AHEPA Fulfills $1 Million Commitment to Rebuild Saint Nicholas

AMERICAN HELLENIC EDUCATIONAL  PROGRESSIVE ASSOCIATION

NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 6, 2019 AHEPA Fulfills $1 Million Commitment to Rebuild Saint Nicholas Supreme President Loucas (right) and Chairman of the Board Karacostas, PSP (left), present Archbishop Elpidophoros with the fulfillment of AHEPA's $1 million donation to help rebuild St. Nicholas. Photo credit: GOA/Dimitrios S Panagos CHICAGO--AHEPA fulfilled its $1 million donation to rebuild Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at World Trade Center with a presentation of the remaining pledge balance to His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America at the 97th Grand Banquet, July 5, 2019, announced Supreme President George E. Loucas and Chairman of the Board Nicholas A. Karacostas. Supreme President Loucas, and Chairman of the Board Karacostas, who also served as the chairman of AHEPA's Capital Campaign to rebuild Saint Nicholas, presented the donation to Archbishop Elpidophoros. "Since 1922, AHEPA has stood by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America thus creating the 'Twin Pillars of Hellenism' in America that we see today," Loucas said. "We are deeply grateful to the AHEPA family; to our amazing grassroots network of districts, chapters, and dedicated members, all of who made this landmark donation a reality." Karacostas added, "We are proud to be the only secular organization to make and fulfill a one-million-dollar donation to this campaign.  I echo the sentiments of Supreme President Loucas in convey our sincere appreciation to all our donors." Additionally, Loucas and Karacostas expressed confidence Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine will be rebuilt and both hope AHEPA's fulfillment of its pledge will provide the springboard for the additional support the project needs. The 97th Grand Banquet is the pinnacle event of the 97th Annual Supreme Convention, which took place this week in Chicago, Ill. PHOTO CREDIT: GOA/DIMITRIOS S. PANAGOS New Jersey Attorney Horiates Elected Supreme President Sets goal to increase membership collectively between all four Orders to 100,000 CHICAGO -- The delegates of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association Supreme President Horiates provides his inaugural address. Photo Credit: Dimitrios Panagos/GOA (Order of AHEPA), the leading association for the nation's millions of American citizens of Greek heritage and Philhellenes, elected George G. Horiates, Esq., of Moorestown, N.J., Supreme President at the 97th Annual Supreme Convention, Chicago. Horiates, 52, ran unopposed in elections that were held July 5, 2019. Formal installation ceremonies were held July 6, 2019. In his inaugural remarks, Supreme President Horiates paid tribute to our community's immigrant forebears, including his own who came to the United States as survivors of World War II, stating the Greek American community has an obligation to preserve and project its Hellenic heritage to ensure its survives for future generations. Horiates, a member of Chapter 69, Camden, N.J., also expressed heartfelt gratitude to the delegates for entrusting him to lead the Order into the start of the next decade.  He stated he is looking forward to working with the Brotherhood as "One AHEPA." Moreover, Horiates articulated an overarching goal of reinvigorating AHEPA's base while continuing to outreach to the community.  In doing so, he has set the ambitious goal to increase membership collectively between all four Orders of the AHEPA Family to 100,000. AHEPA Leadership 2019 - 2020 The 2019-20 Supreme Lodge. Photo Credit: Dimitrios Panagos The AHEPA Supreme Lodge is the international governing body of the organization. The Executive Committee of the 2019-20 Supreme Lodge is comprised of: Canadian President Christos Argiriou, Winnipeg, Manitoba; Supreme Vice President Jimmy Kokotas, Brooklyn, N.Y.; Supreme Secretary James Stasios, Wilmington, N.C.; Supreme Treasurer Savas Tsivicos, Wayside, N.J.; and Supreme Counselor Louis G. Atsaves, Esq., Lake Forest, Ill. The nine Supreme Governors are: Region I: Demetrios C. Kirkiles, Esq., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; Region II: George Papaspyrou, Riva, Md.; Region III: Tom Duchas, Rye, N.Y.;  Region IV: Jack Isaac, New Britain, Conn.; Region V: Alex Anderson, Springfield, Ohio; Region VI: Peter Lekas, Chicago; Region VII: Chris Kaitson, Houston; Region VIII: Alexander Soles, Yorba Linda, Calif.; and Region X: Phanos Pitiris, Nicosia, Cyprus. Sons of Pericles National Advisor is Nick Kavadas, Schereville, Ind.; and Supreme Athletic Director Chris Atsaves, Glenview, Ill. AHEPA Family Elections The organizations that comprise the AHEPA Family also held elections. Celia Kachmarski, L-R: Supreme President Horiates, MOA Grand President Ronstadt, DOP Grand President Kachmarski, and SOP Supreme President Pavlakos. Calgary, Alberta, was elected Daughters of Penelope Grand President; Paul Pavlakos, New York, N.Y., was elected Sons of Pericles Supreme President; and Theodora Ronstadt, Chicago, was elected Maids of Athena Grand President. The Installation Ceremony of newly-elected officers officially concluded the 97th AHEPA Supreme Convention, which began June 30. It was truly a historic Installation Ceremony as it was the first one ever attended by the Archbishop of America with the presence of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros. The 2020 Supreme Convention will convene at Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando, Fla.    Founded in 1922 in Atlanta, Georgia, on the principles that undergirded its fight for civil rights and against discrimination, bigotry, and hatred felt at the hands of the Ku Klux Klan, AHEPA is the largest and oldest grassroots association of American citizens of Greek heritage and Philhellenes with more than 400 chapters across the United States, Canada, and Europe.   AHEPA's mission is to promote the ancient Greek ideals of Education, Philanthropy, Civic Responsibility, and Family and Individual Excellence through community service and volunteerism.  For more information, please visit www.ahepa.org.

We're Underway! | 2019 Supreme Convention Supreme President George E. Loucas welcomes the attendees. The 97th Annual AHEPA Family Supreme Convention is well underway in Chicago at The Palmer House Hilton. Attendees have flown in from around the world to convene our annual meeting and take in all that Chicago has to offer. Basil's Blog: We're Underway in Chicago! View the schedule. Thank you to our generous sponsors! | Sponsor list  Sons & Maids Reunion Weekend, July 5-7 | Details here Excellence in Athletics Honored in Chicago Today, AHEPA will present awards to outstanding current and former athletes, scholar-athletes, and industry professionals at its Athletic Luncheon held at the Supreme Convention. Five individuals will be inducted into the AHEPA Hellenic Athletic Hall of Fame, three standouts will receive national awards, and eight scholar-athletes will also receive honors. | meet our honorees AHEPA Calls for a Stronger Message to Protect American Interests in Eastern Mediterranean In a June 27 letter to President Donald J. Trump, Supreme President George E. Loucas conveyed the Order's grave concern for U.S. security interests in the Eastern Mediterranean due to hostilities and elevated tensions perpetrated by Turkey. | read the letter. The Ahepan Summer Edition is Out! Hot off the electronic press and just in time for this week's Supreme Convention -- the summer 2019 edition of The Ahepanmagazine! This issue recaps the 91st annual Leadership Excursion, features a Greek Independence Day pictorial and news of AHEPA Housing's latest property opening; and shares our chapter's community service programs. Give it a read! Notice of Funding Availability for New Construction of HUD 202 Affordable Elderly Housing  Has your chapter been interested to provide dignified, affordable housing to our nation's low-income elderly through the AHEPA National Housing program? Then now might be a good time. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced a round of funding availability (NOFA) for the construction of new Section 202 affordable housing for the elderly--the first such announcement in several years. If interested, AHEPA Management Company has outlined what your chapter needs to know about how to proceed, including who to contact. The deadline to apply is August 28, 2019. Learn More: NOFA Fact Sheet from AHEPA Management Company  Don't forget to follow AHEPA on social media:

Join AHEPA Today! In Our Own Words. What AHEPA means to us. Join AHEPA Now Upcoming Events & Deadlines July 1 - 6 | 97th Annual AHEPA Family Supreme Convention, Chicago 5 - 6 | AHEPA National Basketball Tournament, Chicago 5 - 7 | Sons & Maids Reunion Weekend, Chicago Greek American News Digest Editor's Note: Editorials, commentaries, opinion pieces, and articles are shared for information purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the views or policy positions of the Order of AHEPA, its affiliated organizations, and members.   Greece's Voters Turn to Establishment Amid Europe's Populist Wave The Wall Street Journal (June 27) Greece is expected to elect a conservative leader from an eminent political family next month-and become the first European country in recent times to revert to its establishment after being led by populist outsiders. read more Could Ancient Greek Philosophy Help You Work Smarter and Better? New York Times (June 27) Why is your colleague already on step five of a project when you're contemplating how to approach step one? Or why is another co-worker never finished with anything and still another rapidly checking items off the to-do list?  read more  Cyprus takes legal action against firms encroaching its EEZ Ekathimerini (July 2) Cyprus has initiated legal proceedings against three companies involved in gas drilling by Turkey to the west of the island for encroaching on the island's continental shelf, a senior Foreign Ministry official said on Tuesday. Officials declined to name the companies, but said they were not Turkish. read more Inspired by Greece, Nike Officially Unveils Giannis Antetokounmpo's Zoom Freak 1The Pappas Post (July 1) Nike has officially unveiled Giannis Antetokounmpo's first signature sneaker, the aptly named Zoom Freak 1. Antetokounmpo was in Athens for the official unveiling and showed off the shoes in action.  read more Greek veterans of Korean War honored in memorial event ANA MPA (June 27) Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Greece, Soosuk Lim, said he will help bring to prominence the actions and sacrifices of the Greek veterans of the Korean War, speaking at a memorial service on the 69th anniversary of the Korean War, held on Tuesday at the Monument of the Fallen in Papagos district, in Athens.  read more Dora Giannakarios Preston, They Call Me Mama Cosmos Philly (June 30) To be one of the first Greek-American female firefighters and EMT trained is an accomplishment in itself, but this self-described "bad-ass" has one more surprise.  read more