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Retired Members
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Chicago Police of Southwest Florida
Growing strong and going strong
Tom Faragoi remembers fondly the humble begin- nings of what eventually turned into a formal group of retired Chicago Police Officers in the Sunshine State.
It was not long after he moved to Florida in 2001 that he joined up with a couple of guys for a bite and some banter.
“We had lunch and talked about the good old days,” said Faragoi, who retired in 1994 after 33 years on the job in Chicago.
That small meet-up of a few cops evolved into a group with a robust collection of approximately 250 former officers on Faragoi’s member list. They gather on the first Wednesday of each month at the appropri- ately named Cop Shop in Cape Coral. The crowd varies month-to-month, especially depending on the season, but can have as many as 100 people turn out for lunch.
“It’s more of a social gathering. They all like to be around other policemen,” Faragoi explained.
Outside of lunch, the group, which is free to join, re- mains active in a variety of ways, according to Faragoi. The member directory makes it simple to find a former colleague to hit the golf course or grab a beer with, he explained.
Softball, golf outings and other get-togethers – such as when several former officers went to Tampa to sup- port a member running a 5K race after overcoming ma- jor physical and health problems – are among the ways the group stays active.
The website – www.chicagopoliceofswflorida – also shows off a bunch of other activities, including watch parties for Chicago sports teams, member photos and news updates on what’s happening in and around Chi- cago – from law enforcement to politics. d
Feature your retiree group in Chicago Lodge 7 Magazine. Send information to doreen@chicagofop.org.
40 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ OCTOBER 2016