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His philanthropy was all for the kids

By S.I. ROSENBAUM
Published November 3, 2006

BRANDON - Over the course of his 80 years, Ray Campo was a soldier, an entrepreneur, a county commissioner and a land developer.

But if you want to know his legacy, you have only to visit the Ray Campo YMCA in Valrico.

It's one of three YMCA facilities that stand on land that Mr. Campo donated.

"We wouldn't exist right now without his contributions," said Cindy Sofarelli, the branch's executive director. "He was an amazing man."

The YMCA was not the only beneficiary of Mr. Campo's philanthropy. Last year, he donated 20 acres to the county to become a children's park. "It's all for the kids," he said at the time.

And just a few months before his death, his son said, he helped to fund a new Boys & Girls Club in Riverview.

Why did he give so much?

Whenever someone asked him, Sofarelli said, Mr. Campo would tell a story about a young Hispanic boy, the son of cigar factory workers, whose refuge was the local Y.

"Back in those days, the Hispanic population might not have been as welcomed in some places," she said.

"But the Y was an environment that was open to them, and really welcomed him in. ... He's given back because he felt welcome as a young child in our organization."

Mr. Campo grew up in Tampa, and graduated from Jefferson High School, his son, Dan, said.

As a young man, he served in the Army Air Forces at the end of World War II. Later, he studied accounting at Tampa Business School and eventually got into business selling water pumps. From there, he founded the first water and sewage utility in Brandon.

In 1970, he ran for county commissioner, and served until 1972, when he came under fire for seconding a motion that the county buy his sewage utility for $50,000.

Mr. Campo said he had placed the company in an irrevocable trust when he assumed office, and that he had only the interests of Brandon residents at heart. Nonetheless, he stepped down in the spring of that year.

Later, he became a developer, creating many of Brandon's first subdivisions.

He continued his involvement with the YMCA throughout those years.

"He was always looking to give," Sofarelli said. "He had to have been the most unselfish man I've ever met."

His son said Mr. Campo always reminded him of George Burns in Oh, God! - a small, slight man with big glasses, a gleam in his eye and the biggest heart in the world.

A funeral Mass will be held today at 10 a.m. at St. Lawrence Catholic Church on N Himes Avenue in Tampa. Besides his son, Mr. Campo also leaves a daughter, Diana Ekonomou.

S.I. Rosenbaum can be reached at 661-2442 or srosenbaum@sptimes.com

[Last modified November 3, 2006, 06:15:24]