Social Clubs Attract Ethnic Groups

While Harvard students endure the February blues poring over books in Lamont or chatting with friends in dining halls, some Cambridge residents spend their evenings in the company of friends at one of Cambridge's ethnic social clubs.

The clubs, which are run by and serve members of Cambridge's many diverse communities, provide members with an atmosphere which allows them to speak their native languages and discuss issues which affect their groups.

Members of the all-male Greek-American Political Club say they meet at the club house every day after work to relax before dinner.

Last Thursday afternoon, more than 50 older men gathered around brown, plastic-topped tables in the social hall of the club, playing cards, nursing drinks, smoking cigars and swapping stories in Greek. Mirrored walls reflected a bar, a dart board and flyers advertising Greek restaurants and events.

Nikolaos Fragopoulos, the club's president, said the organization's primary purpose is to sponsor lectures and activities which concern Greek-Americans.

"We get involved in the Goddamn politics, just the way your university does," Fragopoulos said.

Fragopoulos said the club, located on Green Street in Central Square, also serves as a social club for its more than 300 members.

"Most of the time we play hearts--we play for quarters...hearts or backgammon," Fragopoulos said. "Once in a while we have a party."

Monoli Delegas, a long-time club member, said he comes to the club every night to play games and visit with friends.

"I'm here each night," Delegas said, "Usually I drink Greek coffee--not like Nick [Fragopoulos]. He drinks only white wine."

Club members's wives do not frequent the club, Fragopoulos said, but are welcome whenever there is a party.

Delegas said his wife prefers him to be at the club.

"When I say I go to the club," Delegas explained, "She knows I'll be home in time for dinner."

Delegas said wives are more comfortable knowing their husbands are at the club because "they always know where they are."

Co-Ed Polish Club

Both men and women are full time members of the Polish-American Citizens Association, which runs a small private bar on Cambridge Street for its members, who are primarily Cambridge retirees.

Bonnie J. Lynch, a member of the club's board of directors, says her organization attracts senior citizens because most younger Polish-Americans have moved to the suburbs.

"The younger ones have lost a sense of their heritage," Lynch said.

Lynch said the association reviews applications before allowing new members to join.

"Usually we screen our members. We have some associate members for people who are not of Polish extraction," Lynch said.

Most club members are content to visit with friends or relax, Lynch explained.

"It's a small quiet bar," Lynch said, "There's not really very much activity here; most of the people just watch T.V."

Still, the association occasionally sponsors activities at the members' request, Lynch said.

"We do have a dance coming up on March 13," she said.

Polish and Greek-Americans are not the only groups to sponsor social activities for members of their communities.

Portuguese Groups

The Cambridge Organization of Portuguese Americans (COPA) is a social service group which offers classes in English as a second language and citizenship application preparation.

In addition to these classes, COPA sponsors a biweekly program for the elderly.

Luisa M. Gonchalzes, COPA's director, said the elderly program usually attracts retired Portuguese speaking men.

"Usually there's just a group of old men who sit around and play dominoes and cards," Gonchalzes said.

Members of the International Portuguese Sports Club spend their winter hours getting in shape for the upcoming spring soccer season and socializing in their club house.

Joe Vicente, a member of the club, said his organization's 30 members use the winter months to relax in the club's bar.

Although some clubs focus primarily on entertainment and social activities, many organizations have created social service components to aid members of their communities.

One such organization is the Concilio Hispano, a group which employs and targets Hispanics in the Cambridge community.

Lisette Badillo, the program's director, said her organization provides care and counseling for mentally ill and at-risk teens.

"We run an office at the [Cambridge] high school for students. We do drug, pregnancy, and dropout prevention," Badillo said.

Like Concilio Hispano, the Haitian American Cultural Society targets high school and teen-aged youth.

Program director Andre Joseph said the society is concerned with educating Haitian youth for leadership positions in the Haitian community.

"Most of our activities are concerned with youth training activities," Joseph said.

Joseph said a tournament of dominoes and cards, to be held Saturday, will "also be an occasion to discuss AIDS, violence and teen pregnancy."

More than 50 older men gathered around brown, plastic-topped tables in the social hall of the club, playing cards, nursing drinks, smoking cigars and swapping stories in Greek.