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DG: So the Filipino American Hall was a very important part to many people's lives. Do you have anything else you'd like to share about the hall or memories?

DR: Oh, they always had their dances. And of course the Filipinos had their, the old payaner band had a five-piece... they used to play "In the Mood" and all those different things like that. They always had a good time, they danced and everything. And it was, we're over here and we used to have our Christmas parties and everything. We were all together. There was quite a few families.

DG: It seems like a lot of pride in the hall?

DR: Yeah, there was, and it did go in very bad disrepair for the longest time. Because out of, I don't know how many, sixty some Filipinos and there's only two of the old pioneers left, and that's Racindo Borganio and Tony Oligario. All of them are gone now.

DG: And what would you like this hall to be for your grandchildren now, in the future?

DR: Well, I'd like them to just realize and be a part of it. Because right now, the grandchildren are doing great, but they all are into sports and different things, where I don't know how we're gonna balance that. We can bring 'em over here and just get 'em interested enough to, you know, have parties and stuff or be part of the different programs we, we're trying to do now. A lot of them came to the Christmas party, that's something. That's a start again.

DG: How is this Filipino community unique to Bainbridge Island in comparison to other communities in the state and the area?

DR: You know, I really don't know. But I know, I believe that Bainbridge is the oldest Filipino Community Hall in the state of Washington, and I think the second is Yakima.

DG: So they started something pretty amazing, those five men who invested their money.

DR: Yeah, they did, they did. And then everybody came together, this hall was just full.

DG: And even though it's called the Filipino American Hall, it also... there were several young First Nation women who, at that time, were also a part of this. So, how, can you explain how it was important for them?

DR: Yes, they were, they even, the first year they formed their own auxiliary, the women's auxiliary, and then they did, they did different things like having booths, you know, in a bazaar or something like that. Just raising money to buy dishes and stuff for the hall to use. And, well, to get everything started is what they did. It didn't last very long, then they just became one, the whole community. There was, I think way back when it was five dollars per family to be in the community, their dues a year. Now it's not that, but, anyway, that's the way it was. Yeah, Mom, Mom really worked hard. And she was the one that always ordered the doughnuts for the dances on Saturday. And that used to be from the Stotts, when they used to have a doughnut, make doughnuts. So we'd have, she'd order all the doughnuts and bring it for the dances for Saturday nights, and she did that for many many years.

<End Segment 10> - Copyright © 2007 Densho. All Rights Reserved.