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Chief Tour Guide Is Moved By Children

Photo by DEREK MAUL

Brandon Shrine club member Sam Capitano has logged more than 9,000 hours at the Tampa Shriners Hospital for Children - the equivalent of 1,300 seven-hour days. And he says he's just getting warmed up.

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By DEREK MAUL

Tribune correspondent

Published: February 25, 2009

Many people volunteer a few hours here and there.

No one can cover all the bases. But with everyone pitching in, the jobs get done.

Then there's Brandon Shrine Club member Sam Capitano. To date, he has logged more than 9,000 hours at the Shriners Hospital for Children in Tampa. That's the equivalent of 1,300 seven-hour days, and he says he's just getting warmed up.

"We took 4,235 people on the tour last year," Capitano said. "We're always looking for people to help. We have 300 trained volunteers at the hospital, working in 29 different areas."

You don't have to be a Shriner to volunteer, Capitano said. But you do if you want to wear the fez.

He's been the hospital's chief tour guide since 1996.

"The fez was adopted because of Fez, Morocco, and the Shrine's Arabic theme," he said. "The red is for the blood children have spilled. The jewels are the sparkle in their eyes. The tassel is for those we have not been able to reach. It's an instantly recognizable symbol."

Capitano was born and raised in Ybor City. His grandparents - all from Sicily - emigrated in 1901 and worked as grocers.

"The family moved out to Palm River during urban renewal," he said. "I spent a year at Brandon High School, but returned to Jefferson High School my senior year."

After working as a shipping clerk and serving with the Army Reserve, Capitano was hired as a conductor by the Atlantic Coast Line railroad. ACL merged with the Seaboard Air Line Railroad in 1967 to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad.

By the time injury ended Capitano's 27-year career in 1992, Seaboard Coast Line was a part of CSX Transportation.

"In 1982, I joined the Brandon Masonic order with a group of friends," he said.

"I've been a Shriner since 1985," he said. "The Shrine started in 1872 and is the fun section of the Masons. They partied for 50 years, then got tired of seeing all the money go to waste. So they started the first Shriners Hospital for Children."

The hospital, built in Shreveport, La., for children affected by polio, was the first of 22 specialized centers nationwide, each committed to improving the lives of children via pediatric specialty care, research and teaching.

The Shriners Hospital in Tampa, opened on the campus of the University of West Florida in 1985, provides cutting-edge care in orthopedic medicine.

There is no charge, no dependence on insurance and no suite of offices dedicated to billing and collections.

"We'll take any child," Capitano said. "The only reason we'll refuse service is if we can't help them. There are no money questions on the applications."

Full of enthusiasm and proud of the work accomplished through the hospital, the seasoned volunteer confesses that the children touch his heart.

"This has made a tremendous difference in my life," he said. "We see miracles here every day."

Between miracles, there's a lot of work to be done, both as a tour guide and a friend to the staff and patients.

Last year, the Shriners Hospital for Children in Tampa operated on a budget of $20.5 million. The research budget was $200,000. There were 795 surgeries, 11,287 outpatient clinic visits, 5,161 prosthetic devices made in-house and 10,434 therapy visits.

The total amount billed to patients? Zero.

If you want to know how you can help, call (813) 972-2250.

MEET SAM CAPITANO

Chief tour guide, Shriners Hospital for Children, Tampa

BORN: Tampa, 1946

EDUCATION: Jefferson High School, 1964

MARRIED: Dianne Lancaster, 1966

CHILDREN: Sam Jr., 40; Stacy, 38

MEMBER: Brandon Shrine Club of the Egypt Shrine Temple

CONTACT: (813) 972-2250.

Derek Maul can be reached at derekmaul@gmail.com.

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