This article is a composite piece by interns Ali Muldoon, Alicia Tang, Julia Barcello, Kelly Youngman, Maesa Procopio, Tabitha Baker, and Michael Korvyakov
On Thursday, June 30th, the people of Greenwich gathered together at the 7th annual Greenwich Sentinel Award Event to congratulate and honor the hard work of Bob Capazzo, a renowned photojournalist who has been perfecting his craft for 35 years and never fails to frame Greenwich in its best light.
Many friends and family were there to show their appreciation for the time and effort that Bob displayed throughout his time working in Greenwich. Capazzo plays a key role in keeping the community whole, especially with his positive attitude and 100% dedication to his career.
Long time Greenwich resident Sophia Scarpelli explained, “he is a heck of a nice guy” who is “really good at what he does.” It is no secret that there are many social gatherings in town, and Scarpelli explained that Capazzo has done “amazing pictures for years of all events.”
For his dedication to the town of Greenwich, the Greenwich Sentinel awarded him the Sentinel Award on Thursday, June 30, along with an engraved bowl and custom cufflinks.
Friends and family of Bob congregated at the Greenwich Audubon Center to be a part of this celebration. The air was light and filled with laughter as guests mingled, enjoyed food and drinks from several vendors and discussed the awardee. In attendance were almost all of the previous Sentinel Awardees, state and federal politicians, and countless of Capazzo’s friends.
The evening struck the perfect balance between classy and whimsical with an open bar, transcendent charcuterie spread, uproarious speeches about Capazzo, and, of course, an owl and baby alligator.
First Selectman Fred Camillo said of the Greenwich Sentinel, “it’s a local newspaper, and it really has a local feel to it. Not every paper does… and I read it every week.”
One speaker at the ceremony applauded the Sentinel for staying true to their values by stating that “when every other media outlet runs with the idea that if it bleeds it leads, the Sentinel upholds kindness, thoughtfulness, and generosity.”
During the award ceremony, each of the speakers spoke to Capazzo’s friendliness, his compassion for others, and his commitment to his community through endearing anecdotes and humorous memories. First Selectman Fred Camillo said in his speech, “[Bob] makes Greenwich a better place for us all,” before proclaiming Friday, July 1st, 2022 as Robert Capazzo day in the town of Greenwich.
As part of the awards, Representative Jim Himes, who serves the fourth district of Connecticut, provided Bob with a certificate of recognition from the House of Representatives remarking that Bob was “the town of Greenwich embodied.” Senator Richard Blumenthal, another attendee, presented him with a certificate of recognition from the US Senate, joking that the recognition was passed by a “significant bipartisan majority.”
Bob thanked everyone who has helped him earn this award including his mom, grandfather, wife, and close friends. “Behind every man, there’s a great woman… to my lovely wife. She is the one who sent me back to school… She supported me, if it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be here” stated Capazzo.
Geri Sanderson, a longtime friend and coworker of Bob’s, said, “He’s a great photographer and a terrific human being.”
Senator Blumenthal noted in a one-on-one interview that Capazzo and past awardees demonstrate what makes Greenwich such a wonderful town; “A sense of community and common purpose.”
“When he puts his camera down you see his smile. He’s part of memorable occasions, but he adds to it he doesn’t just document them in photography. Just his positive attitude and of course not even to mention his music,” Chief Heavey says during the evening event.
During Capazzo’s acceptance speech, he described the reason for his success both personally and professionally. In his words, what grants someone success is not their personal possessions or the money in their bank account, but rather their ability to treat others with respect and compassion.
Capazzo urged the audience, “raise your hand if I’ve actually taken your picture.” A remarkable majority of hands in the room shot up. “Most people collect things like houses and cars and jewelry and antiques,” Capazzo said in closing. “I actually collect the people. I collect relationships and collect you.”
