Stephanie Frucella Education Pavilion Under Construction at Audubon

Jamestown, N.Y. – There is excitement at Audubon Community Nature Center (ACNC). Thanks to Bob and Kathy Frucella, the Stephanie Frucella Education Pavilion is under construction in Audubon’s backyard. 

ACNC Executive Director Leigh Rovegno explained, “We are thrilled to be able to expand our capacity for learning with the addition of this beautiful structure. 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.”

The Jamestown couple support ACNC because they believe in what Audubon does, and because their daughter did too. Stephanie 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.”

Audubon Community Nature Center builds and nurtures connections between people and nature by providing positive outdoor experiences, opportunities to learn about and understand the natural world, and knowledge to act in environmentally responsible ways. Visit at 1600 Riverside Road, one-quarter mile east of Route 62 between Jamestown, N.Y., and Warren, Pa., or online at AudubonCNC.org.

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