![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Tony-Mangiafico-St.-Pete-Fools.jpg\")
<\/p>\nShould you see \u2013 and\/or hear \u2013 a massive convoy of motorcycles roaring through the St. Pete streets Saturday, it\u2019s perfectly OK to think \u2018There goes a bunch of fools.\u2019<\/p>\n
They wear the name with pride. It\u2019s the St. Pete Fools, with a capital \u201cF.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Fools Social Club is a group of businessmen \u201cwho pretty much hang out daily,\u201d according to co-founder Tony Mangiafico, owner of Gratzzi Italian Restaurant, and Fl\u00fbte & Dram.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Tony Mangiafico<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been around almost 18 years,\u201d said the Sicily-born restauranteur, \u201cand it started with me calling some of my friends fools back in the day. And then we became just a bunch of fools.\u201d<\/p>\n
During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Social Club registered a 501\u00a93 charity branch to help with veterans\u2019 and children\u2019s needs. \u201cWe can do bigger things, better things,\u201d Mangiafico remembers saying at the time.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s when the cigar-smoking, whiskey-sipping business dudes \u2013 who also share a love for Harley-Davidsons \u2013 launched the St. Pete Fools Charity Ride.<\/p>\n
The private club currently has about 75 members, although they\u2019re not all motorcycle aficionados. Around 20 card-carrying Fools will ride Saturday \u2013 along with something like 500 of their friends.<\/p>\n
You heard that right. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 motorcyclists will caravan from the OCC Roadhouse, 10575 49th Street N., through the city, over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and back.<\/p>\n
Riders can still sign up at 11 a.m., at the start of the event, which includes a raffle, silent auction, live entertainment and more. Registration is $20 per rider.<\/p>\n
The lengthy ride will be fully police-escorted by motorcycle officers from St. Pete, Tampa and Pinellas and Hillsborough sheriffs\u2019 offices.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m the leader, and I feel like I\u2019m the President of the United States!\u201d said Mangiafico. \u201cBecause I got all these police officers kind of protecting me, and our group, to make sure we make it. They close all the streets, stop all the lights.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve become friends over the years, these police departments. If they need something, I got \u2018em. If kids need toys, or a bike, we raise the money and buy them. Give them any kind of support they need, really.\u201d<\/p>\n
St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch, a longtime motorcycle enthusiast, has participated in the charity ride in previous years. He called to say he was signing up for this year\u2019s ride, too. Mangiafico: \u201cI said of course, man. Just show up, ride next to me, and keep up.\u2019 He\u2019s a little too slow for me \u2026 but we\u2019re getting there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Approximately 40 charities have been beneficiaries of the Fools and their year-round events.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur goal,\u201d Mangiafico explained, \u201cis to give organizations maybe not money, but material. Let\u2019s say if Alpha House calls me and they need 20 beds, I will buy them 20 beds. If The Kind Mouse needs money for food, I say \u2018Just give me a list of what you need,\u2019 and I\u2019ll buy them pallets of food.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mangiafico said he benefits from his charitable work, too. \u201cI \u2018ve been doing it all my life. I love being part of the community, I love people. Everybody in town knows that I\u2019ve got a big heart. And for me it\u2019s fun \u2013 it keeps me away from the restaurant part of it, because restaurants can be very crazy. So this is kind of my \u2018relax\u2019 thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u2019ll be buying toys \u2013 hundreds, even thousands \u2013 over the next six weeks. \u201cI make all the kids happy. That\u2019s better than anything else.\u201d<\/p>\n