Membership

Friends, Spaniards, Countrymen – Now is the Time to Consider Joining Our Quest to Sustain and Celebrate the Legacy of the Centro Español of Tampa

In the first year of our existence, the founders of El Centro Español de Tampa numbered 206 men.  Of these, nearly 60% contributed the funds necessary to construct our first clubhouse.  Their commitment reflected an acknowledgement of the need to band together for the good of the Spanish colony in Tampa and a nervous confidence in the future, a future that was almost wholly dependent on the fortunes of the nascent cigar industry.    Following our founding, the club experienced a few difficult years when membership rolls waxed and waned, but eventually we attracted thousands of like-minded individuals.  The sheer numbers allowed us to accomplish much, but for reasons pointed out in the Segundo Siglo plan, as well as in numerous scholarly writings, those days are gone for good.  However, it is as true now as it was then, our members remain the life blood of our club.

We need the financial and moral support of like-minded people who wish to sustain our club’s legacy and relevance in a community that is now larger, more diverse, and more complicated than our founders could have ever foreseen.  We believe that they would want us to carry on, so we invite you to consider joining us in our continuing journey.

Mission

To honor, preserve, and celebrate the cultural heritage and history of the community of immigrants from Spain who settled in Tampa.

Vision

To sustain the historic link between our community and Spain; to educate the younger generations of the significance of this link; and to gather frequently to enjoy each other’s company and the cultures of Spain and the United States, which together have shaped the lives of six generations of Spanish Americans.

Purpose

To serve the interests of the Club and its members, including the maintenance and operation of both cemeteries, and to welcome anyone who shares in the vision of our organization.

Membership Application

Download and complete our application here.

Fill out the application form and mail it to our club via regular mail to:
Centro Español de Tampa
2306 N. Howard Avenue
Tampa, Florida 33607

or fill out the application and email the completed form to membership@centroespanoltampa.org

Once Centro Español reviews and approves your membership, the Board will send an acknowledgment and an invoice for your dues via mail (or email).

More information

For information about membership and the activities of our Club, please send an email to maria-ce@tampabay.rr.com  or info@centroespanoltampa.org .

Administrator and Directors

You may also call our Office Administrator, Maria Perez, at 813.870.0559 or contact one of the following Directors: President John A. Rañon (jaranon@aol.com); Vice President Timothy A. Hunt Bernardo (thunt@hwhlaw.com); Treasurer Cynthia A. Tamargo Garcia  (cmt261@msn.com); Secretary Arlene Babanats Fernandez  (asfbab@tampabay.rr.com); or Directors Anthony Carreño (eltampeno@msn.com), Cathy Mary Varon (cathyandolivia@yahoo.com), Brian Howell Rañon (b.howell@ranon-inc.com) or Rene Gonzalez (meghstar@aol.com).