It was a gala affair
All the players were there
The Cruiseport was crowded with supporters' afar
A night to remember ... with Tony the star!
Anthony "Tony" Verga launched his re-election campaign in grand style a couple of weeks ago. The hall was filled with Cape Ann citizens, political dignitaries and at least one "national celebrity," all eager to pay their tributes and accolades to our dedicated, respected state representative.
From Congressman Tierney to our own Lt. Governor; our gracious Mayor Carolyn Kirk; and, of course, the candidate's wife, Adrienne Verga, each praising Tony's dedication and public service work ethic. The tributes flowed in an all too familiar format one experiences at these political gatherings. (Oftentimes the speakers get carried away.) In Verga's case, the praise was all true and long overdue!
After the programmed speeches, the MC, Tony's son Greg was passed a note: a celebrity waited. With Leo the DJ's playing "Hail To The Chief", Gloucester's own Heidi Dallin, "Hillary", gushed her way to the podium. Her performance was show-stopping and a welcomed break from the frequent, current daily TV sound bites.
Inspiring words from the candidate followed, and just at the appropriate moment, while holding his beautiful granddaughter, the audience sang "Happy Birthday" to Tony. Balloons and cake took over: That was the official showcase "agenda." For most of the attendees at the event, the speeches and frivolity was the up-front message the organizers intended.
Here is what I saw ... the real entertainment. I saw the face of Gloucester, the true supporters. As I looked around the spacious cruiseport function room, examining the many, more than 250 constituents, this is my take:
There was "Half-a-Buck Tom," the highliner that pounded the North Atlantic a lifetime. There was "Al, straight-talk Swekla," and his wife; Vito, the fisheries expert, pilot, former fisherman and boat owner. "Cookie" and her husband, George, veterans' advocates, were there; Barbara, of "Cakes by Barbara," and her hardworking husband, Bob. Retired and elective public servant, always nattily dressed, Peter Asaro; Onni Korpi, the master carpenter and his wife, Helen, along with her friend Blanche, another solid citizen, were in the crowd. (Helen grew up on Scott Street while her dad fished with the Portuguese highliners across the street at the United Fisheries.) There was "Rafie," the fisherman's leading grocer when Gloucester had a true fleet! Also in attendance were retired fire captain, Louis Aiello, a proud Navy veteran and community mover and shaker, and "Fran" and "Becky" (Dexter) Aliberte, true Verga supporters. This was a small sampling of Verga's appreciative fans.
They came from all walks of life: fishermen, politicians, professionals, white- and blue-collar workers, sub shop owners, retired folks.... even our own republican state Sen. Tarr was a well-wisher. All came to pay respect and honor our representative. Verga is not a lawyer; he graduated president of his St. Ann High School class and he was St. Ann's basketball team captain. Hailing from a large Italian-American family, he clawed his way early on in life, fishing on the F/Vs Charlotte M., Hazel B., and Sara M. to name a few. He worked the wharves in the '50s. He managed and bar tended George Amero's Main Deck Bar when the waterfront was drinking "C.C. and Bud chasers"...long before today's "wine spritzers and lattes." In other words, Verga has walked the walk. He even sold life insurance for the Met!
Tony is a three-year U.S. Navy veteran, serving honorably in the tin-can Navy aboard the destroyer, USS Moale, CD693. He served the city of Gloucester as chairman of our fisheries commission for 13 years and currently is in his 14th year as our state representative.
Tony Verga is my representative; he's an experienced public servant, respected by his fellow Amvets, trained in the arena of hard knocks. He knows what it is to be on his knees in the checkers, ripping pollack in the fall; he has pounded ice to stay afloat in the winter; and he has sweated in the seine boat in the heat of the August sun. He is a deepwater sailor. He knows his way around and he is a family man.
His only agenda is representing his constituents. He is one of us. As the late respected reporter, Jeremiah V. Murphy formerly of the Boston Globe once observed at the Gentile Bandstand Flagpole dedication in 1995: "Tony' Verga probably knew more people by name than anyone else there."
Yes, Anthony "Tony" Verga is a known quantity, the genuine article, and has delivered. He deserves to be re-elected.
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Ron Gilson
Gloucester
