Saludos de Tampa - Roland Rodriguez

[Rodrig54]

Saludos. Introductions come a bit awkwardly, but here goes:

Hello, I'm Roland Rodriguez, a native of the Ybor City neighborhood within Tampa. I was born in the Sanatorio del Centro Asturiano de Tampa - then a 144 bed hospital serving the large Asturian community in Tampa. The hospital closed on/ around 1991.

I am the Treasurer of the Centro Asturiano Club, in Tampa. The club has about 300 members, mostly second and third generation Asturian-Americans. The club has been in slow decline, as it once had thousands of members in its heydays - between 1902 (when founded) and the closure of its hospital. However, it remains financially viable.

As a bit of history, it was founded as a branch of the Centro Asturiano de la Habana in 1902. The club has a massive three story clubhouse to include a Cantina, teatro, y varios salones. In addition, it maintains two cemeteries in Tampa.

Cultural events are still happening: Dia de Asturias (coming up September 12), two semi-annual Verbenas; and for the last three years visiting dance companies from Aviles and Mallorca.

As for myself, my father's parents Aurora Y Ramonin Rodriguez came from Asturias. My grandmother was from Agones, just across the creek from Pravia, while my grandfather was born in colonial Havana from Gijon stock. My mother's side is Polish and French.

We still have distant relatives in Naveces, in Castrillon - a short ALSA ride from Piedras Blancas, Salinas and Aviles.

I'm an SVP with the Bank of America, and have worked there 31 years.

I'm married to Susan and have two kids, ages 11 and 13. Spanish is a struggle for them, but we visit Asturias every year, which keeps the Spanish in tune.

Adios

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Traducido por Leto

Saludos. Las presentaciones salen un poco torpes, pero ahí va:

Hola, me llamo Roland Rodríguez, soy natural de Ybor City, vecina con Tampa. Nací en el Sanatorio del Centro Asturiano de Tampa, que por aquel entonces era un hospital de 144 camas y servía a la extensa comunidad asturiana de Tampa. El hospital cerró en torno a 1991.

Soy el tesorero del Club Centro Asturiano en Tampa. El club tiene unos 300 miembros, mayoritariamente segunda y tercera generación de Asturiano-Americanos. El club ha ido decayendo poco a poco, pero durante su apogeo tuvo miles de miembros - entre 1902 (cuando se fundó) y el cierre del hospital. Como sea, permanece aún financialmente viable.

Un poco de historia: fue fundado como delegación del Centro Asturiano de la Habana en 1902. El club tiene una casa enorme de tres pisos que incluyen cantina, teatro y varios salones. Además, soporta dos cementerios en Tampa.

Todavía hay eventos culturales: Día de Asturias (próximo 12 de Septiembre), dos verbenas casi-anuales; y los tres últimos años nos han visitado compañías de baile de Avilés y Mallorca.

Sobre mí, los padres de mi padre, Aurora y Ramonín Rodríguez, vinieron de Asturias. Mi abuela era de Agones, justo al otro lado de la ría de Pravia, y mi abuelo nació en la Habana colonial, de ascendentes gijonenses. El lado de mi madre es polaco y francés.

Todavía tenemos parientes lejanos en Naveces, en Castrillón - trayecto corto en ALSA desde Piedras Blancas, Salinas y Avilés.

Yo soy SVP con el Banco de América, y llevo 31 años trabajando allí.

Estoy casado con Susan y tenemos dos hijos de 11 y 13 años. España les pilla un poco rezagados, pero visitamos Asturias todos los años, lo cual mantiene a tono el español.

Adiós

[Art]

Welcome, Roland!

It sounds like you're doing well at keeping your Asturian identity. Do you think the average grandchildren of Asturian immigrants in Tampa is aware of their heritage or cares about it?

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¡Bienvenido, Roland!

Parece que tienes mucho exito en mantener tu identidad asturiana. ¿Piensas que los nietos tipicos de inmigrantes asturianos en Tampa son conscientes de su herencia o se esta preocupado por esta herencia?

[Terechu]

Hello and welcome Roland.

Roland, it's great that you still visit Asturias with your children. No matter how much they find it a bore now, it will live in their hearts forever. These trips are the stuff future memories are of.

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Hola y bienvenido Roland.

Roland, es genial que sigas visitando Asturias con tus hijos. Por mucho que se aburran ahora, siempre la llevarán en el corazón - estos viajes son la materia de las memorias futuras.

Cheers
Terechu

[Miriam]

Roland, My name is Miriam Marie Menendez Correa from Tampa. My father is a member of The Centro Austuriano Club. I now live in Orlando Florida with my husband and children. I have posted a message in the Introductions section of the forum in hopes that someone may have some information about my family. My message is here:
http://www.asturianus.org/forum/viewtop ... =3271#3271

[edited by Art to remove duplicate message]

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Traducido por Leto

Roland, mi nombre es Miriam Marie Menéndez Correa, de Tampa. Mi padre es miembro del Centro Asturiano Club, Ahora vivo en Orlando Florida con mi marido y mis hijos. Envié un mensaje al foro con la esperanza de que alguien tuviera información sobre mi familia. Mi mensaje está en:
http://www.asturianus.org/forum/viewtop ... =3271#3271

[editado por Art para borrar mensaje duplicado]

[Rodrig54]

Miriam, take a peek at the following link:

http://www.lib.usf.edu/ldsu/index2.html ... tionid=C16

The University of South Florida, in Tampa, digitally cataloged all of the Centro Asturiano's membership roll. Most of the records predate the 1940's and there are over 5000 membership photos available. If the Asturiano came to Tampa and joined the club, as about 7000 did, odds are there's a picture of him in the collectionn.

The link should take you to a former socio identified as Jose Maria Menendez. Can't tell if he's your father, as other identifying remarks require a visit to the University. But there's a lot of Jose's out there.

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Traducido por Leto

Miriam, echa un vistazo al siguiente enlace:

http://www.lib.usf.edu/ldsu/index2.html ... tionid=C16

La Universidad del Sur de Florida, en Tampa, catalogó en formato digital todos los listados de miembros del Centro Asturiano. Muchas de las actas son anteriores a 1940 y hay más de 5000 fotos de socios disponibles. Si el Asturiano vino a Tampa y se unió al club, como casi 7000 hicieron, raro es que no haya una foto suya en la colección.

El enlace debería llevarte a un antiguo socio identificado como José María Menéndez. No te puedo decir si es tu padre, como otros comentarios de identificación requieren una visita a la universidad. Pero hay un montón de Josés ahí afuera.

[akurime]

Miriam, take a peek at the following link:

http://www.lib.usf.edu/ldsu/index2.html ... tionid=C16

The membership rolls seem to be missing? All I can find there are the photos. I have found the photos of my fiancee's family (I'm helping him research). They were members back in the early 1900's. We are trying to find out where his g-grandfather and possibly grandfather were from in Spain and were hoping the membership rolls would lend some clue. Unfortunately anyone in his family who would remember where they were from is deceased. Any idea if the rolls contain this info? Thanks for any help you can offer!!

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Traducido por Leto

¿Parece que faltan los listados de miembros? Todo lo que puedo encontrar son fotos. Encontré las fotos de la familia de mi prometido (le estoy ayudando a buscar). Ellos eran miembros a principios de siglo. Estamos intentando averiguar de dónde son su bisabuelo y posiblemente su abuelo en España y confiábamos en que los listados de miembros nos dieran alguna pista. Desafortunadamente, los miembros de su familia que podrían recordar de dónde procedían están muertos. ¿Sabes si los listados contienen esta información? Gracias por cualquier ayuda que puedas ofrecer

[Manuel A Gonzalez]

Welcome,

Just curious of who you are related to in Naveces? My mother's family is from Naveces and we still also have family living there. It is a really small town...

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Traducido por Leto
Bienvenido,

Sólo por curiosidad, ¿con quién estás emparentado en Naveces? La familia de mi madre es de Naveces y todavía tenemos familia viviendo allí. Es una ciudad muy pequeña...

Manuel González López, de Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Madre de Naveces (cerca del aeropuerto de Asturias)
Padre de Taborneda (por encima de Avilés)

[Rodrig54]

Naveces is a small hamlet about two kilometers from the Cantabrian Sea, and nestled under the flight path into Asturias Airport, in Castrillon.

My aunt's first cousin still lives on the main street (Trapa) just across from the ayuntamiento's camping facility. Her name is Esther Fernandez -Martin, and she has a daughter and two sons.

The family used to raise a small herd of dairy cows, selling the milk to the local Nestle cooperative. This involved scything hay every day for the upcoming winter and the making of those unique Asturian hay stacks. They also used to harvest Eucalyptus every seven years, providing cross beams for the coal mines.

It seems no one in the area has many cows left, and the area has drifted to tourism, due to the proximity of the airport at Ranon and the playas at Santa Maria del Mar.

The community still has its traditional pillars: the parish church, Demetrio's bodega and the social hall.

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Traducido por Leto

Naveces es una pequeña aldea a unos dos kilómetros del Mar Cantábrico, y se acurruca debajo del camino aéreo al aeropuerto de Asturias, en Castrillón.

El primo carnal de mi tía todavía vive en una de las calles principales (trapa) justo al otro lado del área de camping del ayuntamiento. Su nombre es Esther Fernández - Martín, y tiene una hija y dos hijos.

La familia solía criar un pequeño rebaño de vacas lecheras, vendiendo la leche a la cooperativa local de Nestlé. Esto implicaba cortar el heno con la guadaña cada día para el invierno próximo y la fabricación de esos únicos montones de heno asturianos. También cosechaban eucalipto cada siete años, proporcionando travesaños para las minas de carbón.

Parece que a casi nadie le quedan vacas y el área se ha dedicado al turismo, debido a la proximidad con el aeropuerto de Ranón y las payas en Santa María del Mar.

La comunidad todavía tiene sus pilares tradicionales: la parroquia, la bodega de Demetrio y el club social.

[marenas]

Hello Roland

This is a pretty old post, but just in case here goes

My Grandfather, Angel Juan Arenas, also emigrated to Tampa from Asturias (Oviedo). He was a member of Centro Asturiano and worked at Santaella Cigar factory as a foreman.

Once they moved out of Ybor City in the 1930s, he and my Grandmother moved into West Tampa right next to the Fort Homer W. Hesterly Armory on Howard Avenue. He lived there (Fig Street between Howard and Armenia) for the rest of his life.

I know that Tampa used to be a pretty small place (still is if you are from here) and everyone knows everyone. Just wanted to check and see if you knew or knew of my Grandfather. His brothers were Ceferino and Maximiliano. My father is also Angel Juan Arenas and some of the other family members that are still around are him, his cousin Bernie Arenas and cousin Olga (Olga's bridal on Dale Mabry).

Nice to see that there are some other folks from Tampa and I hope to hear from you.

Thanks

Michael Arenas

[Rodrig54]

Michael,

I didn't know your grandparents as I grew up in Ybor City and not West Tampa. However I went through the Centro Asturiano's archives at USF and found a membership photo that may be your grandfather. Take a peek.

Saludos/ Roland

http://www.lib.usf.edu/ldsu/digitalcoll ... M02303.jpg

[marenas]

Amazing!. That is him. I couldn't miss that nose anywhere.

He looks pretty young in this picture. I've only seen pictures of him when he was over 50 or so.

Thanks so much for sending the link also.

[marenas]

One other thing Roland. I was speaking to my mother and you might know her. She was asking if I had a photo of you. She remembers everyones name, but faces are the problem. Her big question was how old are you?

She was born in 1939 and used to live on Francis Street in Ybor City right off of Nebraska. The houses are all gone now because of the I-4 interchange, but that is where she grew up.

Her name then was Cynthia Fernandez, and she has a sister and 2 brothers. They are Diane, Ronny (Robert, Jr.) and Bobby. Here parents are Robert Fernandez and Jennie Fernandez (still kicking at 92 and living with my mother). My Uncle Ronny owns La Septima restuarant in Brandon and my Uncle Bobby owns Nuevo Cafe in South Tampa.

My Mother use to sing at the Centro Asturiano with E.J. Salcines. My uncle Ronny even found an old recording of them on a duet from the 50s. I think he should have it though.

Bobby used to play football for UT in the late 60s and I think they even won a division 2 national title.

Maybe you guys crossed in the same circles back then

Have a great day

Thanks so much again