Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church Ladies Philoptochos Society P.O. Box Cub Hill Road Baltimore, MD 21234

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1 Issue - February Executive Board Elaine Sackleh (President) elaine4ladybugs@comcast.net Mary Karavedas (1st Vice President) mskaravedas@comcast.net Lisa Jones (2nd Vice President) danskliese1@aol.com Cathy Xanthakos (Treasurer) cathy.xanthakos@yahoo.com Angie McQueeney (Assistant Treasurer) angie3a@aol.com Kriss Cocoros (Recording Secretary) kcocoros@umd.edu Margo Lambros (Corresponding Secretary) margolambros@hotmail.com Maria Antonakas (Advisor) mariaa6@verizon.net General Board Mary Antonas Joanna Beleos Kate Cocoros Violette Cocoros Smaro Cook Dottie Ganer Christina Kakoullis Presvytera Alice Noplos Lori Paperacleous Thorina Trintis Sophia Vendelis Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church Ladies Philoptochos Society P.O. Box Cub Hill Road Baltimore, MD Happy New Year to the Families of Saint Demetrios! It is already February, the second month in our new calendar year. My how the days fly by. Although January is now but a memory it should not be passed without mentioning that through the generosity of our Saint Demetrios Stewards enjoying the delicious Vasilopita Luncheon, our beloved Philoptochos chapter sent Saint Basil s Academy a check for $1,500. Philoptochos continues our commitment, of almost 70 years, to providing key financial support to the Academy. Promoting support for Saint Basil s Academy is only one of the yearly ministry commitments made by our Philoptochos chapter. Our mission to promote charitable, benevolent and philanthropic outreach as well as to preserve the sanctity of life and family and to perpetuate and promote our Orthodox Faith and traditions stands strong as we progress through Our goal is to honor the relationship with God by using our gifts, our abilities, our compassion, our empathy, our faith and our love to make a better world for our family, our Greek Orthodox community and our neighborhood at large. Join us - Make a choice to become a Member or Associate (men) member of Philoptochos. Embrace the opportunity to live Christ in our daily lives. A membership form is located in this newsletter or may be picked up at the Narthex table during attendance at church services. Preview our newsletter for current and upcoming projects. Service is the essence of philanthropy and charity. Whether it be helping gather food or clothing for those in need due to disaster or difficult economic circumstances; cheering our elderly with a friendly visit or our Military personnel with care packages and thinking of you notes; feeding the families staying at the Ronald McDonald House or those grieving a loved one at a Makaria; be it collecting books to promote literacy or listening to an inspirational presentation on our faith... there is a Circle of Interest for everyone. We cannot do great things. We can only do little things with great love. ~Mother Teresa As our hearts and our health are the focus in February we ask that God bring us strength to go forth with great love in accomplishing all the little things that are brought before us in life. With Love In Christ, ~Elaine Sackleh

2 2013 Coffee Hour Hostesses February 3, 2013 thru April 21, 2013 February 3 - Manuel and Maria Antonakas, Joy Becker, Carolyn VanRoden +February 10 - Joanna Beleos, Maria Christ, Vickie Fellner, Debbie Rizas February 17 - Mary Cross, Vangie Demetrakis, Sophia Lericos, Diane Stavros February 24 - Aristea Daniels, Stephanie Christ, Mary Karavedas, Irene Vavas March 3 - Irene Eliou, Irene Kaminaris, Irene Lericos, Eva Samaras, +March 10 - Antonia Courtalis, Georgia Kerasiotes, Anastasia Petropolou, Diamanto Serevetas March 17 - Maria Chirgott, Linda Edwards, Sophia Gunzelman, Mary Pizanis March 24 - Dottie Ganer, Marcie Lambros, Margo Lambros, Pauline Markas March 31 - Maria Chirgott, Marianne Markopoulos, Lou and Mary Triadafilou April 7 - Vangie Alexion, Patricia Galanakis, Diamando Sarigianis, Vula Stamatopoulos, +April 14 - Sandra Dzwonczyk, Olga Garrish, Lucy Kosmos, Diane Zamaria April 21 - Mary Antonas, Katherine Diafokeris, Harriet Hatzidimitriou, Toula Woods Each Sunday a team of four ladies is assigned to serve the Coffee Hour. Team members are responsible for setting up, serving, and clean up after coffee hour. Weekly coordinators: week one Carolyn VanRoden, week two Lisa Mitsos, week three Sophia Gunzelman, week four Katherine Strakes, week five Mary Triandafilou. Coordinators will call to remind you. We thank you all for your generous assistance in helping us continue this service to our community. If you cannot keep your assigned Sunday, please call Maria Antonakas at your earliest convenience at Memorial Sunday

3 Saints Cosmas & Damianos, The Holy Unmercenaries Patron Saints of the Ladies Philoptochos Society 2013 Membership Application Saint Demetrios Ladies Philoptochos Society Name Address Telephone Cell Address Stewardship Amount: {For each pledged member a chapter sends $7/member to our Metropolis Philoptochos & $15/ member to our National Philoptochos to support regional & national charity initiatives. The remaining pledge dollars are used to help fund our many efforts to help those locally in need.} Please contact me regarding meetings and ways that I may volunteer with Philoptochos, please accept my stewardship for membership. I am unable to actively participate in Philoptochos at this time, but please accept my stewardship for membership. Send to: Saint Demetrios Ladies Philoptochos Society, Attention: Membership, P.O. Box Cub Hill Road, Baltimore, Md For membership questions, please contact Thorina Trintis, (410)

4 NEWS FROM OUR METROPOLIS Maria Antonakas, Metropolis Board Member If you ve read the December issue of the Orthodox Observer Voices of Philoptochos you see the amazing progress we have made as our National Philoptochos President Aphrodite Skeadas is pictured holding the keys with Bishop Sevastianos to our National headquarters building at 126 East 37th Street. Their smiles glowing with appreciation and thankfulness to our Almighty God for the more than 27,000 members of Philoptochos throughout the Archdiocese for their support that paved the way to making the purchase of the building possible. Mrs. Skeadas says, the headquarters will serve to expand and fulfill the mission of Philoptochos, we re not doing this for ourselves, we have the responsibility for being the philanthropic arm of the Church. The grassroots support we received showed the trust and love of the mission of Philoptochos.we thank each and everyone who supported this effort with their gift, large or small and we are grateful for that. It is noteworthy to inform you that our Metropolis of New Jersey are proud and humbled to each and every one of our 47 active chapters for their demonstration of strength and devotion to Philoptochos by stepping forward to offer $1000 in honor of a chapter leaf donation for the Philoptochos Center of Philanthropy Giving Tree initiative. The Metropolis of New Jersey is highly moved by having 100% of its active chapters take their rightful place on the PCOP Giving Tree. As our Metropolis Philoptochos serves to assist and support its many chapters through efforts to encourage chapter growth and understanding of the philanthropic mission, one thought is projected in all we do; we create a powerful force for change when we work together as one., writes our Metropolis President Anne Michaels in her recent president s report. She continues to say this tenet was never more evident that this past fall when we united for the healing of those who suffered in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. As the Metropolis of New Jersey Disaster Relief program continues, we work as one organization. Under the direction of His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos, Philoptochos stood ready to offer help when dismal days and unanswered calls for assistance seemed to prevail. Through the loving assistance of our Metropolis of New Jersey chapters and churches, individual donors, the National Philoptochos and the Archdiocese of Americas, the Metropolis of New Jersey has been able to offer, in Phase II of the program, over $150,000 in disaster relief, much of it in the form of grants, to the Greek Orthodox faithful throughout affected areas of our Metropolis. The Metropolis of NJ Disaster Relief Program did not confine its concern to only the Greek Orthodox faithful, although grant money was restricted to this effected population. Through Phase 1 of our Disaster Relief Programs, and with plenty of advice from National Disaster Relief Chairman Dee Nicolaou, chapters throughout the Metropolis were organized to lead their church ministries and parishioners to reach out through their communities and deliver food and other disaster relief supplies to devastated communities during the very first few weeks of the disaster. Our efforts were met with gratitude that stretched from the southernmost portion of our Metropolis in Virginia to the northern most tip of New Jersey. In Phase III of the Relief Program, needed appliances and furniture are being made available to those disaster relief victims who continue to be in need. The Relief Program is still underway as applications for assistance are reviewed It is, without a doubt, a true blessing to be part of our Metropolis of New Jersey under the guidance of His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos and our Metropolis Philoptochos President, Anne Michals.

5 2013 Philoptochos Calendar of Events February- Heart Health Month/"Go Red" Charity Drive - "Operation Sweet Pea" -Send a special Valentine to our troop members overseas. Please help Philoptochos fill a box of cheer with sweet things for our platoon of 50 stationed in Afghanistan. Items needed: Write a Valentine Card for each soldier, chocolate & hard candy, new socks and washcloths, individual packages of - snacks, fruits, gum, crackers, hot chocolate, soups; handheld games, decks of cards, or maybe some homemade Greek cookies. Philoptochos Project - A good reference to have: Purchase "A Guide To Greek Traditions and Customs in America" by Marilyn Rouvelas. The books are $30 each and will be sold through the spring. 10 (Sun) - "Go Red Sunday" - wear something red in awareness of heart health month 11(Mon)- Ronald McDonald House Dinner Visit - Valentine Celebration - Soup & Chili Night 12(Tues)- Philoptochos General Meeting- Heart Health presentation 23(Sat)- Saint Michael's Home - Metropolis Philoptochos Annual Visitation March Charity Drive - Food collection for families in need Philoptochos Project - Chocolate Easter Candy Orders/Sales 12(Tues)- Philoptochos General Meeting- "Great Grains" presentation 18(Mon)- Lent Begins April Philoptochos Projects- Chocolate Easter Candy Orders/Sales Ronald McDonald Red Shoe 5K Race (Sun-April 14th) 7(Sun)- My Ladies Luncheon- Father Ray Valencia will speak about "Women in their Ministry of Salvation" 8(Mon)- Ronald McDonald House - Serve Spring Themed Dinner 10(WED)- Philoptochos General Meeting TBD -Easter bread making TBD -Holy Week preparations May 5(Sun)- Easter 12(Sun)- Mother's Day- Mother of the Year Presentation 14(Tues)- General Philoptochos Meeting & Elections June 1(Sat)- "A Big Fat Greek Bingo Night" 10(Mon)- Ronald McDonald House - Serve Barbeque Dinner 16(Sun)- Father's Day- Father of the Year Presentation & Luncheon 17(Mon) - End of Year celebration - honoring Philoptochos sisterhood and Mother & Father of the Year

6 Saint Demetrios Ladies Philoptochos Society presents A BIG FAT GREEK BINGO NIGHT to benefit the many great charities of Philoptochos Saturday, June 1, 2013 St. Demetrios Hermes Center 2501 Cub Hill Road Baltimore, MD Tickets are $15 in advance; or $20 at the door Doors open at 6pm; First game begins at 7pm Refreshments will be available Extra cards and special games will be available Join us for a fun evening and win great prizes for all (Coach, Craftsman, Mattel, Pandora and more!) For tickets, please call Lisa Jones at or Alice at anoplos@comcast.net

7 Easter is right around the corner, and once again the Saint Demetrios Philoptochos will be offering fresh home-made candies for your baskets! This year orders will be taken in advance. Remember, Orthodox Easter is May 5 th, which is 5 weeks after western Easter! Don t be caught with out-dated, stale storebought Easter candy in your baskets! Order your candy today to assure the freshest! A limited amount of candy will be available for sale, so be sure to order yours today! Please fill out the following form and return to the church office (with PHILOPTOCHOS EASTER CANDY) on the envelope. Payment must be included in order for us to process your order. Checks can be made to St. Demetrios Philoptochos. You can also mail your order to: Philoptochos Easter Candy Sale P.O. Box Baltimore, MD PHILOPTOCHOS EASTER CANDY ORDER FORM Chocolate Filled Easter Eggs or Chocolate Bunny Lollipops: $2 each or 6 for $10 Candy Quantity Price Peanut Butter filled Milk Chocolate Eggs Coconut filled Dark Chocolate Eggs Chocolate Truffle filled Milk Chocolate Eggs Strawberry Truffle filled White Chocolate Eggs Milk Chocolate Bunny Lollipops White Chocolate Bunny Lollipops Total Amount Due (Include with order form) All orders will be available for pick-up on Sunday, April 28 th after church, unless another date is noted here:

8 In This Issue... Calendar of Events News from the Metropolis Coffee Hour Schedule A Big Fat Greek Bingo Night Easter Candy Sales Happy Valentine s Day! St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church Ladies Philoptochos Society P.O. Box Baltimore, MD 21234