District Governor s Message

Transcription

1 A Publication of Capital District No. 3 - Order of AHEPA American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association Chapters in the District of Columbia Maryland Virginia North Carolina West Virginia Volume 80 - Issue 1 Fall 2013 District Governor s Message I want to thank all of our District 3 Brothers for putting their faith in me and my fellow lodge Brothers by electing us to serve you during this year. We are all looking forward to a successful and productive year. As this Triogram goes to the printer we have already completed our irst workshop hosted by Worthington Chapter 31 in Baltimore, Md. We look forward to our mid winter conference in March hosted by Woodrow Wilson Chapter 241 in Newport News, VA. Our third and inal workshop will be hosted by Sir Walter Raleigh Chapter 10 in March as well. We have also just celebrated Thanksgiving with our friends and relatives and re lecting on all we have to be thankful for reminds me of all the hungry and starving children in Greece. Let us all support the Apostoli program and donate what we can to this most worthy cause. By now a letter has been sent out from our Supreme President asking for your support to put food in the mouths of these innocent children. Every $10,000 will provide ive hundred families of four members with packages of dry food supplies to last for twenty days. What a wonderful Christmas present would it be if we could feed ive hundred, one thousand or even ifteen hundred families just by a combined donation from all our District 3 Chapters? I look forward to seeing you at the upcoming workshops and also at the District 3 annual convention in Fayetteville, NC June 13 15, 2014 My thoughts will be with each and every one of you as we approach this most wonderful and blessed Christmas season. I hope you and your families have a joyous Christmas and a healthy and Happy New Year! Fraternally, Rob Stepp District Governor Volume 80 Issue 1 Fall 2013 Capital District No. 3 TRIO GRAM Page 1 of 12

2 Daughters Of Penelope District Governor s Message D ear Sisters, It is my pleasure to send greetings to the AHEPA family of District #3. The Daughters of Penelope have already been hard at work again, since the beginning of the new iscal year, in September, as they have done throughout the past years. The new Lodge elected at the District Convention, in Annapolis, MD, are as follows: Dist. Governor: Geri Hasapis Lt. Governor: Jane Moore Secretary: Kathy Matrakas Treasurer: Alana Gavrilis Marshal: Loretta Kirk MOA Advisor: Irene Bantsolas District Advisor: Kathy Matthews, PDG At the National Convention, held in Orlando Florida, the DOP of District 3 was recognized for a number of accomplishments for : District with the most reinstatements Kathy Matrakas: Certi icate of Merit for her work as Chair for Civic Responsibility Kathy Cavallo (Helle Chapter) District DOP of the year Zoe Cavalaris Award: Katherine Lane, of Fayetteville, NC Most recently, I along with Jane Moore, Kathy Matrakas and Alana Gavrilis, attended the 40 th annual Luncheon/Fashion Show, hosted by the Arion Chapter, in Rockville MD. Proceeds of this delightful affair were designated to support Autism, this year. I congratulate the Sisters for a job well done! This is just one example of the diligence and dedication of the Daughters, in furthering the good work in their respective communities, all in the name of the Good of the Order. Mark your calendar, March 8/2014 scheduled for the Winter Conference, in Newport News, VA. We look forward to your attendance. I would also like to thank all the PDG s of the past 84 years, leading the way for us to follow in their footsteps and continue with the ideals of our Founder. Please remember to observe November 16 th. In Theta Pi Geri Hasapis District #3 Governor Well done Sisters! The Lodge had its irst meeting in September, in Richmond, VA. Be assured, as a whole as well as individually, the Lodge will be available to assist and visit with as many chapters as possible. Toward that goal, we do need your help in providing your annual agenda, concerned with meeting dates and any special events. Volume 80 Issue 1 Fall 2013 Capital District No. 3 TRIO GRAM Page 2 of 12

3 Worthington Ch. #30 90 Years and Still Going Strong A Gala to Remember! The dictionary de ines a Gala as A festive occasion, especially a lavish social event or entertainment. That pretty much describes what Worthington Ch. 30 had hosted on October 6, This however took much planning to get things together. It all began when Brother President, Bill Bond encouraged the Chapter to look into having some event to make some income to help support our many charitable programs; some money making venture. Bro. Gus Stavrides, who had lived in New York, presented a lier from a church in Long Island that had for many years sponsored a dinner / dance with a grand raf le which included several cars and dozens of prizes. Gus stated that they would do this annually and would make thousands of dollars. After tossing around several ideas, Brother Dr. Pete Nickolas receives his Past President s plaque from Bro. Anthony Kouzounis (SP) Pete served as past president for 3 terms, and was the only one to have a split term. Bro. Nick Prevas amassed photos and paraphernalia from AHEPA s past. Nick wanted to do this in memory of his father, Michael Prevas. The oldest living Ch. 30 past President, Bro. Evan Chriss receiving his Past President s plaque from Supreme President Anthony Kouzounis, as Bill Bond (PP) looks on. the committee decided to put together an event based on this concept. It took many months to put this event together. A committee was formed nearly a year in advance Gala Committee members were Bill Bond (Chair), Arthur Constantinides, James Constantinides, William Coutros, Loucas Hajiantoni, Peter Nickolas, Jim Pappas, John Stathopoulos, & Constantine Stavrides. Many hours of planning and research were compiled. Hundreds of phone call and s were made. The Gala event venue was selected the lavish Martin s West Hall near Baltimore. A raf le was planned with 36 prizes awarded, including two cars ans a trip to Greece. Dignitaries were invited to attend. The band Zephyros was contracted to play Greek & American music. All the other technicalities were attended to. There was some (or should I say quite a bit of) concern as to whether all the Gala dinner tickets to the hall would be sold. Even more so, whether the chapter would sell enough raf le tickets to cover the two cars, the trip to Greece, and the other 33 prizes. Tensions mounted as the day approached. Some Brothers said, we should not have gone out on the limb that we took on much more that we could handle. Others felt that we were dealing with Greeks, and Greek time the procrastinating nature of the Greek culture was it work here. But still, there was much concern. As the day of the event drew closer, calls and s began coming in at a greater frequency, The seating was limited to about 200, but this number was Bro. Manuel Matsos head of the Zephiros Band pulls the winning cket for the first prize, a 2014 Audi; Bro. Gus Stavrides looks on. exceeded, to the surprise of all. We even had to turn people away. So, after many, many hours of preparation, the event came to fruition on October 6. As patrons entered the hall, they were greeted by an extensive Chapter 30 history display. The information was assembled by Bro. Nick Prevas and was of great interest to most patrons. Some of the attendees included Senators: Paul Sarbanes (Con nued on page 4) Volume 80 Issue 1 Fall 2013 Capital District No. 3 TRIO GRAM Page 3 of 12

4 (retired) and his son John and AHEPA dignitaries: Supreme President Anthony Kouzounis and Supreme Governor of Region 2, Phillip Yamalis. There were also many Past Presidents of the Chapter who attended. The highlight of the event was when the Past Presidents were called up to receive a plaque which was given to honor their service to AHEPA and the chapter. The band Zephyros did an exquisite job of entertaining with their live music, as usual. There was a feeling of camaraderie present. This can be best described by an received from Bro. Jim Constantinides: Something that night touched us in a way that I can't describe. There was a nostalgia there. Perhaps the age of the chapter and our own ages touched us I was looking through some boxes of memorabilia that my Dad had collected. All kinds of trinkets from conventions all over the place- AHEPA stuff. It was sad. And so it comes round. I collect the programs from the evening and you send me some photos which I will print for MY box of stuff. Throughout the night, the raf le tickets were drawn for the many prizes that were to be awarded. As is often the case, the winners of most of the prizes were not in attendance. Photo of some of the Past Presidents of Ch. 30 plus dignitaries (seated) and rela ves of deceased Brothers. The inal concern was alleviated when the Gala committee had discovered at the end of the night that enough tickets were sold so that we had actually made a hefty pro it! Imagine that, Greek time at work here too. Submi ed by Luke H. Ch,30 Lord Baltimore Ch. 364 Initiations. On Monday November 11, The Lord Baltimore Chapter #364 initiated 9 new Brothers. On hand to give the oath was District Governor Rob Stepp and Supreme Governor Phillip Yamalis. The chapter Brothers were all invited to a dinner at the Olive Tree Restaurant and after the dinner the dining area was transformed into a Chapter meeting room where the ceremony took place. The new Brothers are: (pictured Below) Peter Dimitriades, Michael Pantelides, Vasilis Argiropoulos, John Pentikis, Christopher Smith, John Logothetis, David Oliphant, Theodore Pappas, and Jim Loucas. Pictured with the newly installed Brothers are Michael Mavronis, Nick Forakis, John Gavrilis, Supreme Governor Yamalis, Louis Kanaras, and District Governor Stepp. While in Baltimore to participate in the Lord Baltimore Chapter Initiation, Supreme Governor Phillip Yamalis and District Governor Rob Stepp met with Brothers from the Worthington and Susquehanna Chapters to discuss ideas and promote Hellinism. The afternoon time was well spent by exchanging thoughts and ideas for the Good of the Order. (Below Right) Volume 80 Issue 1 Fall 2013 Capital District No. 3 TRIO GRAM Page 4 of 12

5 District 3 Workshop Baltimore, MD Saturday, November 23, 2013 The place was the Baltimore Ch. 30 AHEPA hall and the occasion was the District 3 Workshop for the northern region. District Governor Rob Stepp gave an informative PowerPoint presentation to the attending brothers. The Agenda included Chapter Leadership which detailed Parliamentary Procedure and related subjects. Also the topics of Membership, Tax info, the Apostoli Program, and the AHEPA Business network. There were many questions that were raised; the answers to some of which sparked the interest of those present. The PowerPoint presentation is scheduled to be posted to the District web site for anyone to view who could not attend the Workshop, or just to see what was discussed Lastly, Bro. Luke Hajiantoni was present to receive his District Ahepan of the Year plaque, which he was awarded at the District Convention. Photo below shows Bro. Luke receiving the plaque from Demetrios Govotsos (PDG), with Bro. Rob Stepp (D.G.) and Bill Bond (PP) lanking him. A endees of the District 3 Workshop in Bal more The next workshop will be the mid winter conference with the Daughters of Penelope and will be held in Newport News, VA hosted by the Woodrow Wilson Chapter #241 on March 8, Fayetteville, North Carolina Hestia Chapter #416 started the year 2013 working together with our AHEPA brothers preparing for the annual Athenian Night. This event has become one of the premier events of Fayetteville and always gives us a chance to enjoy a spectacular evening of great food, drink, dance, and fun. Later in the spring we toured the NC Museum of Art especially enjoying the Greek Culture Exhibit, and inished the day with a delicious lunch at the Museum s on site cafe before returning to Fayetteville. Our chapter has worked on several projects through the year including preparing personal care bags for the local women s domestic violence center. Another project included our participation in a blanket drive. We were able to make a signi icant donation of blankets and other bedding to the Myrover Reese Fellowship House, a halfway house for male and female recovering alcoholics. In June, several DOP members attended the District Convention in Annapolis, Maryland. We were honored that two of our members were chosen as district of icers. Congratulations to District Governor Geri Hasapis and to MOA Advisor Irene Bantsolas. They have proven themselves to be strong and capable leaders and our district will no doubt bene it under their guidance and leadership. One of our MOA members Katherine Lane was honored at the National AHEPA Convention by being chosen the recipient of the Zoe Cavalaris Athletic Award. This award is given to only one person throughout our entire organization. Congratulations to Katherine for her athletic abilities and also for her many scholastic achievements as well. Though we usually take the summer off, this year we rolled up our sleeves and organized our irst DOP Yard Sale. Besides cleaning out our closets and garages, the proceeds from this event will help fund some of our charities and other projects. This winter season inds us busy with local events beginning with our annual Founder s Day coffee hour after church. This will be followed later in the month with a joint DOP/Philoptochos Christmas luncheon. We will again pick several names from the Angel Tree and at least make some needy children s Christmas morning a little brighter with clothes and toys from their wish list. Also this season we are assisting our AHEPA (Con nued on page 6) Volume 80 Issue 1 Fall 2013 Capital District No. 3 TRIO GRAM Page 5 of 12

6 (Con nued from page 5) brothers with a food booth at the Junior League s Holly Day Gift Fair. And in keeping with the holiday spirit, we would like to extend to our sister DOP chapters and the whole AHEPA family the warmest of wishes for a safe and very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Submi ed by, Dina Goodson, Hes a Chapter #416 President Chapter 277 Durham, North Carolina Chapter 277 brothers in DURHAM, North Carolina s City of Medicine and Knowledge, organized and held their traditional fall dinner dance on October 12, In addition to AHEPA families, the event attracted many other guests from the area, including students from the several universities. District Lieutenant Governor brother Jim Stasios spoke to the assembled company. All enjoyed the delicious dinner buffet [prepared by brothers John Paliouras, Andrew Christakos, James Grinias, and Achilles Kostopoulos] and danced to the delightful music selected by the DJ [brother Socratis Gerondelis]. Net proceeds of the event go to outreach and scholarships. [Ch. 277] Brothers James Grinias (L) and John Paliouras (R) in the kitchen Archimandrite V. Rev Fr. Stavroforos Mamaies [Ch. 277], Mrs. Maria Stasios, DLG Jim Stasios [Wilming on Ch. 408], Nick Paliouras, Elia Nicholas [Ch. 277] Mary Washington Chapter #290 Fredericksburg, VA On October 27, 2013 District 3 Governor Rob Stepp and District 3 Secretary Tom Grias attended church at the Nativity of the Theotokos in Fredericksburg, VA home of the Mary Washington Chapter #290 Order of AHEPA. Following the service Brother Governor pinned Brother Wayne Skinner with a past Chapter President s pin as Brother Secretary read a letter of recognition for the 10 years of service as President of Chapter #290. The Governor then congratulated Brother Mitchell Raftelis for his service as Chapter Secretary for more years than anyone knew. Brother Secretary read a letter of recognition that was presented to Brother Raftelis by the Governor. Following Church service Chapter #290 held their monthly meeting attended by the District Governor, District Secretary and District Treasurer. Volume 80 Issue 1 Fall 2013 Capital District No. 3 TRIO GRAM Page 6 of 12

7 Of all the academic trips a high school student can take, there is one that stands out above the rest. This summer, I was fortunate enough to be admitted into AHEPAcademy, a weeklong leadership program for Greek American rising high school seniors. AHEPAcademy was created by AHEPAn Aristotelis A. Chronis in The program is primarily designed around teaching business and leadership skills and providing an environment in which to practice those skills so that students can use them in the real world, along with discussing the importance of remembering our Hellenism as we graduate and move onto bigger horizons. It is my intention to publicize this amazing opportunity for future Greek American teenagers. After applying and receiving an acceptance letter, I was sent all the information on the week, including an itinerary. When I irst saw the itinerary, I wasn t sure what to expect from the Instructional Sessions. However, they were ironically some of my favorite parts of the whole week. The twelve students that were admitted into the program were driven and passionate about their Greek heritage. These traits stood out in the Instructional Sessions. Each session was an interactive, conversational atmosphere where all of us were able to share our feedback and opinions. We learned how to network and use professional etiquette, along with economics, our Hellenism, and the evolution of our generations. We spent the week traveling around Washington D.C. The itinerary was packed with a combination of educational and recreational activities, all involving the Greek A Week Worthwhile culture. We saw a show at the Kennedy Center, visited the Greek and Cypriot Embassies, and even attended a Baltimore Orioles game where we met a star Greek American baseball player, Nick Markakis! Of all the amazing things I did, the way I grew as a person, and the amount I learned, my favorite part of the entire week was the people I met. I made eleven new lifelong friends (we barely got any sleep the entire week because we wanted to maximize our time together). I can honestly say that never in my life have I ever been completely surrounded by people so similar to me. This is one, among many, of the life changing effects of AHEPAcademy. For years to come, I plan on sharing my experience and hopefully convincing more students to apply. I would highly recommend this program to any Greek American rising high school senior who is passionate about his or her heritage and future success. Through AHEPAcademy, I learned more about business, life, and friendship in one week than I had in my entire life. It was truly a week worthwhile. Alyssa Xouris Cary, NC Volume 80 Issue 1 Fall 2013 Capital District No. 3 TRIO GRAM Page 7 of 12

8 2013 District Convention, Annapolis, MD Volume 80 Issue 1 Fall 2013 Capital District No. 3 TRIO GRAM Page 8 of 12

9 2013 District Convention, Annapolis, MD Attention! Save the Date: 2014 District 3 Conven on June 13 th 15 th Faye eville, NC Volume 80 Issue 1 Fall 2013 Capital District No. 3 TRIO GRAM Page 9 of 12

10 STOP HUNGER NOW AHEPA & GOYA, Members of St. Nicholas Parish Participate in Event in Wilmington, NC November 16, 2013 O n Saturday morning, November 16 th, over 80 members of the Wilmington AHEPA, GOYA, and St. Nicholas Parish participated in a STOP HUNGER NOW Event at Hanover Hall at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. They joined over 1350 other volunteers who worked in two shifts during the day to package approximately 285,120 meals that will be distributed primarily in Swaziland, Africa. Our volunteers were joined by AHEPA District Governor Rob Stepp and his wife Helen, our own Jimmie Stasios (District Lt. Governor) and his wife Maria, and our chapter president Nick Lazaridis and his daughter Valerie. Brother Rob and his wife attended liturgy the next day at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church. STOP HUNGER NOW is an international hunger relief agency that has been in operation since ( The organization has devised an easily prepared meal which is easily shipped and easily prepared for eating. The meals consist of rice, soy, dehydrated vegetables and a vitamin forti ied lavoring mix with 21 essential vitamins and minerals. The ingredients are placed into small plastic bags by teams of four individuals. The food stores easily, has a shelf life of two years and transports ef iciently. Each packet costs 25 cents. Ahepans who gave their me and efforts to the project are (L-R) Jim Stasios (Dist. Lt. Gov.), Rob Stepp (Dist. Gov.), Spiro Macris (PSP), and Nick Lazarides (Ch. 408 Pres.) STOP HUNGER NOW provides the ingredients with funds from sponsors, contributors and student donations. One bag, mixed with hot water, feeds 6 individuals. 36 bags are placed in a cardboard case, and 66 cases are put on a pallet. In this event, 20 pallets were assembled and placed in a shipping container for transport. This shipment represents 285,120 meals. This shipment was programed for delivery to Africa. Plans have already been formulated for a one million meal shipment to the Philippines. Submi ed by Spiro Macris, PSP Volume 80 Issue 1 Fall 2013 Capital District No. 3 TRIO GRAM Page 10 of 12

11 TRIO GRAM STATEMENT OF EDITORIAL POLICY The Trio-Gram is an official Publication of Capital District 3, Order of AHEPA Fraternal Organization. Our publishing policy and philosophy must be a reflection of this. With this in mind, please understand that all articles and commentaries which are submitted by any AHEPA family members should directly reflect AHEPA issues and business. Explanation: A one and a half page article dealing, for instance, with Hellenic history may be of interest, but our budget and space constraints put this kind of item on an appreciably lower ranking with regard to our publishing priorities. Basically, our editorial policy reflects that of the National publication, AHEPAN Magazine as listed on its first pages, but is one which must be more restrictive with regard to material such as that described above because of funding and space limitations. The AHEPAN is a Magazine - The Trio-Gram is a Newsletter. We cannot stretch it beyond our means. Trio-Gram Editorial Staff Editor Luke Hajiantoni Reviewing Editor James Constantinides (P.P.) Reviewing Editor James Stasios (Dist Lt. Gov) Reviewing Editor Rob Stepp (Dist. Gov.) Reviewing Editor Geri Hasapis (DOP Gov.) Printer : Schmitz Press Note: A star designates some informa on was not submi ed and therefore is missing. District #3 Permanent Scholarship Fund Have you considered a Tax Free Deduc on and Dona on to a most worthy cause? Since its incep on in 1958, we as AHEPANS have helped over 1,000 students a end NoneReported college. Your dona on LARGE or SMALL will keep the fund growing allowing us to increase the number of scholarships. The Scholarship Commi ee administers the fund without deduc ng any overhead costs from your dona on. (Scholarship grants are paid only from interest earned; capital funds can not be used for scholarships.) Remember your dona on will help AHEPA children prepare for college and then help future genera ons. Fraternally Yours, THANKS, Nicholas P. Vamvakias C. Steven Georgilakis John Samos District #3 Permanent Scholarship Fund 4801 St. Elmo Ave. Bethesda, MD YES! I want to help educate the sons and daughters of AHEPANS, enclosed, please find my tax-deductible contribution, payable to District #3 PSF. $1,000 $500 $100 $50 Other: $ Check preference, if desired: In Memory of: In Honor of: Name: Please send acknowledgment to: Name: Address: City: State: Zip: Tear at the dotted line - enclose check payable to District #3 PSF and mail to this address: District #3 PSF C/O Steve Georgilakis 4801 St. Elmo Ave. Corrections to the Fall 2012 Issue of the Trio-Gram Volume 80 Issue 1 Fall 2013 Capital District No. 3 TRIO GRAM Page 11 of 12

12 TRIO GRAM Capital District No. 3 Newsletter 6374 Montgomery Rd. Elkridge, MD NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT # 1608 District Governor Rob Stepp Green Forest Drive Colonial Heights, VA H: W: C: rob.helen@comcast.net District Lt. Governor Jim Stasios 424 Camway Drive Wilmington, NC H: W: x20 X jstasios@aol.com District Secretary Tom Grias 7235 Jessica Lane Prince George, Va (c) (h) (w) mrg6464@yahoo.com ORDER OF AHEPA DISTRICT #3 OFFICERS District Treasurer George Papaspyrou 3067 Tudor Hall Road Riva, Maryland (Cell) (Fax) : papaspyrou@verizon.net District Marshall Peter T. Kalogerinis (Fayetteville Chapter #9); pkalogerinis@hmail.com District Warden Gary J. Metry Birchleaf Road Chester, VA, H: C: doc @yahoo.com District Athletic Advisor None District Governor Geri Hasapis 356 Edinburgh Drive Fayetteville, NC (910) (H) geriha@nc.rr.com District Lt. Governor Jane Moore 703 Winterberry Dr. Fredericksburg, VA jmoore24@csc.com District Secretary Katherine L. Matrakas 2013 Pagebrook Road Silver Spring, Md (301) (H) klukia14@gmail.com District Treasurer Alana Gavrilis P.O. Box 4672 Richmond,VA alana.gavrilis@gmail.com DAUGHTERS OF PENELOPE DISTRICT #3 OFFICERS District Marshall Loretta Kirk 404 Aubrey Rd. Richmond, VA Advisor to Maids of Athena Irene Bantsolas 6304 Whitehall Drive Fayetteville, N.C (910) irinibant@gmail.com District Advisor Kathy Matthews 229 Dogwood Lane Cobbs Creek, VA H: Kathy.matthews1968@gmail.com Volume 80 Issue 1 Fall 2013 Capital District No. 3 TRIO GRAM Page 12 of 12