Jacksonville, Fla. – Every first Friday of the month, the Italian American Club’s modest white clubhouse on Westberry Road fills with the aroma of simmering sauce and the chatter of families who have made the Sunshine State their new home. The club’s monthly spaghetti supper, a tradition that began in the 1930s, now serves 250 plates of pasta, garlic bread and meatballs for a crowd that includes longtime locals and recent arrivals from Northeast Ohio.
Heritage and hospitality
Club members come from a mosaic of backgrounds. Board member Paul Neuendorf, who is half German, recalls arriving early each month to secure his $13 box of pasta, garlic bread and a handful of meatballs. “My wife and I love Italian food,” he says, noting that the sauce is “absolutely fabulous, and the spaghetti is cooked just right.”
Longtime patron Jane Pierce adds, “It’s my favorite Friday of the month. I’m not Italian, but I love spaghetti. Americans love spaghetti.” Her observation reflects a broader trend: the average American consumes about 20 pounds of pasta each year, and spaghetti consistently tops surveys as the nation’s favorite shape.
Ohio roots in Florida
While the club’s menu is unmistakably Italian, many of its volunteers and diners trace their roots to Ohio’s industrial heartland. “You don’t realize how many people live in Youngstown until you come to Jacksonville,” says Youngstown native Kathleen Pesa Maley, who mans the cannoli table. Maley, of Croatian ancestry, notes that her husband’s Italian heritage adds another layer to the club’s multicultural flavor.
Florida welcomes roughly 20,000 Ohioans each year, many of whom bring memories of the state’s historic Italian neighborhoods that grew around coal mines and steel mills in the early 20th century. Those memories include community fundraisers, canned‑pepper contests and biscotti bake‑offs that helped shape the culinary traditions now enjoyed in Jacksonville.
Volunteer spirit and new equipment
Club President Joe Farina recently led the purchase of a $5,000 stainless‑steel pasta cooker. The machine can produce ten pounds of noodles in ten minutes, a speed that far exceeds the traditional pots and propane burners once used by octogenarian volunteers. “My son works in Ponte Vedra, and he said, ‘Dad, they just have pots,’” Farina laughs, noting that the new cooker makes the event safer and more efficient.
Volunteers, a crew of about ten men and women, hand‑shape and bake the meatballs that have become a signature of the supper. Their dedication turns a simple meal into a celebration of community, heritage and the shared love of good food.
New members and lasting connections
Two years ago, Brian Prior moved from Youngstown to Jacksonville and was instantly drawn to the club’s atmosphere. “This reminds me of Mount Carmel spaghetti dinners,” he says, recalling a beloved tradition from his hometown. Prior, who identifies as Hungarian, quickly became a regular, adding cannoli to his order and striking up a friendship with Maley.
“I’m Hungarian, not even Italian,” Prior admits, “but I used to belong to the ITAM.” His curiosity led him to fill out a membership form, ensuring that the club’s doors remain open to newcomers of all backgrounds.
Looking ahead
The club’s upcoming Festa Italiana on Oct. 24 will mark its 75th anniversary. The celebration promises a larger meatball‑making session, live music and dancing, echoing the club’s original post‑World‑War II revival in 1951. Former treasurer Lucy Cortese remembers the early days of wiener roasts, Bunco parties and beauty pageants that helped cement the club’s place in Jacksonville’s social fabric.
As the club approaches its milestone, members like Vinny Russo, who joined after relocating from Brooklyn in the 1980s, reflect on the importance of preserving cultural heritage for future generations. “My parents were Italian immigrants, and I wanted to share my heritage with my children and grandchildren,” Russo says.
For anyone interested in joining or learning more, the Italian American Club is located at 2838 Westberry Road. Details about upcoming events are posted on the club’s Facebook page.
Original reporting: Jacksonville Today — read the source article.
