Turlock, a small town residing within the heart of theCentral Valley. It’s not very noticeable, one could drive right through it and not be surprised as to what lay in its borders, but there is one thing that is putting this quaint town on the map. That one thing is the success of hometown hero, Colin Kaepernick.

      As a former Pitman graduate, Kaepernick has received lots of support and cheer fromTurlock. Now the starting quarterback for the San Francisco Forty-Niners, he has acquired immense fame and a huge fan base. Recently, Kaepernick, noticing Pitman’s support sent the faculty and staff members of Pitman High, cupcakes, which were aptly named “Kaepcakes.” However, his fans aren’t limited to just his previous high school, but the whole ofTurlock.

      One particular way that the city honored and supported Kaepernick, was through a pre-game tailgate for the 2013 Superbowl. The event was called Turlock Believes. It took place at Pitman High, on February 2nd, right before the Super Bowl, from 11am to 2pm. The community tailgate included several events and attractions. Attractions included food vendors, shirt vendors, and performances from the local talent pool. Even some Pitman clubs were involved with the Turlock Believes tailgate. One club was Key Club who had their own little stand. Some members of the Turlock Fire Department were there as well, as evidenced by the arrival of their fire truck.

 Turlock High members also participated in the festivities. They had a group of cheerleaders perform their dance routine to pump the crowd up. This also goes for members of Turlock Junior High.

      Though the Forty-Niners lost to the Ravens during the Superbowl,Turlockwill continue to give immense support to our own Colin Kaepernick. Whether it’s through foods named after him, holding community events, or even by Kaepernicking, this hometown hero sure won’t be forgotten any time soon.