Thanks to the generosity of Bob and Kathy Frucella, construction of the Stephanie Frucella Education Pavilion is underway at Audubon Community Nature Center. From left, Kathy Frucella is holding a photograph of Stephanie at the building site with Audubon Executive Director Leigh Rovegno and Education Coordinator Sarah Hatfield.

The Stephanie Frucella Education Pavilion is under construction in the Audubon Community Nature Center’s backyard.

“We are thrilled to be able to expand our capacity for learning with the addition of this beautiful structure,” said Leigh Rovegno, Audubon Community Nature Center executive director. “It will provide additional educational space for camp, school field trips, and public programs, and we are so grateful to the Frucellas for making this possible.”

Bob and Kathy Frucella of Jamestown support the Audubon Community Nature Center because they believe in what Audubon does and because their daughter did too. Stephanie Frucella enjoyed walking the ACNC trails with her parents as a child making her own nature discoveries. She grew up to become a fourth grade teacher who loved sharing her passion for nature and the community with her students.

“For more than a decade the Frucellas have continued Stephanie’s legacy by supporting ACNC’s mission, and we are honored to have her memory be recognized through the work that we do,” Rovegno said.

The Frucellas have supported ACNC in many ways. They created the Stephanie Frucella Memorial Scholarship Fund, a merit-based camp scholarship that is awarded annually based on an applicant’s passion for nature and their commitment to community service.

They funded the first year’s salary for a new naturalist position with the expansion of Audubon’s presence in Warren (Pa.) County Schools in 2018. They supported the Nature Center’s third floor transformation into a nature play area.

Rovegno expressed the appreciation of everyone at Audubon when she said, “Thank you, Frucella family — for everything.”