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JULY/AUGUST 2004 President’s Message Last week our nation’s 40 th President, Ronald Reagan, passed away after a long and courageous battle with Alzheimer’s disease. The entire country mourned, as we watched his State Funeral in Washington, D.C., with his final burial on the grounds of his California library. It was a grand farewell, to the “Gipper.” His faith in America uplifted an entire Nation. Our Club also lost a great member and friend, with the death of Evelyn Darrigo. She was always there for the Italian Club, the Cemetery and for the Ladies Auxiliary. We also lost in death Grace Savarino, at the age of 93. She supported our club with her graceful attendance to many functions. The presence of these two ladies will be sorely missed. The Tampa Bay Lightning made us very proud with their winning of the Lord Stanley Cup. Tampa is no long just a Bucs town. It is a now the town of the Bolts, as well. I want to especially congratulate, their Italian-American coach, John Tortorella. It was a great victory for all of Tampa. Members, you’ll be hearing more about the Bolts and the Italian Club in the very near future. L’UNIONE ITALIANA 1731 East Seventh Avenue Tampa, Florida 33605 LUnione@Italian-Club.org 813-248-3316 • 813-247-4387 fax NEWSLETTER STAFF Editor: Krista L. Jones Co-Editor: Alice R. Mueller OFFICERS Joseph Capitano, Sr., President Sal Guagliardo, Vice-President Stephanie Cannella vanBelzen, Secretary Jay Anthony, Treasurer BOARD OF DIRECTORS Joe Caltagirone, Grace Campisi, Angela Daxon, Al Garcia Jr., Jamie Granell, Felicia Kopelman, Linda Lastra, George Migliori, Vince Pardo, Don Pellegrino, Rosalie Perrone, Wayne Piazza, Violet Rodriquez and Honorary Board Member Fortune Bosco ADVISORY BOARD Joseph Capitano, Jr. On club news this month, the air conditioner was struck by lightning. The air conditioning will be down for an entire month. It hit the chiller and the compressor. We are also experiencing some water intrusion into the building and are now seeking to find a solution to our problems, along with some roof leaks. We will keep you posted. The club has plans in the works to start an Italian Club Krewe. The Club has been represented for the past two years in the Sant’Yago Knight Parade with a float. Interest is on the rise and plans are in effect. If you have an interest please phone Krista Jones for future information. The Italian Club Ladies Auxiliary had their 50’s party with great success! The Memorial Day Service at the Italian Club Cemetery was a momentous event. Congratulations to both organizations. Please note that in the month of July there is NO Board Meeting. See you all in August. Have a safe and wonderful summer! Special thanks to the following supporters DAVINCI ($500) Lisa DeBartolo The Bromley Companies John Puls, Jr. Bennie & Joyce Lazzara Carol LaMonte Eugene & Celesta Greco Ralph & Betty Hughes Vigo Importing Co Central Park Village Youth Services, Inc. BENEFACTORS ($300) AJ’s Outdoors, Inc. Dan & Vera Iovino Sebastian Castellano Delores Lastra Ronald & Shannon Christaldi Patrick & Cynthia Cimino Rene Rodriguez Sam C. Colucci Sunny Florida Dairy Gerardi Construction Mike Trentalange Marathon Ashland Petroleum PATRONS ($200) Jack Almand Hon. Jess Juliante Jay Patrick Anthony Benjamin LaMonte Frank V. Campisi Vince & Jan Pardo John A. Caporice Richard & Velia Parrino Jimmy & Sandy Violet Verroca Rodriquez Chillura Scott Steady John & Jana Curatelli TECO Angeles Ferlita Jim & Linda Taggart Kenneth & Madlein Ferlita John & Marcy Green Peter & Deborah Tagliarini Village Lawn Care, Inc. Joseph Capitano, Sr. PAGE 2
JULY/AUGUST 2004 Ybor City-Paradise Lost The Neighborhood of Chiaroscuro Written by Gilda Ferlita Capitano, Cultural Chairperson Continued from the May/June 2004 issue... On April 9, 1996, Jacob Buchman, who lives on Harbour Island, was asked questions about his Jewish background and the part his family played in the heartbeat of Ybor City’s past. His grandparents were Jacob and Jennie Buchman. His grandfather, Jacob, emigrated from Odessa, Russia, along with his two brothers in 1896. They lived for a while in Plant City, Florida, before settling in Ybor City. “Remember,” the younger Buchman said, “Russia was oppressed by the Czar, so America became their new home.” The elder Jacob had a son, Louis, born in 1913, right in Ybor City. “My father was raised right on 7 th Avenue and 19 th Street. In 1906, my grandfather opened Buchman’s Department Store, it closed in 1970 or so, after Urban Renewal had affected the merchants in Ybor City,” recalls Buchman. Louis Buchman spoke Yiddish, English, Spanish, and Italian. “My grandfather wanted his children to especially speak Spanish and Italian, so they could better deal with everyone in town,” says Jacob as he continued, “we grew up right on La Septima, he made his living there and he lived there until he got married. In 1948, he opened Modern Home Furnishings, owned the building and operated it for quite some time.” Buchman’s Department Store was a dry goods store, and its employees were from different ethnic backgrounds. “There were many Jewish merchants there,” said Buchman. He continued, “The Warsaws, whose daughter, Sandy Warsaw Freedman, later served Tampa as its first female mayor, had the Jewel Box jewelry store on La Septima. The Verkaufs had a clothing store. Sammy Argintar, along with his son Andy, still owns and operates Max Argintar Men’s Wear located at 1522 E. 7 th Avenue, which his father, Max, started in 1908. These stores were open till late – until the customers left.” Mr. Buchman went on to say: I can assure you the Jewish merchants made good use of the Ritz Theater as a babysitter for their children. I can still remember my Dad giving me a nickel for the movies and twenty-five cents for ice cream. My parents made me work in the store after school hours. Mom worked right along with Dad. The blacks had no choice but to buy from an all white ethnic group, because there were no black proprietors. “Dad and Mom went to all the dances at the Italian Club. They developed close relationships with the Italians,” recalled Buchman, “and, when I was growing up, most of my friends were Italian, the Diecidues, the Datos.” Jacob Buchman concluded with: PAGE 3 Ybor City will never be a neighborhood of families again. It is too expensive. It is for entertainment, because the square footage price cannot be afforded by a family. Bessie Vaccaro Vacanti, of Sicilian parents, grew up on 11 th Avenue and 15 th street, but now lives in Tampa Heights. “We had a grocery store around the corner, till the big supermarkets opened up. They killed all the small stores,” she said. “We had a lot of Cuban and Spanish neighbors, because this was considered West Ybor and most Italians lived East” she remarked. She remembers jumping rope with her Cuban playmates and singing this song, “El patio de mi casa e particular.” She said even boys jumped rope too, and hopscotch was also in vogue. She also remembers her father going towards Palmetto Beach in South Ybor City to a fig farm. She remembers they were the most gorgeous figs she has ever seen in her life. “They didn’t seem real,” she said. The figs in her father’s basket would have put Cleopatra’s figs to shame. Mrs. Vacanti feels her neighborhood was safe, friendly, even though ethnically mixed, they got along together. An interview with her daughter, Angie Vacanti Cannella, who grew up at 2403 14 th Avenue between Continued on page 4.
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