The Bungaleer Crewe of Seminole Heights

I found this article in July 27, 1992 in the Tribune about the Crewe. What ever happened to that Crewe?

The heights of absurdity: Yet another krewe - make that ""crewe'' - is forming to take a piece of the Gasparilla action.

This one is strictly a neighborhood affair, though, and very exclusive.

To join the Bungaleer Crewe you must either ""live in Seminole Heights, know somebody who lives in Seminole Heights or once drove through Seminole Heights,'' says Judy Breuggeman.

Breuggeman says she got the idea after spending a few days in Tallahassee.

""And you know what a few days in Tallahassee can do to you,'' she said. ""It makes you go nuts.''

She talked it up with neighbors and got a commitment from about 25 people.

The plans are still fluid, but the group does not plan to take part in the Gasparilla invasion or parade. Instead, it wants to have its own parade through the neighborhood on the same day as the Illuminated Night Parade in Ybor City, which traditionally closes Gasparilla festivities.

The crewe - the group refuses to use the traditional spelling - also hopes to have a ball the night before the parade.

""We think it's the most wonderful idea,'' she said. ""Everybody should do this in their neighborhood.''

And why not? Gasparilla is loosely based on New Orleans' Mardi Gras, where social clubs, or krewes, of all shapes and sizes take part.

The Bungaleer Crewe - the name comes from all the bungalows in the neighborhood - is the third social group to start up this year.

But this is the first one that doesn't take all this krewe business too seriously.

And that's the idea, Breuggeman said. ""We're trying to be socially unprominent.''

That shouldn't be too hard. "