AHEPA E-News Volume 17, Issue 16 | Wednesday, April 19, 2023

Massachusetts Celebrates George Demeter Day

Photos by AHEPA Brother Alex Mavradis

Ahepans representing Boston's Athens Chapter 24 joined Massachusetts State Senator Bruce Tarr, members of AHEPA Past Supreme President George Demeter's family, the National Association of Parliamentarians, and Consulate General of Greece in Boston Symeon Tegos, to commemorate the outstanding contributions of George Demeter during the Massachusetts State Senate session. Senator Tarr described Demeter's "dedication to the protection of the rights of individuals by ensuring an orderly process by which all organizations and deliberative bodies can make decisions" as vital. George Demeter, who served as Supreme President from 1923-24, is known as the first Greek American elected to serve in the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1932. He also authored Demeter’s Manual of Parliamentary Law and Procedure, a manual with parliamentary rules and procedures to prepare anyone seeking to become a certified parliamentarian. According to Boston newspaper accounts, the inclusion of Greek traditions in the annual Boston Marathon such as crowning the winners with a laurel wreath and presenting them a bronze medal from Athens was started, in part, by Demeter.

AHEPA Family Leadership Excursion Commences

Supreme President Jimmy Kokotas commenced the AHEPA Family Annual Leadership Excursion with a visit to chapters in Brussels, Belgium and Stuttgart, Germany. From there, the Supreme President will visit Thessaloniki, Constantinople, Athens, Cyprus and Crete. He will be joined eventually by Daughters of Penelope Grand President Georgette Boulegeris, Maids of Athena Grand President Maria Ana Pantelous, and other AHEPA Supreme Lodge officers and family. During the excursion, the delegation will visit chapters and meet with government, military, and religious officials in each city to speak about AHEPA and its accomplishments. Stay tuned to updates from the excursion in the upcoming weeks!

MOA & SOP Scholarships Available

The scholarship application process for AHEPA's youth organizations, the Sons of Pericles and Maids of Athena, has opened! Members in good standing of each organization are eligible to apply. Applicants for the 2022-2023 Sons of Pericles scholarships are eligible to win one of three available scholarships awards: AHEPA Housing SOP Scholarship Award for US $1,500 SOP Supreme President Scholarship Award for US $1,000 SOP Supreme Lodge Scholarship Award for US $500  Applications for the SOP Scholarship must be postmarked by June 16, 2023.

APPLY FOR THE SOP SCHOLARSHIP

Applicants for the 2022-2023 Maids of Athena scholarships are eligible to win one of three available scholarship awards: Archbishop Demetrios Scholarship $ 500 Past Executive Director of AHEPA Tim Maniatis Memorial Scholarship $1,000 National Maids of Athena Scholarship $ 1,000 Applications for the MOA Scholarship must be postmarked by May 31, 2023.

APPLY FOR THE MOA SCHOLARSHIP

Mavroyannis Scholarship Application Opens

AHEPA Educational Foundation Chairman George Vorkas, on behalf of Supreme President Kokotas, is pleased to announce its continued partnership with the Mavroyannis Family to offer the Constantine and Patricia Mavroyannis Scholarship. The Constantine and Patricia Mavroyannis Scholarship is open to graduate students who are either Greek or of Greek heritage and are enrolled in a PhD program in either theoretical physics or physical chemistry in the Faculty of Science at a North American university. The scholarship is in the amount of $5,000 and will be awarded in the fall semester. Thanks to the generosity of Dr. Constantine and Mrs. Patricia Mavroyannis, this scholarship recognizes scholastic achievement and an interest and commitment to studying theoretical physics or physical chemistry by providing financial assistance to Hellenic graduate students to pursue their studies in these fields.

Learn More & Apply Here!

It's a New Congress! Help Grow the Hellenic Caucus

The 118th Congress is underway. AHEPA congratulates the newly established leadership of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues: U.S. Reps. Gus M. Bilirakis (R-FL) and Chris Pappas (D-NH), who are serving as co-chairs. We are also excited to see the Caucus establish vice chair positions and congratulate U.S. Reps. Dina Titus (D-NV) and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), who serve in that role. We look forward to working with the Caucus’s leadership, and the entire Caucus body, to help it meet its goals and objectives for the 118th Congress.   The AHEPA family can assist the Hellenic Caucus by helping it to grow. Membership stands at 90 U.S. representatives.

View the Caucus membership list (Updated 4/18/23)  Please review the list. If you do not see your U.S. representative listed, reach out to ahepa@ahepa.org to learn how to contact your U.S. representative and to ask them to join. Thank you.

AHEPA 2023 Supreme Convention - Save the Date!

Book Your Hotel Room Now!

While It Lasts! Get Your AHEPA Centennial Merch

Get it while it lasts! AHEPA centennial commemorative merchandise is available that includes a commemorative coin and stand and decanter set. Years of service and chapter officer pins, award plaques, and AHEPA t-shirts, watches, patches, and more!  Check it all out in the AHEPA Marketplace catalog.

Upcoming Events & Deadlines

April  30 | New York Greek Independence Day Parade May 1 | Deadline: Summer 2023 The Ahepan magazine 19 | SOP & MOA Greeks in Denver

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 AP Photos: Orthodox patriarch marks Easter on Turkish island AP (April 16) The ecumenical patriarch of the Eastern Orthodox Church, based in Istanbul, fulfilled a 10-year promise to mark Easter on the Turkish island of Gokceada where he was born. In candle-lit masses held over three days, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I presided over services that brought together Orthodox Christian believers from the Aegean island and abroad. read more Orthodox Easter mixes spiritual and pagan in equal measure AP (April 17) Millions of Orthodox Christians across Eastern and Southern Europe, the Middle East and elsewhere in the world, have celebrated Easter, capping weeklong religious celebrations. The most important holiday on the Orthodox religious calendar is essentially an outdoor celebration, with equally intense spiritual and pagan parts and religious services followed by feasts, familial and communal. read more Gloriously unorthodox … Greece’s wilder side has plenty of adventures in store The Guardian (April 15) The authors of a new guide to wild Greece know where to find rugged landscapes, pristine beaches and lush vistas away from the touristy hotspots. read more Maria Callas Greek Society Presents Concert Honoring Callas’ 100th Birthday Ekathimerini (April 17) The Maria Callas Greek Society pays tribute to the immortal opera diva on the 100th anniversary of her birth by organizing a concert in her honor on Saturday, June 17, 9 PM, at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens, with internationally renowned tenor Roberto Alagna and soprano Aleksandra Kurzak as special guests. read more Podcast Highlights Australia’s First Greek Immigrant National Herald (April 18) A new SBS podcast series, Community Starters, shared the story of George Emanuel, originally from Corfu, who is the first documented Greek immigrant to Australia, SBS News reported, noting that he arrived in 1811 and the podcast series “hopes to document the first migrants from their communities.” read more Greece’s Summer Season Has Already Begun. Here’s Where to Stay Bloomberg (April 17) Last summer, everyone from Elon Musk to footballer Mo Salah was seen on Mykonos, enjoying the sun, the Aegean sea and the island’s famous nightlife. Greece’s tourism industry, which accounts for 25% of the country’s gross domestic product, is booming, with a peak season that’s gradually doubled, or even tripled, in length. read more Now Available!