Christmas 2001
“Christmas Party” and “Christmas Toys Drive” at the residence of the Maldonados
By Herman Santa
On Sunday, December 16th at 7:00 p.m., some club members gathered at the home of Bill and Neisa Maldonado in Port St. Lucie to collect toys for low-income children and hold the usual monthly “Get Together.” As usual, it started with a toast, after which the members enjoyed a delicious dinner of typical Latin dishes. After dinner, the birthdays of the present members were celebrated, including Willie González and Arnaldo Palenzuela, and it concluded with a “Parranda Navideña.”
The terrace was adorned with laughter and joy, creating a night with a festive spirit. Toys will be distributed among Latino children in the cities of Indiantown and Ft. Pierce. The club directors thank the members of the “Spanish American Club, Inc.” and the guests for the Christmas gifts that will brighten the hearts of many low-income children. We hope that next year will see a repeat of this event, as it is one of the reasons we exist as a social, recreational, and civic club. The next activity is scheduled for December 31 to celebrate the farewell of the “Old Year” at the residence of Astrid and John Ebner in the city of Stuart. All members are invited.
Valentine 2001
Annual Valentine with “Salsa Express” D.J. at Don Eduardo Mexican Restaurant in Jensen Beach
By Herman Santa
As expected, the “Dance of the Lovers” became the destination for hundreds of salsa dancers on Saturday, February 17, as they secured their seats from 9 p.m. in search of the party and fun.
The task was not easy for the Board of Directors, as the tickets sold out a day before the party. Many people, especially the young ones who seemed to have forgotten about the existence of nightclubs and the famous “Pubs” during Valentine’s Day weekend. This celebration became the perfect opportunity to reconnect with old friends and meet new faces in a clean, healthy, and joyful environment.
The music was provided by Robert Roldan and his “Salsa Express.” Robert had a repertoire of modern music for us. Bachata, merengue, cumbia, and bolero, especially for the lovers, were all present. As always, Bob entertained us by making us dance the “Soul Train,” Salsa Soul, and other rhythms from the 1970s. For the young ones, he entertained them with “Hip Hop” and other modern rhythms.
During a break, the president of the Herman Santa Club thanked the decoration committee for the decoration of the hall, introduced the new Board of Directors, and praised the past administration for their work. The 50/50 raffle was also held, and certificates from our sponsors were distributed. The winners were: Iliana Zequeira and Lourdes Sarkar for the 50/50, Omar Tribulo with the Don Eduardo’s certificate, Elizabeth Caraballo and Jose Berroa with Boston Market certificates, and Judah Williams and Ron Bryson with certificates from Choco’s.
Finally, we would like to thank our sponsors for this event. They were: Eduardo Pozos from “Don Eduardo Mexican Restaurant” in Hutchinson Island, Socrates Mejia from Choco’s Auto Detailing in Port St. Lucie, Dr. Jerry Perlmutter from Quality Dental Care in Ft. Pierce, and Norma Colón, Manager of Boston Market in Port St. Lucie. At this party, it was demonstrated that the “Spanish American Club, Inc.” is more alive than ever.
Picnic 2001
Annual Picnic at the North Jensen Beach Causeway
By Herman Santa
With the participation of many guests, the “Spanish American Club, Inc.” (SACI) held its first day at the beach in Jensen Beach. The annual event took place on March 25 at the North Causeway Pavilion of Jensen Beach. Under a bright midday sun, members and guests enjoyed a picnic with delicious Creole dishes and good music. That day, three new families joined our club. Thank you to everyone who helped.
Event 2001 (Fest. of Lights)
El SACI PARTICIPA EN LA PARADA DE LAS LUCES (Festival of Lights) “Elks”
By Herman Santa
The First Parade of the Spanish American Club, Inc. (SACI) was held on Saturday, December 8, at Lingate Park in Port St. Lucie. The parade began at 6 PM and lasted until 8 PM. The procession started at the Post Office on Midport Avenue at the stretch connecting it with New York Avenue and Seafury Street, and ended on Lyngate Avenue in front of the park. The event featured participation from more than 40 civic, cultural, school, and commercial organizations.
The event was organized by the “Elks” club of Port St. Lucie, a fraternal organization. The Grand Marshal was Mr. Jack de Bell, who said, “it is already a tradition in Port St. Lucie for this parade, but this year it was something special and it was called United We Stand, God Bless America.” The “Parranda Nivideña” was planned by Roberto and Lily Betancourt. It consists of Sixto Santa on first guitar, Herman Santa on second guitar, Inez Súarez on güiro, Roberto Betancourt as vocalist, and Lily Betancourt, Gladys Vélez, Sandra, and William Reyes in the chorus.
The Vice President of SACI, Mr. Roberto Betancourt, pointed out that “this is a magnificent opportunity to showcase the best of our club, which is our cultural essence, our music, traditions, joy, and pride, especially during this Christmas season. Next year we hope to participate if God grants us luck and health. The ‘Comité de la Parranda’ is seeking individuals who play musical instruments such as the cuatro, bongos, conga, and singers of Puerto Rican jibaro music. Thank you to all the members who represented the ‘Spanish American Club, Inc.’ on Saturday.”
Scholarship 2001 (Padilla)
8th scholarship from the “Spanish American Club, Inc.”
By Herman Santa
One of the objectives of the “Scholarship Committee” of the “Spanish American Club, Inc.” is education. Consequently, the “Spanish American Club, Inc. Scholarship Fund” has been created, with the purpose of raising funds to award a scholarship to a low-income Hispanic student so they can continue their college or university studies. The scholarship fund is administered by the Club’s Board of Directors.
This year, 11 applications were received for the scholarship. The winner was Gabriela Padilla from Indiantown, a senior at “South Fork High School,” and she will receive $500.00 to assist her in studying at “Indian River Community College” in Ft. Pierce. Gabriela was invited to the “Get Together” of the members, which was held in her honor on Saturday, July 28, at the residence of Victor and Ana Swift in St. Lucie West.
The club’s president, Herman Santa, wishes to thank Roberto Roldán and his “Salsa Express” and last year’s Scholarship Committee members, Mrs. Gladys Veléz, Mrs. Ana Swift, and Mrs. Isa Bryson, for raising the funds for this year’s scholarship. The committee is planning a “Scholarship Dance” this year to raise funds for next year’s scholarship.
Scholarship 2000 (Gaspar)
7th scholarship from the “Spanish American Club, Inc.”
By Herman Santa
Recently, scholarships were awarded to a Hispanic student from the Spanish American Club, Inc. (SACI) in Port St. Lucie. This event was organized by the “Spanish American Club, Inc. Scholarship Funds” and the club’s Board of Directors. $500.00 was given to “Indian River Community College” for the winning student, Juan Gaspar from Indiantown. Student Gaspar was selected based on academic index, field of study, and economic level among other criteria.
Five students from the area applied for the scholarship this year. The Scholarship Committee this year was composed of Mr. Herman Santa, Director; Ms. Maite Peterson; Gladys Velez; Ms. Isa Bryson; Ms. Ana Swift; and Ms. Ana Dauro. The committee encouraged young Gaspar to make the most of this opportunity to pursue and complete his academic studies, as his achievements ensure a better quality of life for the Hispanic community in the area.
Awards 1998 (Troconis)
Recognized member, Ninfa Troconis
By Herman Santa
At the Valentine’s party, welcoming everyone as always, Tom González, former president of the club, was the Master of Ceremonies.
During a break from the band, Tom presented a Plaque to Mrs. Ninfa Troconis for her work and dedication to the club and for helping with the publication of the club’s newsletter “La Voz.” Ninfa and her husband Gustavo Troconis are moving to the city of Miami this summer. We wish them luck in their new residence.
Valentine 1998
Annual Valentine with trio “Pop Caribe” and their D.J. “Havana Sweet” at the Community Center
By Herman Santa
Just as we had planned, the club directors, the trio “Pop Caribe” and their D.J. “Havana Sweet” once again demonstrated that they are enough to fill a dance hall, as was evidenced last Saturday, February 14, at the new Community Center in Port St. Lucie. We witnessed exactly the same show as approximately 5 years ago when we presented them in Jensen Beach. On this occasion, the new center, which opened that same month, was packed with people from corner to corner. “Pop Caribe” entertained us with their salsa rhythms and love ballads, specially selected for Valentine’s Day.
Welcoming everyone as always, Tom González, the former president of the club, served as the Master of Ceremonies. During a break from the band, Tom presented a plaque to Mrs. Ninfa Troconis for her work and dedication to the club. “Pop Caribe” has entertained us since the club’s founding in 1992. They have great admiration for the Hispanic audience in the city of Port St. Lucie. Those who could not attend the party missed out on a musical show. Thus, those of us who attended enjoyed a very pleasant and joyful atmosphere, as always characterizes the club’s gatherings.
The new location is quite spacious and elegant for carrying out this type of activity. We would like to thank the previous Board of Directors and the new board, including the committees and members who helped with this activity to make it a success. We also want to thank the following merchants who kindly donated certificates and gifts for the party: Seth Perlmutter from Video Connection in Fort Pierce, Jerri Perlmuter, D.D.S. from Quality Dental Care in Fort Pierce, Juan Castillo from Juan Auto Repair in Fort Pierce, Cecilia Vignier from Palm Realty, and Johnny Saltos from Johnny’s Music.
Assembly 1998
Members of SACI elect Board of Directors at Don Ramon restaurant in Stuart
By Herman Santa
On January 11th, the members held their 6th annual assembly at the “Don Ramón” restaurant in the city of Stuart. The members elected the new Board of Directors for the fiscal year 1998. The Board of Directors is composed of the following members: President; Mr. Amaldo Palenzuela, Vice President; Mr. Willie González, Secretary; Mr. Luis Negrón, Treasurer; Mrs. Jo’Ann Lépez, and Vocal Mr. César Bohórquez. The Board of Directors was elected by majority.
After the meeting, the partners delighted their palates with the delicious food from “Don Ramón.” The event concluded with the presentation of plaques to the directors of the previous board. The outgoing president, Mr. Thomas González, presented plaques to Mr. Juan Carlos Gayoso, Ms. Yolanda Sanchez, Dr. Reneé Arnao, and Ms. Liliana George for their dedication and cooperation with the “club.” We would like to thank Mr. René Aguilera, the administrator, and Mr. Ramón Vilariño, the owner of Don Ramón, for lending the venue for our general assembly.
Scholarship 2003 (Fernandez)
10th scholarship from the “Spanish American Club, Inc.”
by Herman Santa
Over the past 10 years, the “Spanish American Club, Inc.” (S.A.C.I.) has donated more than $5,000 to Hispanic students in Martin and St. Lucie counties. This year, María A. Fernández was the winner of the $500 scholarship, which will help cover admission and textbook costs at the “Indian River Community College.” The selection of the winner is carried out by the S.A.C.I. Scholarship Committee, which is appointed by the club’s Board of Directors.
The student is chosen based on their financial need, academic qualifications, and their ability to read, write, and speak the Spanish language. This year, the Scholarship Committee is composed of this server, Herman Santa, Director; Isa Bryson, Gladys Vélez, Nancy Rozon, and Leticia Goff.
Thank you all for your support and the work you provided. We want to thank the Board of Directors consisting of Arnaldo Palenzuela; President, Sarah Lee; Vice President, Leticia Goff; Treasurer, Marie Andree Gómez; Secretary, and Iliana Zequeira; Vocal for helping to sell the gold chain tickets.
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