Unified School District. He is an active member of the community.
The Clovis Veterans Memorial District is a permanent living memorial founded in 1946. Their board of directors have worked to maintain the facility, bringing events and community opportunities to Clovis.