If you live in Clovis, we are sure you have heard of it, the “Clovis Way of Life.”
The Clovis Way of Life was adopted in 1853 and has become a motto in our community ever since.
The basic and most common attributes that come to mind when you think about the Clovis Way of Life are things like flying an American flag on your porch, keeping up with your yards, being involved in a local church or organization, working hard to provide for your family and having the utmost respect for members of your community.
The Clovis Way of Life is all of those things, yet so much more. Clovis is not just a gateway to the Sierras, it is a destination and a place that many people are proud to call home for generations.
The people that make up Clovis are those who hold each other accountable for the standards and way of life that Clovis abides by.
Peg Bos was the former president of the Clovis Museum and was the first female mayor of Clovis from 1984-1986. As a long time Clovis resident that has always been a huge part in the Clovis community, Bos explains what the Clovis Way of Life means to her.
“To me, the Clovis Way of Life means to work hard, help your neighbor, have good work ethic, take care of your family, a tradition of building a school and church with a good education and by helping good families,” said Bos. “People need guidelines and I am proud that we have a model like Clovis as a way of life.”
2021 statistics from Niche.com, a website that provides “grades” and rankings to cities, state that Clovis has the highest overall “grade” of A-, the highest in all of Fresno County.
Clovis is also top ranked in schools, outdoor activities, health and fitness, safety, housing, and jobs.
Kim Dority and her husband Scott, own Dority Insurance & Financial Services, Inc., weighs in how she defines the Clovis Way of Life.
“In Clovis, I am surrounded by sensible, kind and loving people. It is the people that make Clovis what it is. Where the rest of the world seems to have gone crazy. Here in Clovis, we’ve remained pretty level headed and stable,” said Dority, “The people of Clovis are concerned about their children’s education and encouraging excellence. As an overall community they are concerned about safety and have a sense of community wellness. Clovis is a wonderful place to live.”
The education in Clovis is considered top tier in comparison to other Central Valley school districts and is nationally recognized. Clovis schools have been awarded National Honor awards and recognized as one of California Distinguished School districts based on academic excellence and student achievement.
The motto of the Clovis Unified School District is to constantly remind students to “Be the Best You Can Be in Mind, Body & Spirit” and that “Character Counts.”
Community and organizational involvement is what makes Clovis thrive. Many citizens in Clovis partake in extracurricular activities that better promote the city and help keep the city moving.
Todd Cook is a founding member of the California 9-11 Memorial Board as well as the Cook Land Company. Cook reflects on the pride that he has towards Clovis.
“The Clovis way of life means a sense of pride in preserving and protecting the small town atmosphere paying homage to our heritage, while planning and accommodating for growth and opportunities to its community members, along with ensuring the best education and healthcare possible to provide for our future,” said Cook.
Cook is a member of the Marjaree Mason Center board, part of the Clovis Unified School Foundation, and heavily involved with CART – Center for Advanced Research and Technology.
Cook also takes part in the Clovis Exchange Club, Clovis General Plan Update Committee, W.O.W. Fresno and the Miss Clovis Scholarship program.
Cook’s involvement in the Clovis community is a prime example of ways that he lives the Clovis Way of Life like many others in the community.
Throughout the year we will be featuring different organizations and members of the community to reflect on how they view the Clovis Way of Life to establish a deeper meaning and connection towards the reputation of Clovis.
Our first feature in the Defining the Clovis Way of Life series, we will be digging deeper into the involvement and service that Old Town Clovis has played in establishing “the Clovis Way of Life.”