Warden firefighters go bald for a friend
Virginia Capetillo shears the hair off the head of Michael Leavitt Monday outside the Warden fire hall. Photo by Chaz Holmes/Columbia Basin Herald
Mayor's wife battling cancer
WARDEN - In a show of support for Virginia Capetillo, a group of firefighters shaved their heads outside the Warden fire hall Monday night.
Capetillo lost her hair due to the chemotherapy treatment she underwent for breast cancer on April 18. She is taking time away from work while she continues treatment. Virginia is scheduled for surgery on June 20, followed by four more chemotherapy treatments and radiation therapy.
She is Warden Mayor Roldan Capetillo's wife.
When city councilmember Todd Kisler heard of Virginia's hair loss, he remembered seeing friends show support of other cancer patients by shaving their heads. Kisler thought he'd do the same and recruit others at the fire department to help.
By coincidence, Jeff Whitaker was sporting a shaved head.
"So I said, 'Jeff, you're already on board with me' and he said, 'yes,'" Kisler said.
Kisler motioned at a fire department meeting for each firefighter who agreed to shave his head to have $50 donated to a fund to benefit the Capetillos.
"We want to be there for her because she's a great example in our community," Kisler said. "Anything we can do to help her I think is a great thing."
Kisler said about 20 people so far are participating. He said $1,100 was raised.
Virginia and her husband watched as the group took turns getting their hair cut and Virginia stepped in to trim Roldan's and some volunteers' hair.
"It's just an overwhelming feeling of appreciation. I don't even know how to say thanks to these firemen, who are doing this," she said. "I feel blessed. I would not trade this little town for anything in the world. I have lived here all my life and I'll live here forever. The people here are just very supportive … the whole town has stepped up and helped me through this."
Jerry Kinder said it didn't take any convincing for people to join.
"She's supported the community and we're here to support her," he said.
"It just describes the unity in the community. They all pull together and we all try to help out each other as much as we can," Roldan said.
To assist the Capetillo family during this time, an account is established at the Warden branch of the Bank of Whitman.
A schedule of families who wish to bring dinners to the Capetillos is being created. To be put on the calendar, contact Shelby Kok at 509-349-2599 or Sally Guerra at 509-349-2916.