THRU DECEMBER 9

TARPON SPRINGS, FL – Workshops in Greek Bouzouki with Leonidas Zafiris and Elias Poulos, Sundays, 2-4 PM, October 28;  November 4, 11, 18, and 25; December 2 and 9, at Safford House, 23 Parkin Ct. in Tarpon Springs. Fee: $5 donation per class requested. The City of Tarpon Springs is pleased to present a series of workshops in Greek bouzouki for youth and adults by Leonidas Zafiris and Elias Poulos. Classes will be divided into beginning (2-3 PM) and advanced (3-4 PM) sections. Students should bring an instrument, and there will be a few bouzoukis available on site for beginning students. In addition, a limited number of bouzoukis are available through a Bouzouki Lending Program at the Tarpon Springs Public Library, 138 E. Lemon Street. 727-943-4922. More information is available by contacting Tina Bucuvalas 727-937-1130 or tbucuvalas@ctsfl.us. Classes are funded by the National Endowment for the Arts.

NOVEMBER 24

FLUSHING – The Association of Asgata Cyprus Annual Dinner Dance takes place on Saturday, Nov. 24, 7 PM at Terrace on the Park, 52-11 111th Street in Flushing Meadows. For tickets and info, please contact Loula Antoniou at 347-345-7407 or Peter Louca at 516-679-2205.

NOVEMBER 24-25

CHICOPEE, MA – The 5th Annual Christmas Bazaar at Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church, 30 Grattan Street in Chicopee, takes place on Saturday, Nov. 24 and Sunday, Nov. 25. Bring the whole family to the marketplace with gifts available for all ages. Drinks, cookies and Greek pastries also available as well as a giant raffle. All proceeds benefit the parish. More information is available by phone: 413-592-3401 and online: stsconstantinehelen.ma.goarch.org.

NOVEMBER 25

GARFIELD, NJ – Cyprus Children’s Fund, Inc. invites you to its 2018 Annual Testimonial Dinner, honoring Mr. Savas Tsivicos, Former National Chairman & President of CCF, at The Venetian, 546 River Drive in Garfield, on Sunday, Nov. 25, 5 PM. Please visit www.cyprus-childrensfund.org for details.

NOVEMBER 26

MANHATTAN – The Monthly Social & Networking with the Manhattan-based AHEPA Family Chapters, Delphi #25 and the Daughters of Penelope, Evryklea Chapter #36, at Kellari Taverna, 19 West 44th Street in Manhattan, takes place Monday. Nov. 26, 6-8 PM. All existing members and those interested in becoming members are invited to attend. Open to ladies and gentlemen; casual business attire. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres; cash bar. Please contact ahepa25.delphinyc@gmail.com for details.

NOVEMBER 28

ISELIN, NJ – The Greek American Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with the Hellenic-American Chamber of Commerce, invites you to Strategies and Habits that Help Achieve Success, featuring Nancy Papaioannou, President of Atlantic Bank, at EisnerAmper LLC, 111 Wood Ave. South in Iselin, on Wednesday, Nov. 28, 7 PM. Please visit www.greekamericanchamber.com for details.

NOVEMBER 29

MANHATTAN – The East Mediterranean Business Culture Alliance (EMBCA) invites you to The State of NYC Residential Development, Design & Construction – Fall 2018 Discussion Panel, in honor and memory of Costas Kondylis, at The Russian Tea Room in Manhattan on Thursday, Nov. 29, 6:30 PM. Please visit www.embca.com for details.

DECEMBER 1

GLENVIEW, IL – The Holly Jolly Holiday Faire at Sts. Peter and Paul, 1401 Wagner Road in Glenview, hosted by the Sts. Peter and Paul Philoptochos, on Saturday, Dec. 1, 10:30 AM-4:30 PM. Enjoy a luncheon of delicious Greek cuisine served from 11:30 AM-2:30 PM. Carry-outs are available. Homemade pastries, local artisans and vendors. Santa will visit from 10:30 AM-3 PM. General admission: $3. Students and children: no charge. More information is available by phone: 847-729-2231 and online: ssppglenview.org.

DECEMBER 2

MANHATTAN – You’re invited to Faux-Bia! The Musical, a new musical comedy in the style of Aristophanes, produced by Popular Theater, under the auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organization, the General Consulate of Greece in New York, and AHEPA Delphi Chapter 25, at Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall in Manhattan on Sunday, Dec. 2, 7 PM. Please visit www.carnegiehall.org for tickets and www.populartheater.com for details.

MANHATTAN – Comedian Ellen Karis performs stand-up at the Broadway Comedy Club, 318 West 53rd Street in Manhattan on Sunday, Dec. 2. More information is available online: ellenkaris.com.

DECEMBER 7-8

YOUNGSTOWN, OH – Basile the Comedian performs at the Funny Farm Comedy Club, 110 W Federal Street in Youngstown on Friday, Dec. 7, 8 PM and 10 PM, and Saturday, Dec. 8, 7 PM and 9:30 PM. More information is available online: funnyfarmcomedyclub.com and basilelive.com.

DECEMBER 8

BILOXI, MS – Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 255 Beauvoir Road in Biloxi, holds its International Christmas Festival on Saturday, Dec. 8, 10 AM-5 PM. Featuring Greek music, dancing, and kids activities as well as the different cultures that comprise Holy Trinity’s congregation, with ethnic folk dancing and traditional foods from Greece, Russia, the Ukraine, Romania, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia, Germany, and Hungary. There will be ethnic foods, baked goods, pastries, and gifts, and church tours.

Admission is free and parking is free around the church. More information is available by phone: 228-388-6138 and online: holytrinitybiloxi.org.

CHICAGO, IL – The Family Christmas Party at the National Hellenic Museum, 333 S. Halsted in Chicago, will be held on Saturday, Dec. 8, 1 PM. More information is available by phone: 312-655-1234 and online: nationalhellenicmuseum.org.

CHICAGO, IL – The Greektown Tree Lighting takes place on Saturday, Dec. 8, 5-6 PM at Halsted and Van Buren Streets in Greektown Chicago. In addition to the Christmas tree lighting, there will be carolers and musicians on-site caroling through our Greektown restaurants where you’ll find plenty of food options and starting December 1 you can stop in and see our display of 30+ hand painted Christmas boats, the Greektown Karavakia Display. Mark your calendar to kick off the holiday season! More information is available online: greektownchicago.org.

DECEMBER 13

ASTORIA – The Carnival of Love Foundation invites you to Christmas in Candyland! Join us in celebrating the magic of the past 10 years, as we come home to where it all began… Central Lounge, on Thursday, Dec. 13, 8 PM. No cover. Cash bar, hors d’oeuvres, sweet surprises. Donations raised will support the opening of a Healing Arts Community Center for families living with autism and special needs. More information is available online: carnivaloflove.org.

DECEMBER 15

STAMFORD, CT – Archdiocese Byzantine Christmas Concert jointly hosted by the Archangels community, the Yale University School of Sacred Music and Saint Vladimir’s School of Theology. The renowned Archdiocesan Byzantine Choir will perform with support from the Yale Institute of Sacred Music and St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary on Saturday, Dec. 15, 7-8 PM at the Church of the Archangels 1527 Bedford Street in Stamford. Tickets: $30 per person. Reception to follow in the Greek Cultural Center. More information is available by phone: 203-348-4216 and by email: office@archangelsgoc.org and online: archangelsgoc.org.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The Metropolis Christmas Open House takes place on Saturday, Dec. 15, 3-6 PM at Metropolis House, 372 Santa Clara Avenue in San Francisco. Enjoy an afternoon of festive holiday cheer, refreshments, and Christmas Carols to celebrate the beautiful season of the Nativity of Jesus Christ.RSVP by December 7to metropolis@sanfran.goarch.org or 415-753-3075.For more details on this year’s charity and how you can help those in need during this beautiful season of giving, visit: sanfran.goarch.org.

DECEMBER 16

CHICAGO, IL – The Metropolis Christmas Celebration at the Metropolis of Chicago, 40 E. Burton Place in Chicago will be held on Sunday, Dec. 16, 5-9 PM. More information is available by phone: 312-337-4130 and online: chicago.goarch.org.

The post Going on in Our Community appeared first on The National Herald.

BARRIS, ANGELO
ST. PETERSBURG, FL (from the Tampa Bay Times, published on Nov. 14) – Angelo Barris, 91, of St. Petersburg, passed away Monday, November 12, 2018. He was born in Crete, Greece. Angelo is survived by his wife of 58 years, Aphrodite; daughter, Sandra (Dan) Johnson; son, John (Wendy) Barris; grandchildren, Christina, Michael and Joseph. Visitation will be held at Memorial Park Funeral Thursday, November 15 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm with Trisagion at 7 pm. Funeral mass will be held at 10 am, Friday, November 16 at St. Stefanos Greek Orthodox Church, 3600 76th St. N., St. Petersburg, FL 33710. In lieu of flowers, donations in Angelo’s memory may be made to St. Stefanos. Memorial Park Funeral Home.

BOUREKAS, SPIROS
FITCHBURG, MA (from the Sentinel & Enterprise, published on Nov. 13) – Spiros G. “Spike” Bourekas, 91, of Fitchburg, passed away peacefully in his home on November 12, 2018. Spike was born in Northern Epirus, Greece on June 19, 1927. He immigrated to the U.S. in 1947, and after becoming a naturalized citizen, joined the U.S. Army. He proudly served his country during the Korean War until his honorable discharge in 1952. For several years, Spike worked as an auditor for the IRS and in the early 1960’s, began running his father’s business, George’s Hot Dog Stand. He owned and operated the stand for over 20 years, until his retirement. Upon retirement, Spike enjoyed spending his winters in Florida and traveling with his wife, Nancy, and his son, Gregory. He was an avid reader who enjoyed discussing politics and reminiscing. With his father George being one of the co-founders of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Spike was very active within the church and eventually became president of the Men’s Club in the 1970’s. Spike was a man of great faith and will be missed by all who knew him. He is survived by his two grandsons, Matthew Bourekas and Alexander Bourekas, both of Ashburnham. Spike was predeceased by his wife Nancy (Lastella) Bourekas in March 2018, and his son Gregory Bourekas in May 2018. Calling hours will be held in Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 1319 Main St., Fitchburg on Wednesday, November 14, from 9:30-11:00 am. The funeral service will begin at 11:00am. Burial will follow in Forest Hill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial contributions be made to the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 1319 Main St., Fitchburg, MA 01420.

GEORGIADIS, EVANGELIA (from the Union Leader, published on Nov. 14) – EvangeliaGeorgiadis, 98, died November 12, 2018 at her home following a brief illness. She was born in Zouzoli, Kastoria, Greece on March 4, 1920. She loved people, she was always very active, enjoyed gardening, going for walks and spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband, SoteriosGeorgiadis. Family members include two children, Artemis Lazos and her husband, Panagiotis, James Georgiadis and his wife, Soultana, grandchildren, Spiros Lazos and his wife, Alison, Vasilios and his wife, Callaway, Joanna Guarracino and her husband, Joseph, Evangelia Cardoza and her husband, Keith, SoteriosGeorgiadis, great grandchildren, Peter, Thomas and George Lazos, Loukas and EvangeliaLazos, Sylvia and Leonardo Guarracino and Jordan Cardoza. A calling hour will take place on Thursday, November 15, 2018 from 10 am to 11 am with the Trisagion service at 10:30 am in the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, 111 Island Pond Rd. The funeral service will follow at 11 am in the church. Committal prayers will follow in Pine Grove Cemetery, Brown Ave. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Evangelia’s name to the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, 111 Island Pond Rd., Manchester NH 03109. J.N. Boufford& Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. For more information and online guestbook please visit www.bouffordfuneralhome.com.

HRONIS, CHRISTINE
PALMER TOWNSHIP, PA (from The Express Times, published on Nov. 15) – Christine “Hrisavghi” Hronis, 95, of Palmer Twp., PA, died Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, at home. Born July 17, 1923, in Greece, she was a daughter of the late Anastasia (Hadgidemitriou) and TriandafiloHadgistavrou. She had been employed by S & H Sportswear until 1969 and was the co-owner with her husband, Peter, of Pete’s Steak Shop, now Palmer Diner and Forks Diner. She was a member of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church and was affectionately known to many as Mama and Yiayia. Christine enjoyed cooking, sewing, going to Hess’s/Bon Ton at the Palmer Park Mall, and family events. She had a great love of spending time with her grandchildren. The highlight of her year was attending the wedding of Christina and Richie. Christine will always be with us in spirit. She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Peter Hronis; her son, William Hronis and his wife, Tammy, of Palmer Twp.; a sister, SyrmoSaroglou of Middletown, NY; two grandchildren, Christina Capitano and her husband, Richie, and Peter Hronis, and nieces and nephews. Services are at 11 a.m., Monday, in Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 319 S. 20th St., Wilson, with visitation from 5 to 7 p.m., Sunday, in the church. Interment is in Northampton Memorial Shrine. The Ashton Funeral Home, Easton, is handling arrangements. The family recognizes the staff of Lehigh Valley Hospice/Homecare for the comfort, care, and tenderness given to Christine. Also, the family wishes to thank all the family members and friends who came to visit Christine to furnish thoughts, prayers, and food. Memorial contributions may be made to Annunciation Philoptochos, c/o 319 S. 20th St., Easton, PA 18042. Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com. Ashton Funeral Home 1337 Northampton St. Easton, PA 18042, (610) 253-4678.

PLAVOUKOS, VOULA
LIVERPOOL, NY (from the Syracuse Post Standard, published on Nov. 6) – Voula (Kaloskambis) Plavoukos, 86, of Liverpool, went home on All Saints Day, which is fitting as she could have told you about the passion and sacrifices made by each one of them. She reflected upon and lived her last days without fear or complaint and with a cheerful heart instead and that is because she had always equated death with “changing our clothes”. Born in Piraeus, Greece, Voula came to the United States to visit her sister Antonia. When she stepped off the ship in Manhattan where she would meet a charismatic quintessential New Yorker, her future husband John. She mentioned that her favorite singer was Nat King Cole for “if the human heart had a voice it would be his.” So, John and Voula took their seats at the best table in the house at Gatsby’s to see and hear all Voula’s favorite songs. After they were married, Voula and John moved their young family to Syracuse where John’s brothers, Phil and George, had already made a name for themselves in the restaurant business. In 1974, Voula and John introduced fine Greek cuisine to Syracuse when they opened the Poseidon Restaurant in the Regency Tower on James Street and for the next 17 years they entertained thousands of guests including opera star, Luciano Pavarotti, All in the Family actress, Jean Stapleton, Batman movie producer, Peter Gruber, U.S. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, NYS Governor Mario Cuomo, NYC Mayor John Lindsay and of course, their beloved friend, Syracuse Mayor Lee Alexander. After her husband’s death, Voula divided her remaining happy years between Athens, Syracuse, and Los Angeles. She was predeceased by her beloved sister, Antonia Gutow and survived by her sons, Lee and James of Liverpool and Spero (Cassandra) of Los Angeles; grandchildren, John of Liverpool, Nikolas and Zoi of Los Angeles; her niece, Nassia (Lorenzo) Gabrielle of Geneva, Switzerland; two nephews, YiannisGutow of Ft. Lauderdale and Spencer (Marie) Plavoukos of North Syracuse, along with many other beloved nieces and nephews throughout the world. A funeral service in celebration of Voula’s life will take place on Friday, November 9, 2018 at 12:00 p.m. (noon) in St. Sophia’s Greek Orthodox Church, 325 Waring Rd., Syracuse, NY 13224. Entombment will follow in Oakwood Cemetery Mausoleum. Funeral arrangements entrusted to Thomas J. Pirro Jr. Funeral Home. Words of comfort may be expressed at tjpfuneralhome.com “Family owned” 315-451-9500.

REMPAS, CHRIS
CHICAGO, IL (from the Chicago Tribune, published on Nov. 6) – Chris S. Rempas, age 84, of St. Constantine, Tripoli Greece, passed away on Saturday, November 3, 2018. Devoted son of the late Sarantos&Diamanto, nee Limberopulos, Rempas. Dear brother of the late Theodore (Penelope) Rempas, the late Nicoletta (the late Minas) Vitogiannis, the late Theodora (Bill) Lazaropoulos, the late John (Dina) Rempas, the late Bill Rempas, Gregoria (the late Chris) Patrinos and fond uncle of many nieces and nephews and their families. Chris, a proud Veteran of the U.S. Army, served in Germany during the Korean War. Visitation Wednesday, November 7, 2018 from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm at Smith-Corcoran Funeral Home located at 6150 N. Cicero Avenue in Chicago. Trisagion service begins at 5:00 p.m. Family and friends will meet Thursday morning, November 8, 2018 at St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church, 5649 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago IL 60660 for funeral service at 10:30 a.m. Interment Elmwood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church or Greek American Rehabilitation & Care Centre, 220 N. First Street, Wheeling, IL 60090. Arranged by John G. Adinamis Funeral Director, Ltd. For more information please call 773-736-3833.

SAKKIS, THEODORE
CASTRO VALLEY, CA (from the East Bay Times, published on Oct. 25) – Theodore “Ted” John Sakkis October 31, 1937 – October 22, 2018. Resident of Castro Valley, Ted passed away peacefully surrounded by his wife, children, and grandchildren on October 22, 2018 after a graceful battle with ALS. Ted was born in Pireaus, Greece to Ioannis Sakkis and VasilikiDouros. Ted spent his early years helping to support his family and attending school studying mechanics. Starting at the age of 18, Ted spent ten years working as an engineer on various ships traveling the world. Ted also served in Greece’s Royal Navy from 1960 to 1962. Ted immigrated to Oakland in 1968 and very soon after was introduced to his future wife, Maria Tsingaris. Ted and Maria were married in May 1969 and embarked on a near 50 year friendship and marriage filled with love, faith, and family, including their three children John, Manoli, and Vicki. Ted’s favorite career was as a travel agent at his Apollon Travel Service in the Dimond District of Oakland, a business he ran for 25 years. Ted was a devoted believer in Orthodoxy and his faith in God was strong. He served over 20 years as cantor at the Ascension Cathedral and his beautiful voice is remembered by many. Ted emulated his faith in all his interactions and is remembered as a generous and kind soul who touched many lives in a myriad of ways. Ted is survived by his wife Maria, children John (Carolyn), Manoli, Vicki (Angelo Limnios), and granddaughters – Marina, Nikoletta, Katie, and Lexi. He is also survived by his siblings Peter, Costa, Vivi, Angelo, Nico, and Sofia and their families. Ted was preceded in death by his parents, a younger sister Sofia, and his brother Dimitrios. A Trisagion service will be held on Thursday October 25 at 7:00pm and the funeral service on Friday at 12 noon, both at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Ascension, 4700 Lincoln Ave in Oakland. Interment will occur at Mt. View Cemetery with the Makaria following at the Resurrection Greek Church in Castro Valley, 20104 Center St in Castro Valley. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Monastery of the Holy Theotokos the Life Giving Spring, PO Box 549, Dunlap, CA 93621. For further information, please call Harry W. Greer, Funeral Director (FDR-745).

STATHATOS, PANAGIOTIS
CENTRAL FALLS, RI (from The Pawtucket Times, published on Nov. 14) – Panagiotis “Peter” Stathatos, 90, passed away peacefully on Monday, November 12, 2018. He was the beloved husband of Eleni “Helen” Stathatos (Marnelakis). Peter was born in the village of Valsamata, on the island of Kefalonia, Greece, to the late Damianos and HarinoulaStathatos (Niforatos). In his youth he served with pride in the Greek Navy and then with the Merchant Marines of Greece, where his travels took him around the world to Costa Rica, Peru, Italy, Great Britain, Australia, and Canada, where he finally settled. Peter met his wife, Eleni, in the Greek community of Montreal, Canada, and they wed in 1959. They began their family, and then emigrated to Rhode Island in 1968 where he was employed as a machine specialist by the Siegel Lace Corporation followed by Providence Braid Corporation for over 40 years. Peter was a longtime parishioner of Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church in Pawtucket, RI, and with great joy and pride he helped with church festivals and other events; and a prior member of the Order of AHEPA. Peter was a kind, gentle, and thoughtful soul. He loved everyone, always had a smile on his face, and kind words to share. He enjoyed spending time with family and friends, most especially with his grandchildren who adored him. Peter will be missed but never forgotten by his wife, Eleni; by his three daughters, Dina Platsidakis and her husband, Michael; ArgiroBitsakis and her husband, Nick; and Harinoula Martins and her husband, Jose; by his five wonderful grand- children, Maria, Loukas, Ellie, Angelina, and Cristiano; and many nieces and nephews. He is further survived by his brother, Spiros Stathatos, of Canada and Angelo Stathatos of Australia. He was the brother of the late Stathis, George, Gerasimos and DionysiosStathatos, Constantina Grigoratos and Sofia Galiatsatos. Relatives and friends are welcome to attend Services on Friday at 11am at the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, 97 Walcott St., Pawtucket, Rhode Island, followed by interment at Walnut Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday 4 to 7pm at the William W. Tripp Funeral Home, 1008 Newport Ave., Pawtucket. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Building Fund of the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church. trippfuneralhome.com.

The post Obituaries in Greek-American Community appeared first on The National Herald.

ASTORIA – With plenty of food, festive spirits, and good music, the Greek American Homeowners Association again hosted, for the 29th time, a hugely successful Thanksgiving feast. Volunteers were at their posts at the Association’s 31st Street headquarters early on Thanksgiving morning. People filled the space well before noon, the original time the event was scheduled to begin.

Under the supervision of Elpida Alexiou, turkeys were delivered to homes of fellow citizens who were unable to prepare the traditional Thanksgiving meal or who simply could not make it to the Association on Thursday.

At the same time, the offices of the Association, which were transformed into a free all-you-can-eat restaurant on Thanksgiving day, saw a plethora of people, those coming to enjoy the meal on the premises as well as those stopping by to take food home for their families.

Greek American Homeowners Association President George Kitsios, said in an interview with The National Herald that at least 1,000 turkeys were donated for the charitable event. He added that he estimated over 2500 people either passed through the offices to take meals home with them or actually stayed and enjoyed the meal there.

“It is important to mention that all the restaurants in our area support us. We have the support of the public and our door is always open to everyone. Everyone is welcome, not just Greeks. I emphasize this point because this openness is part of our effort to make everyone feel the same and to come closer together as a community,” Mr. Kitsios said.

The person in charge of organizing the meal was the former president of the Association, George Alexiou, while the gathering of food was coordinated by Mike Arapis. However, the success of the event is attributed to everyone on the Board of Directors and every single member of the Association.

“The Association’s initiative is a blessing from God.”

As is the case every year, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, Greek-American elected officials of Queens, New York State Senator Michael Gianaris, Assemblymember Aravella Simotas and New York City Council Member Costa Constantinides, as well as the consular authorities, Consul General of Greece in New York Konstantinos Koutras and Consul Lana Zochiou, also passed by the offices of the Homeowners Association.

“When I come here, it’s like I’m with my family. Right after, I always go for lunch with my parents. However, we in the omogenia are indeed family and it is very important that the Archbishop Demetrios be with us,” said Senator Gianaris.

Assemblymember Aravella Simotas, thanked the Association for their initiative and noted that it was “a message to our children about how to celebrate Thanksgiving.”

Consul General Koutras praised the work of the Association’s leaders in a celebration that has “significant symbolism” in the United States.

“The Greek-American Homeowners Association sends a message of solidarity and generosity. With the help of God, I hope we are all here again next year. Today is an important holiday with significant symbolism,” said Koutras.

In closing, Archbishop Demetrios gave a brief greeting and congratulated the organizers.

“The present meal is not just a social contribution, but it is also God’s blessing. It is an act of warmth for the people who want to enjoy this day, but do not have what we take for granted. Let us always thank God, not just on Thanksgiving, but every day and every minute,” said Archbishop Demetrios.

The music of Serafeim Lazos and Tasos Papaioannou gave the event an extra festive atmosphere.

The post Crowds Attend the Greek American Homeowners Association Thanksgiving (Vid) appeared first on The National Herald.

The 2018 annual Staff Development Seminar, organized by the Direct Archdiocesan District Office of Education at St. Demetrios High School in Astoria, NY showcased two well-known educators – Kalliopi Amygdalou-Dimitrakopoulos and Anna Sakkis, manager of the Ellinopoula Project, a media oriented language learning site.

The Seminar aims at offering in-service training to teachers who serve in the District’s Greek-American day schools, as well as the Greek afternoon/Saturday schools.

Using Data to Drive Instruction was the general theme of a series of presentations and workshops of the Seminar for the teachers of the English program of the New York City parochial day schools held under the auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America.

Amygdalou discussed The Impact of the Comprehensive Examination in Modern Greek as a Foreign Language Achievement Test while Sakkis talked about interactive learning as part of her project for teaching.

The post Archdiocese Seminar Features Noted Educators appeared first on The National Herald.

COLTS NECK, NJ (AP) — A family of four whose remains were found at the burned-down ruins of their New Jersey mansion was slain before the home was set ablaze, authorities said Wednesday, hours after the mansion owner’s brother was arrested on suspicion of arson at his own house.

Amongst the people found dead is a Greek-American, Jennifer Karidis Caneiro, 45.

Prosecutors sought to reassure the public that a random killer was not on the loose in the affluent community of Colts Neck, which is also home to some celebrities.

“We believe that this family in some form or fashion was targeted,” Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni said.

Paul Caneiro, 51, was charged with setting fire to his home Tuesday in Ocean Township. Less than eight hours later, the fire that destroyed his brother’s home was reported about 80 miles (129 kilometers) away in Colts Neck, authorities said.

Gramiccioni said he could neither confirm nor deny that Paul Caneiro was a suspect in the slayings.

At the mansion, Keith Caneiro, 50, was found shot to death on the lawn. Inside, authorities found the remains of his 45-year-old wife, Jennifer Karidis Caneiro, and their children, 11-year-old son Jesse and 8-year-old daughter Sophia.

The bodies of the mother and children were badly burned. Medical examiners had not determined causes of death for them as of Wednesday afternoon.

It was not immediately known if Paul Caneiro had retained an attorney. He was charged with aggravated arson and was scheduled to make a first appearance in court next Wednesday.

Paul Caneiro was accused of using gasoline to set his home on fire while his wife and two daughters were inside. No one was hurt in that blaze, which was reported at 5 a.m. Tuesday, about 7 ½ hours before the Colts Neck fire was reported.

Keith and Paul Caneiro were partners at a technology firm in Asbury Park called Square One.

All four members of Keith Caneiro’s family were “victims of homicidal violence,” the prosecutor said, adding that there was no indication of suicide.

The community held a vigil for the family Wednesday night. Colts Neck Mayor J.P. Bartolomeo said the Caneiros were well known in town and often seen at local shops or school sporting events.

Colts Neck, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of New York City, is home to a number of celebrities, including Bruce Springsteen. Former “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart and his wife operate an animal sanctuary there. Queen Latifah sold her mansion there in 2015. Current and former members of the band Bon Jovi have also called it home.

—
By WAYNE PARRY

The post A Greek-American Woman and Her Family Found Dead in NJ Mansion appeared first on The National Herald.

WASHINGTON (AP) – A federal judge on Sunday rejected a last-minute bid by former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos to delay his two-week prison term and ordered him to surrender Monday as scheduled.

Papadopoulos sought the delay until an appeals court had ruled in a separate case challenging the constitutionality of special counsel Robert Mueller’s appointment.

But in an order Sunday, U.S. District Court Judge Randolph Moss said Papadopoulos had waited too long to contest his sentence after it was handed down in September. Moss noted that Papadopoulos had agreed not to appeal in most circumstances as part of his plea agreement and the judge said the challenge to Mueller’s appointment was unlikely to be successful in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Four different federal judges have upheld Mueller’s appointment as proper.

“The prospect that the D.C. Circuit will reach a contrary conclusion is remote,” Moss wrote.

Tweeting in response Sunday, Papadopoulos said he looked forward to telling the full story behind his case. In recent months, he has spent many nights posting on Twitter, as has his wife, venting anger about the FBI and insisting he was framed by the government. He has also offered to testify before the Senate’s intelligence committee, which is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, if he’s granted immunity or other conditions.

“The truth will all be out. Not even a prison sentence can stop that momentum,” Papadopoulos wrote Sunday. “Looking forward to testifying publicly shortly after. The wool isn’t going to be pulled over America’s eyes forever.”

Papadopoulos had filed an initial motion on Nov. 16, nearly two months after the deadline for appealing his conviction or sentence. He followed up with a request to delay his sentence pending that motion on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving.

“Papadopoulos waited until the eleventh hour to seek relief; indeed, he did not file his second motion — the stay request — until the last business day before he was scheduled to surrender to serve his sentence,” Moss’ 13-page order states. “He has only his own delay to blame.

Papadopoulos pleaded guilty last year to lying to federal agents about his interactions with Russian intermediaries during the 2016 presidential campaign. He also forfeited most of his rights to contest his conviction.

His lawyer argued that the appellate case could constitute new evidence that could allow him to mount a challenge. That case was brought by a witness refusing to comply with a Mueller grand jury subpoena.

Papadopoulos’ sentence, issued by Moss on Sept. 7, was far less than the maximum six-month sentence sought by the government but more than the probation that Papadopoulos and his lawyers had asked for. Moss at the time noted that many similar cases resulted in probation but said he imposed a sentence of incarceration partly to send a message to the public that people can’t lie to the FBI.

Papadopoulos, the first campaign aide sentenced in Mueller’s investigation, triggered the initial Russia investigation two years ago. Memos written by House Republicans and Democrats and now declassified show that information about Papadopoulos’ contacts with Russian intermediaries set in motion the FBI’s counterintelligence investigation in July 2016 into potential coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign. That probe was later taken over by Mueller.

The White House has said that Papadopoulos was a low-level volunteer on the campaign.

By Hope Yen, Associated Press

The post Ex-Trump Campaign Adviser Papadopoulos Loses Bid to Delay Prison Sentence appeared first on The National Herald.

English words that begin with the prefix geo-, which means earth, come directly from similar Greek words. By analyzing the second component of these words, you will see how many Greek words you already know without realizing it.

VOCABULARY FROM GEO-

English word            Greek word    Pronunciation

Geography    η γεωγραφία  EE geograFEEa

geographer   ο γεωγράφος O geoGRAfos

geographic    γεωγραφικός geographiKOS

geographical γεωγραφικός geografiKOS

Geology         η γεωλογία    EE geoloYEEa

geologist        ο γεωλόγος   O geoLOyos

geologic         γεωλογικός    geoloyiKOS

geological      γεωλογικός    geoloyiKOS

Geometry       η γεωμετρία   EE geomeTREEa

geometer       ο γεωμέτρης  O geoMEtris

geometric       γεωμετρικός  geometriKOS

geometrical   γεωμετρικός  geometriKOS

geocentric     γεωκεντρικός            geoKEntrikos

Geochronology        ηγεωχρονολογία       EE geokhronoloYEEa

Geomorphology       ηγεωμορφολογία      EE geomorpholoYEEa

Geochemistry           ηγεωχημεία   EE geokhiMEEa

geodynamic  γεωδυναμικός           geodinamiKOS

geomagnetic             γεωμαγνητικός          geomagnitiKOS

geophysical  γεωφυσικός   geofisiKOS

Geophysics   ηγεωφυσική  EE geofisiKEE

Geopolitics    ηγεωπολιτική            EE geopolitiKEE

THE SECOND COMPONENT
Many English words of disciplines end in the suffixes -logy, -graphy, -metry, which derive from Greek verbs.

-GRAPHY

Comes from the Greek verb εγώγράφω (eYOGRAfo) and the noun η γραφή (EE graFEE). They mean I write and the writing.

-LOGY

Comes from the Greek verb εγώλέω (eYOLEo) and the noun ο λόγος (O LOyos). The verb means I say, I tell, I talk about and the noun means the talk.

-METRY

Comes from the Greek verb εγώμετράω (eYOmeTRAo) and the noun τομέτρο (TO MEtro). The verb means I count, I measure and the noun means the measure, the meter.

If we analyze the above words in their components, you will realize that you are familiar with many more Greek words than you may think.

Geo+centric = γεω+κεντρικός > γη + κέντρο.

Geo+dynamic = γεω+δυναμικός > γη + δύναμη

Geo+magnetic = γεω+μαγνητικός > γη + μαγνήτης

Geo+morpho+logy = γεω+μορφο+λογία > γη + μορφή + λόγος

Geo+chrono+logy = γεω+χρονο+λογία > γη + χρόνος + λόγος

Geo+chemistry = γεω+χημεία > γη + χημεία

Geo+physical = γεω+φυσικός > γη + φυσικός

Geo+physics = γεω+φυσική > γη + φυσική

Geo+politics = γεω+πολιτική > γη + πολιτική

VOCABULARY

Greek word    Pronunciation          Meaning

Τοκέντρο        TO KEntro     the center

Ο κεντρικός   O kentriKOS  central

Η μορφή         EE moRFEE the shape, the form, person

Ο λόγος          O LOyos         the speech, the talk

Ο χρόνος       O KHROnos  time

Η χημεία         EE hiMEEa   chemistry

Η δύναμη       EE DEEnami            power

Ο δυναμικός  OdinamiKOS            dynamic

Ο μαγνήτης    O maGNEEtis           the magnet

Η φύση           EE FEEsi       nature

Η φυσική        EE fisiKEE    physics

Η πολιτική     EE politiKEE politics

Ο πολιτικός   O politiKOS   the politician

Η πόλη           EE POLi         the city, the town

THE ENDING
RULE ONE

A general rule is that Greek nouns that refer to a discipline usually end in -ια, while in English end in -y. Therefore, the discipline is: γεωγραφ-ία, γεωλογ-ία, γεωμετρ-ία, γεωμορφολογ-ία, γεωχρονολογ-ία (geograph-y, geolog-y, geometr-y, geomorpholog-y, geochronology-y). They are considered of feminine grammatical gender and take the article η.

RULE TWO

The words that refer to the relevant scientist usually end in -ος, while in English end in -ist or -er. Ο γεωγράφος, ο γεωλόγος (the geographer, the geologist), but ο γεωμέτρης (=the geometer). Note the connection between the ending -τρης in the Greek word γεωμέτρης and the ending -ter in the English word geometer.

RULE THREE

The relevant adjectives end in -ικος, while in English end in -ic or -ical:Γεωγραφικός, γεωλογικός, γεωμετρικός, γεωμαγνητικός, γεωδυναμικός, γεωφυσικός, γεωκεντρικός (geographic or geographical, geologic or geological, geometric or geometrical, geomagnetic, geodynamic, geophysical, geocentric).

PRONUNCIATION KEY

i (idiom), ee (needle), e (energy), o (organism), oo (boot), y (yes), h (helium), th (theory), d (the). The capitalized syllables are accented.

The post Our Everyday Greek: Review: Greek Words you Already Know appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW YORK – In 2006, the New York Community Bancorp, Inc. (NYCB) acquired Atlantic Bank which started out in 1926 as a subsidiary of the Bank of Athens, which was acquired by the National Bank of Greece in 1953. 

Joseph Ficalora joined NYCB as a teller at age 18 and was named President and CEO in 1993. Recently honored as the Man of the Year by the Associazione Culturale Italiana Di New York (the Italian Cultural Association of New York- ACINY), he is a member of numerous boards in Queens, including those of the Queens Chamber of Commerce, New York Presbyterian/Queens, the Flushing Cemetery, the New York Hall of Science and Pace University.

In addition, he serves on the Advisory Council of the Queens Museum of Art. Ficalora also serves as a director for the New York Bankers Association, the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York, Pentegra Services, Inc., the Foreign Policy Association, Pentegra Retirement Trust, Peter B. Cannell & Company, Inc., the New York Community Bank Foundation and the Richmond County Savings Foundation.

He is also a member of the American Bankers Association’s American Bankers Council and its Government Relations Council Administrative Committee. Ficalora is also a Vietnam veteran, having served for three years in the 1960s. His personal foundation, the Ficalora Family Foundation, primarily supports education and cultural initiatives. He has a degree from Pace’s Lubin School of Business. Ficalora and his wife, Alice, are well-known philanthropists.

Recently, The National Herald had an opportunity to meet with Ficalora to discuss how Atlantic Bank has evolved along with the community, about his life and work, and about the state of banking today. The interview follows.

TNH: Tell us about the 2006 acquisition of Atlantic Bank? In hindsight, was it a good decision? 

JF: The transaction was executed extremely well and it was part and parcel of our ongoing business of acquiring banks and it fit in very nicely. What was unique about it was that it had a discernible identity that was worth preserving. Many of the other banks that we acquired, we just integrated them into the bigger bank.  However, with Atlantic Bank, we established a commercial bank charter so it operated under that charter as to have all the same attributes that it had before.

TNH: What changes have you seen in the communities the Bank serves?

JF: Many of the communities have evolved and, the communities that had been Greek may now be Hispanic, or communities that were broadly mixed have become Asian. The change in the populace of New York City has constantly gone through movement. In some cases, whole populations move from a particular area in Queens – let’s say, to a particular area in Long Island – that has happened, but we’ve maintained a great deal of the relationships, particularly Greek relationships. Some of them are international relationships because this was a bank that had a very relevant parent that was established in 1926. The broader, larger relationships in the Greek community are still there but, like I said, the populace has changed. There are branches that might have been 80% Greek that are maybe 40% Greek or even less today because the neighborhood has changed.  People have moved, in many cases diversely, and they wind up moving to many different places and, as a result of that, you basically have the likelihood of losing the deposit base, prospectively. That is not necessarily going to be as likely because of the use of telephones and the internet to do banking, but from the standpoint of the local bank, historically when people move from one of our branches to another community, they take on the local bank in that new community. Our Atlantic Bank Board is primarily made up of people from the Greek community. These are the same people that have been on the Board since the Bank had been established, so, as a result, there’s continuity and we have our relationships in Greece that we maintain. Jerry Voutsinas, who was the President of our Atlantic Bank Division, would travel to Greece every year prior to his passing. Now our current President, Nancy Papaioannou, maintains our Greek relationships and travels overseas to Greece every year.

TNH: How was your relationship with Jerry Voutsinas?

JF: It was a very good personal relationship as well as business relationship. He had been involved in banking for many years and he was on the Board of Roosevelt Savings Bank, which was originally acquired by our Roslyn Bank Division. Our Board did in fact include Jerry Voutsinas, and that worked out very well, so I decided that he was more than appropriately qualified to be the President of Atlantic Bank. Under normal circumstances, a board member would not take on this role, but I think it worked out very well and the community loved having him. I think he was good for us, for the bank itself, and he was good for the community.

TNH: What are your thoughts on the recent immigration issues with Greece?
JF: We see the issues, but you would think that given the circumstances in Greece, there would be large numbers. But, I say this as a distant observation, the Greek community is not coming in large numbers because they’re trying to come legally.  Most of Europe is trying to come legally and the volumes that are coming illegally just make it harder for people to immigrate to the U.S. from Greece. The Greek legal immigration represents I think, the best example of success is how many of the people who have come over the course of the years have been very successful here.

TNH: What makes Atlantic Bank different from the other divisions of New York Community Bank?

JF: There are no other populations with which we have such unique relationships. We have acquired many banks, but they’re all U.S.-based banks and their deposit base is generally U.S.-based citizens. Atlantic Bank is primarily U.S.-based citizens, but they have strong ties to Greece and there is no other population that it serves. There are branches that might be located in a Hispanic community, a very high percentage of the people in that community may be even from the same country, but not anything like Atlantic Bank. The more important thing with regard to Atlantic Bank is the relationships that were established by Jerry Voutsinas in the more recent era. The historical relationships were very real because they all came from Greece, but he maintained some of those and established additional ones which were all very good. I think it is highly desirable for us to maintain that identity and that relationship so we would be inclined and, in a variety of ways even through our Board representation, our manager representation, participate in the Greek community’s activities. There is no reason that I would suggest that we’re moving away from the Greek identity of Atlantic Bank.

TNH: You started out at 18 as a teller at Queens County Savings Bank. Tell us about this remarkable career, this American dream.

JF: I’m 72 years old, and I started at the bank in 1965, so I’ve been at the bank 53 years.  Same bank – just couldn’t get another job. The reality is that in those earlier years, I had the opportunity to work through many of the operational areas of the bank in a relatively short period of time, so I was exposed greatly to the bank as a whole because I became the deputy auditor very early and of course, auditors get to see everything and we never lose money. And, we actually had a bad loan in Georgia and I wrote up the loan and then got exposed to the mortgage committee which consists of  trustees. So, there were opportunities that were unique that worked out extraordinarily well in establishing a foundation from which I grew into. Within that world, an ever more relevant executive, and various organizations that I joined, I wound up becoming the president or chairman of those organizations and that worked out well too. Over the course of time, and it is a lot of time, I was exposed to ever greater responsibilities in a bank that was otherwise relatively small, but it was a well-established, well-regarded community bank. When we became a public company we changed dramatically into a relevant bigger bank. Literally, the first three deals we did were banks bigger than we were and we did it in a very short period of time.

TNH: Tell us about your military background.

JF: I served in the military for three years during the Vietnam era. My first assignment was Vietnam and I served for one year as a psychiatric specialist.  At that time, I was majoring in psychology in college. I was assigned to Vietnam because it was the year of the Tet Offensive, 1968. The number of soldiers going into Vietnam was explosive and so the need was there. I wound up in the 4th Infantry Division in Pleiku along the Cambodian border. When I returned from Vietnam, I worked at a facility in Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, where I carried the second largest patient load consisting of wives, children, and draftees. I was offered jobs from three different psychiatrists who had operating businesses – two in Manhattan and one in northern New Jersey — but I couldn’t possibly do that. In order to do what I was doing in the military, I would have to go to school for at least seven more years and certainly that was not something I wanted to do, so I went into banking. I’m very happy with what I do here.

TNH: Tell us about your family. Did your parents immigrate to the U.S. from Italy?

JF: My father was born on the Lower West Side and my mother was born on Mount Aetna in Sicily, but she came here when she was three, and my grandparents obviously were born in Sicily. Both my parents started school only speaking Italian, and the unusual thing was that my mother actually graduated from high school. Women generally didn’t graduate from high school [at that time] and she was starting at a huge disadvantage in that she only spoke Italian when she started and she was a woman. She went to school in Manhattan as did my father.

TNH: Do you speak Italian?

JF: My parents would tell us all the time, you’re American, you’re American, you’re American, you speak and do everything you can do American. They would only speak Italian when they didn’t want us to know what they were saying, so we never learned Italian. To some degree, one of my grandparents I could occasionally understand, my other grandparent she did speak a little bit of English so it was a little easier to speak with her, but that is the environment we grew up in. English was the primary language of our household and, lo and behold, we evolved differently than some of the other people I grew up with in the neighborhood.  It wasn’t so much the language as the crime. The area was not a great area.

TNH: Where did you grow up? Was there any ethnic diversity?

JF: I grew up in Corona, when it was primarily an Italian neighborhood, but it evolved.  When I was at the back end of my time in Corona, it was becoming more Hispanic but still when I left it was Italian and I only had one Greek friend whose family had owned the local candy store. In the environment I was in, of the thirteen friends with whom I played football and hockey, and other sports, only four of them were not in prison or dead by the time I left Corona, so that’s not a good ratio. Corona is where Tiffany’s was [located]. The area where I grew up, there were six-story apartment buildings which, when they were built, they were good buildings. The community was German and Jewish, then Italian, and then Hispanic. So as is the case with New York, communities evolve, same thing with Greek communities. And, over the course of those decades, the community evolved, so some of the housing that was along that number 7 [train] line was accommodating newer housing, as that 7 line was being built much of that housing was new, and Tiffany’s was a viable business along the line but that was many, many years ago.

TNH: Did you go back to college after serving in the military?

JF: Yes, I went to school at night for many years. I graduated from the American Institute of Banking which was located in Woolworth building next to City Hall and across the park from Pace University. After getting a banking degree, I continued on and got a degree from Pace. I currently sit on the board of Pace University. 

TNH: What are the qualifications of a good banker in today’s world?

JF: It’s probably no more complicated than to be a person involved with science and technology. It’s probably no more complicated than being a good leader of anything.  Being a good banker does necessitate a facility to understand finance, the economics, the relationships and consequences of financial matters. But, many, many CEOs wind up having not only that responsibility but the technical capacity to understand the business that they’re in and some of those businesses are very diverse and have very focused needs that are different than yours or my daily expectations. Being a banker necessitates understanding the rules of banking, the opportunities and various burdens of banking, but making good decisions and having good people facilitate decision making is what makes success of any company, so there’s no special need. I’ve been Chairman of CBANYs [Community Bankers Association of New York] where I was also Chairman of their Auditors and Comptrollers Forum. That kind of accounting background is a good thing to have when you’re in banking. So in our executive suite, the 4 or 5 executives are either CPAs or have accounting backgrounds.  Understanding finance and understanding numbers, the relationship of a tax code change or rules that impact how you can or can’t make money, financially is all relevant the technical expertise of figuring out how the finances work and how the taxes work and whether an opportunity is a good deal or a bad deal.  

TNH: What are your thoughts on Dodd-Frank?

JF: The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, passed in 2010, is a United States federal law that places regulation of the financial industry in the hands of the government. The consequence of Dodd-Frank was bad law and that bad law took years for them to even figure out what it meant. Right now, we’re in the process of seeing positive change.  I’ve been involved on the Board of the American Bankers Association, the New York Bankers Association and other banking organizations through the years, and currently there’s no question that the degree to which the regulatory environment actually has relevance over what we do is extraordinarily important.

TNH: How has Dodd-Frank affected the Bank?

JF: The complexity of a deal changes who we are, every time we do a deal. When we do deals, we just build a better bank, and we’ve had now nine years of not being able to do a deal because of Dodd-Frank due to the consequence of being bigger than $50 billion. So we’ve spent over $200 million in the last several years, preparing to become a SIFI (Systematically Important Financial Institution) which is Dodd-Frank. So with Dodd-Frank, it sees an institution at $50 billion becoming something that is a risk to the entire banking system, and it sets new parameters as to what you must do. Those rules may be applicable to Citi or Chase, but are inappropriate for a bank at $50 billion. Governor Tarullo [former member of the Board of Governors of the United States Federal Reserve Board] who was the regulatory governor at the Fed explicitly understood that and chose us as the poster child. When I laid it out we were 50 times larger than we were when we became a public company and our business model was the same. We were still doing the same thing that we did all those years ago – 25 years ago – but the reality is our risk profile had not changed. So just because we were going to be $50 billion we didn’t represent an unreasonable, new risk. We in fact were doing the same thing that we were doing when we were less than $1 billion in size. We are poised here for positive change because President Trump has made many, many changes with regard to restrictive regulations throughout all of corporate America. One of the places they’re making changes is in banking. So we’re on the verge of positive change.

TNH: What are your thoughts on the American economy today?

JF: The American economy is doing extremely well, the metrics are beyond historical comparison, so there are many very good things happening in the American economy, but there’s no question if things politically go wrong, where people literally dismiss right and wrong and just play politics things could get worse. The world economy is cyclical, it goes through cycles, and adverse cycles occur within reasonable time frames. The next one should have occurred two or three years ago. The disruption can be extreme. The likelihood is that there will be a value depleting cycle in the period ahead. All assets at value will be depleted. Recovery can also come rapidly, it depends on where you’re coming from, when the new opportunity presents itself. It is common psychological reality that when things are good, people just don’t worry about the problems of tomorrow and they kind of believe things will always be good and they won’t. The reality is decisions that are made in the best of times are often not the best economic decisions.

The post NYCB President, CEO Joseph Ficalora on Banking, Politics, Economy, and Greeks appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW YORK (AP) — Former New York state Senate leader Dean Skelos (SKEH’-lohs) plans to go to prison in January for his federal corruption conviction.

According to Newsday , attorney Alexandra Shapiro says Skelos has decided not to seek bail pending his appeal.

He’s due to report to the Otisville Correctional Facility in Orange County on Jan. 8.

Shapiro says the decision is not a reflection on the merits of the appeal.

The longtime Republican power broker from Rockville Centre was sentenced to four years and three months.

He and his son were convicted in July of extortion, wire fraud and bribery.

Adam Skelos also is scheduled to begin serving his sentence on Jan. 8, at a low-security federal prison in Danbury, Connecticut.

The post Former NY State Senate Leader Skelos Won’t Seek Bail appeared first on The National Herald.

BOSTON –  The special teleconference of the Executive Committee of the Archdiocesan Council called by Archbishop Demetrios of America on Monday afternoon November 26, limited its discussion to the construction of the St. Nicholas nave and National Shrine at Ground Zero in Manhattan.

The Archbishop stressed the need that 38 to 40 million dollars should be raised for the completion of the project. As previously reported, the construction was halted one year ago due to lack of funds.

Exclusive information obtained by The National Herald says that the Archbishop was forced to call this special teleconference because the Authorities of New York, the Port Authority and the Governor, corresponded with the Archdiocese asking about the status of the St. Nicholas project. The Archbishop replied that everything was going well – even though construction has not yet resumed.

During the conference call, no mention was made of the correspondence with the New York Authorities. The Archbishop only emphasized the dire need to gather the sum of 38 to 40 million dollars as quickly as possible. According to reports, 20 million will be used for the completion of the outside of the structure, while 18 to 20 million will be used for the inside.

The Archbishop reportedly said that he will ask some good people to contribute money, that he is setting up committees, and that the project must continue.

The Archbishop also said that the Archdiocese took some millions from the coffers of St. Nicholas to pay some of its debts, but that those amounts were returned to the St. Nicholas accounts.

No mention was made about his meeting with His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew last week in Geneva as The National Herald exclusively revealed on Tuesday, November 20, during which the Patriarch requested from the Archbishop to submit his resignation on his own. It is reminded here that it was the third time Patriarch Bartholomew did something like this. The two previous times he urged the Archbishop to resign willingly but the Archbishop ignored the Patriarch.

The Executive Committee is comprised by the following:

George S. Tsandikos Vice-President of the Archdiocesan Council, Elaine Allen Treasurer, Catherine Bouffides-Walsh Secretary and Legal Counsel,  Lazaros (Louis) Kircos (Chair of the Finance Committee), Constantine Caras (Chair of the Administration Committee), Maria Stefanis (Chair of the Audit Committee), George Behrakis, Louis Roussalis and Theofanis Economidis. His Eminence also noted that Bishop Andonios of Phasiane as Chancellor and Fr. Soterios Baroody as CFO, are ex-officio members of the Executive Committee. Of course, all of the Metropolitan members of the Eparchial Synod of the Archdiocese are also de facto members of the Executive.

The post The Special Teleconference of the Executive Committee of the Archdiocese discussed St. Nicholas Nave and Shrine appeared first on The National Herald.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge ordered former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos to report to prison as scheduled, rejecting his last-minute bid to delay his two-week sentence.

Greek-American Papadopoulos is to begin serving his sentence Monday.

He was sentenced in September for lying to the FBI in the Russia investigation. He had sought a postponement of his prison term until an appeals court had ruled in a separate case challenging the constitutionality of special counsel Robert Mueller’s appointment.

But in a 13-page opinion Sunday, U.S. District Court Judge Randolph Moss said Papadopoulos had waited too long to contest his sentence. Moss noted that Papadopoulos had agreed not to appeal in most circumstances as part of his plea agreement and the judge said the challenge to Mueller’s appointment was unlikely to be successful in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Four different federal judges have upheld Mueller’s appointment as proper.

“The prospect that the D.C. Circuit will reach a contrary conclusion is remote,” Moss wrote.

Papadopoulos had filed an initial motion on Nov. 16, nearly two months after the deadline for appealing his conviction or sentence. He followed up with a request to delay his sentence pending that motion on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving.

“Papadopoulos waited until the eleventh hour to seek relief; indeed, he did not file his second motion — the stay request — until the last business day before he was scheduled to surrender to serve his sentence,” Moss’ order states. “He has only his own delay to blame.

Responding to the judge’s order, Papadopoulos wrote in a tweet Sunday that he looked forward to telling the full story behind his case. In recent months, he has spent many nights posting on Twitter, as has his wife, venting anger about the FBI and insisting he was framed by the government. He has also offered to testify before the Senate’s intelligence committee, which is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election, if he’s granted immunity or other conditions.

“The truth will all be out. Not even a prison sentence can stop that momentum,” Papadopoulos tweeted. “Looking forward to testifying publicly shortly after. The wool isn’t going to be pulled over America’s eyes forever.”

Papadopoulos pleaded guilty last year to lying to federal agents about his interactions with Russian intermediaries during the 2016 presidential campaign. He also forfeited most of his rights to contest his conviction.

His lawyer argued that the appellate case could constitute new evidence that could allow him to mount a challenge. That case was brought by a witness refusing to comply with a Mueller grand jury subpoena.

Papadopoulos’ sentence, issued by Moss on Sept. 7, was far less than the maximum six-month sentence sought by the government but more than the probation that Papadopoulos and his lawyers had asked for. Moss at the time noted that many similar cases resulted in probation but said he imposed a sentence of incarceration partly to send a message to the public that people can’t lie to the FBI.

Papadopoulos, the first campaign aide sentenced in Mueller’s investigation, triggered the initial Russia investigation two years ago. Memos written by House Republicans and Democrats and now declassified show that information about Papadopoulos’ contacts with Russian intermediaries set in motion the FBI’s counterintelligence investigation in July 2016 into potential coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign. That probe was later taken over by Mueller.

The White House has said Papadopoulos was a low-level volunteer on the campaign.

—
By HOPE YEN , Associated Press

The post Ex-Trump Campaign Adviser Papadopoulos to Report to Prison appeared first on The National Herald.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos began serving his two-week prison sentence on Monday after a judge rejected his last-minute bid to remain free.

Papadopoulos arrived at a minimum-security camp in Oxford, Wisconsin, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Papadopoulos, the first campaign aide sentenced in Mueller’s investigation, triggered the Russia investigation two years ago. He was sentenced in September for lying to the FBI about his interactions with Russian intermediaries during the 2016 presidential campaign.

He had sought a postponement of his prison term until an appeals court ruled in a separate case challenging the constitutionality of special counsel Robert Mueller’s appointment.

But U.S. District Court Judge Randolph Moss said Papadopoulos had waited too long to contest his sentence.

The White House has said Papadopoulos, 31, was a low-level volunteer on the campaign. But he’s been a central figure in the Russia investigation dating before Mueller’s May 2017 appointment.

According to an indictment handed up this summer, Russian intelligence had stolen emails from Hillary Clinton’s campaign and other Democratic groups by April 2016, the same month Papadopoulos was informed by a professor that Russian officials had told him they had “dirt” on Clinton in the form of “thousands of emails.”

Papadopoulos later used his connections with the Maltese professor, Joseph Mifsud, and other Russian nationals in an attempt to broker a meeting between then-candidate Donald and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Papadopoulos admitted last year to lying to the FBI about those contacts with Russians and Russian intermediaries.

In recent months, Papadopoulos has spent many nights posting on Twitter, venting anger about the FBI and insisting he was framed by the government. He also has offered to testify before the Senate intelligence committee, which is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election, if he’s granted immunity or other conditions.

“The truth will all be out. Not even a prison sentence can stop that momentum,” Papadopoulos tweeted Sunday. “Looking forward to testifying publicly shortly after. The wool isn’t going to be pulled over America’s eyes forever.”

Papadopoulos’ sentence, issued by Moss on Sept. 7, was far less than the maximum six-month sentence sought by the government but more than the probation that Papadopoulos and his lawyers had asked for. Moss at the time noted that many similar cases resulted in probation but said he imposed a sentence of incarceration partly to send a message to the public that people can’t lie to the FBI.

—
By MICHAEL BALSAMO , Associated Press

The post Ex-Trump Campaign Adviser Papadopoulos Reports to Prison appeared first on The National Herald.

WASHINGTON, DC – American Hellenic Institute (AHI) President Nick Larigakis will give a presentation at an international conference titled, “New Realities in the Eastern Mediterranean” to be held at the Konrad Adenauer Conference Center, Mishkenot Shaananim, Jerusalem, on December 11. The conference is sponsored by The Jerusalem Institute for Strategic Studies (JISS) and B’nai B’rith International (BBI) and held in cooperation with AHI and the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (Order of AHEPA).

“We are pleased to announce our support and participation at a major international conference that brings together thought-leaders to continue the dialogue about the geopolitical significance of the Eastern Mediterranean,” Larigakis said. “We thank JISS and B’nai B’rith International for organizing the conference. It is yet another example of the ongoing cooperation between diaspora groups in support of the trilateral relationship between Greece, Cyprus, and Israel.”

Larigakis will speak on the topic, “The Role of the Greek Diaspora,” as a participant on the panel, “Extra-Regional Actors.”

The conference will also feature: academicians, policy analysts, and former government officials.

The American Hellenic Institute is a non-profit Greek American public policy center and think tank that works to strengthen relations between the United States and Greece and Cyprus, and within the Greek American community.

More information about the activities of AHI is available online: ahiworld.org.

The post AHI to Participate at International Conference on Eastern Mediterranean appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW YORK – With the active participation of the youth, which has been the main concern for many years, the Asgata Association “Cyprus” held its 84th Anniversary Dinner Dance at Terrace on the Park on November 24.

Each year at this the well-established event, the Association awards scholarships to promising young people with roots in the village of Asgata, Cyprus. Asgata Association President Peter Louca told The National Herald, “the harmonious cooperation with the ‘new blood’ of the young Asgatans opens new perspectives for the preservation and perpetuation of the Association’s work in the future.

“It is very important for us to see many young people at the dinner dance. We are trying to combine youth with our own generation. Besides, this is the only way for the Association to continue its course,” Louca said.

Thus, the event’s chairperson Loula Antoniou was joined by three young co-chairs, who had been awarded scholarships from the Association in the past. Co-chairs Christos Eleftheriadis, Chris Odysseos, and Joanna Antoniou-Tetro contributed significantly to the organization of dance.

“We are here to create bridges between our own generation and the older ones, in order to continue what our grandparents started here,” Christos Eleftheriadis said on behalf of the three youth representatives shortly before awarding the scholarships to this year’s recipients, Chrystalla Neocleous, Nicholas Neocleous, and Dimitris Tzavaras.

“On November 3rd, at the Central Lounge, we held an event where we invited 67 scholarship recipients from previous years to get acquainted with each other and exchange contact information. Forty attended, exchanged emails, and we assigned three of them as the co-chairs of the annual dinner dance. However, we have a lot to do, these young people range in age from 25 to 40, and we are not stopping at one event,” said Louca. He also thanked Despina Axiotakis for the event’s journal.

Among those present, the Consul General of the Republic of Cyprus in New York Alexis Phedonos-Vadet, the Federation of Cypriot American Organizations Executive Vice-President Nicos Paphitis, and New York City Council Member Costa Constantinides, who has roots in Asgata and as a student was awarded a scholarship by the Association.

In his remarks, Constantinides noted that his grandparents always exhorted him to attend the Asgata Association events.

In conclusion, Association President Louca said that, apart from the charitable and cultural efforts, the national issue of Cyprus and the efforts being made for its solution are vital to the heart of all Asgatans.

“We are a philanthropic and cultural association also fighting for the national issue. We are pioneers and leaders, together with PSEKA, the Federation of Cypriot American Organizations, and the government, in order to do our best for our island and make our own contribution to this endeavor,” said Louca.

The post Asgata Association “Cyprus” 84th Anniversary Dinner Dance appeared first on The National Herald.

UPPER DARBY, PA – The Pontian Society Akritai of Philadelphia held its 79th Annual Dance on November 24 at St. Demetrios Church in Upper Darby. The annual dance was a great success this year. More than 550 guests crowded the hall at St. Demetrios with representatives from many of the Pontian societies from across the United States and Canada also present this year for the Pontian community’s biggest dance.

The event was organized by Pontian Society Akritai of Philadelphia President Effie Pavlidou-Economou and by the chairman Stefanos Evangelopoulos.

The event featured musicians Alexis Parharidis and Giorgos Sofianidis from Greece, and from the U.S., Christos Tiktapanidis on lyra, Vasilis Tekeoglou on klarino, Ioannis Apazidis, and Babis Almazidis playing daouli. Armenian musicians Steve Vosbikian on klarino, and Raffi Massoyan on outi also performed at the event. The Akritai Society’s dance group also performed a special dance in traditional costume.

The post The Pontian Society Akritai of Philadelphia 79th Annual Dance (Vid & Pics) appeared first on The National Herald.

ΒΟSΤΟN – The resignation of Archbishop Demetrios of America seems to be imminent – a matter of days – according to what has recently transpired at his meeting in Geneva with His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew as The National Herald revealed on November 21.

Patriarch Bartholomew requested the Archbishop submit his resignation on his own.

Although no official announcement was issued about the meeting, TNH has learned the following:

First, it was Patriarch Bartholomew’s initiative to invite Archbishop Demetrios to Geneva for the meeting. The Archbishop knew about this meeting since Friday, November 16 and shared this information with Archdiocesan Council Vice Chairman, George Tsandikos, and chief secretary, Alice Keurian.

Second, the Patriarch has already urged the Archbishop to think about, and place above everything else, the interest of the Archdiocese of America, the Church in general, as well as the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and thus, has asked the Archbishop to resign willingly. Up to this point, the Archbishop has refused.

The Patriarch did not want to remove Archbishop Demetrios without having secured his resignation. Therefore, he called the Archbishop in one final time in an attempt to convince him that “the time has come.” The Patriarch reportedly told him that he has shown a lot of patience and that the Church in America should be allowed to move forward. He also added that they have cooperated harmoniously in the past and that he should depart with dignity and not wake up one morning as a former Archbishop of America or be transferred to another Metropolis. The Patriarch asked Archbishop Demetrios to facilitate the process by submitting his resignation, making it clear to him that the decision to replace him has been made.

The Archbishop attempted to refute the Patriarch, reportedly saying that everything has been taken care of at the Archdiocese. He mentioned what was discussed at the recent meeting of the Archdiocesan Council last month, including the misleading statements of some of his officials about the finances of the Church. However, the Archbishop failed to convince the Patriarch, who knows well the true nature of the issues of the Archdiocese.

High ranking ecclesiastical officials from the Ecumenical Patriarchate told TNH that the Patriarch has decided to proceed, but that he wanted the change to be done in a respectful and conscientious way.

Regarding the hierarch who will be elected to replace Archbishop Demetrios, nobody seems to know with certainty, except for some speculations. The appointment of a locum tenens should not be ruled out.

TNH has learned that there is a small group of appointed laymen of the Archdiocesan Council, as well as some Metropolitans, who have advised the Archbishop not to resign.

The teleconference of the Executive Committee of the Archdiocesan Council is expected on Monday, November 26 at 3 PM. The Archdiocese has leaked that the teleconference will not deal with the Archbishop’s resignation.

The post The Resignation of Archbishop Demetrios is Said to Be Imminent appeared first on The National Herald.

KALAMAZOO, MI – The tradition of serving free Thanksgiving meals began in 1977 for Greek immigrants Theo and Stacy Skartsiaris at their eponymous restaurant Theo and Stacy’s in downtown Kalamazoo, according to their daughter Betty Peristeridis who spoke to The National Herald. The family business soon grew to three locations in Michigan, she told TNH.

Though Theo Skartsiaris passed away in 1994, his wife Stacy, 72, and the rest of the family who joined the business, keep up the tradition of serving the free Thanksgiving meal not only for the homeless, but for anyone who would like to share in the fellowship and holiday spirit at the restaurant.

Mrs. Skartsiaris said, “We don’t ask any questions. It’s not necessary to be homeless. A lot of times people around the holidays, they’re very lonely, and they like to be around other people,” mlive.com reported, adding that “we’re blessed we can do it.” Her late husband saw a man eating out of the garbage and was inspired to start the tradition for Thanksgiving. Over 800 pounds of food including turkey, mashed potatoes, vegetables, gravy, and stuffing were cooked for the meal, according to mlive.com.

Peristeridis also told TNH about the Kalamazoo Greek Festival the family founded, noting that it is “one of the few Greek festivals that is privately run and not a church-run event, that allows us the flexibility to market our event to our non-Greek friends in our community. Many festivals are geared towards us, the Greek community, and our goal is to promote our culture and heritage to the surrounding area, so we take a totally different spin on the Greek fest. We probably get 40-45,000 people over the weekend through our doors and maybe ten percent are Greek, most are non-Greek, so it’s pretty impressive how many people we can impact in a weekend, that’s assuming the weather’s good, of course. We’ve been doing the Greek Fest for 43 years, we didn’t do it this year because we have to secure a new venue. It’s a pretty neat event, my mom does all the cooking, she makes all the pastitsio, moussaka, dolmades, everything, handmade by her.”

When asked about the family, Peristeridis told TNH, “My parents were originally in New York and had a restaurant there, but then moved to Kalamazoo in 1973 and opened one of the first Greek restaurants here and from there my parents really tried to expose a small community to Greek culture and the food. We’ve been really fortunate because they’ve been really great at embracing us and embracing our culture, so it’s been fantastic.”

She continued, “Between the free Thanksgiving meals and the Kalamazoo Greek Fest, we do quite a lot of different things in our local community to give back, because that’s the most important thing. My parents came here super, super poor, as most immigrants did, they instilled in us that you have to give back to the community that supports you throughout the year, if you don’t, you’re not serving the purpose. It’s been an amazing run here.

“Dad was from Skoteini, close to Argos and Nemea, and mom is from Kalamata. My dad started as a dishwasher in a local restaurant when he moved to New York, my mom worked in a factory sewing buttons on, piecemeal, in the Garment District, so they really understood what it was to not have, and then when God blesses you with all these great things, it’s your obligation to give back to the community, so yesterday [on Thanksgiving], I think we served about 1500 people at our downtown restaurant and it is a humbling experience.

“My sister, Joanna, and I, between the two of us, have seven kids and it’s really important that the kids are there so they understand how fortunate we are. The people who come in are not necessarily poor or homeless, but lonely, and that’s heartbreaking to see that in your community, people who don’t have anyone to talk to or to be with and we Greeks love to talk so we’ll sit down and chat with them, so it’s a really humbling experience. For the most part, we as a culture, we tend to be from large families, very interconnected, and that’s not the case for everybody, and that human interaction and connection, people just want to know that you care, and that you’re willing to listen, I think that’s the most important thing that we do on Thanksgiving.

“We tend to shelter our kids for the most part and they don’t see the other side of how life is. My kids range in age from 8-12, and my sister’s are 8-14, all of them go, they all volunteer, they work in the kitchen, they wash dishes, they’ll do whatever we need to do.

“We had a nice anonymous donor who gave us $400 this year for hats and gloves and we were able to buy almost double that because the company we bought them from sold them to us at cost which was just fantastic so we’re able to impact people outside of just a meal, that they would be able to be warm this winter.

“We don’t take food donations or monetary donations for the food, that’s our contribution to our community, but this gentleman came to us and wanted to help, and here’s this other place that we can outreach with hats, gloves, and scarves, because it obviously gets cold in the winter and we’re approaching that season.”

The family’s three restaurants serve Greek and American cuisine, Peristeridis told TNH, noting that “we serve all the traditional Greek food, my mom makes all of it. She’s 72 and she goes in at 7 o’clock and makes all the specials whatever it is and then she goes home at 9: 30 at night, she’s very actively involved in the restaurant.”

“That’s what my mom knows, you go to work, you do what you have to do, you do the right thing, and you’ll reap the rewards, not just financial, but personal rewards as life goes on.”

When asked about next year’s Greek Fest, Peristeridis told TNH that the festival usually takes place the first weekend in June, noting that since the event caters to such a diverse group, “after 9 PM we switch gears and put on a very large music festival, we’ve had the Gin Blossoms, Rock Springfield, 38 Special, so we have a massive concert, that entices people to come to Greek Fest, try our food, expose them to that, but then they get a concert at the same time. During the day, of course, we have the Greek music, Greek dancers, we have 45 belly dancers who come in and do a full performance, it’s pretty cool. We have to find a venue for next year.”

Dr. George Liakeas, President of the Hellenic Medical Society of New York, also spoke to TNH about the Skartsiaris family, his mother and Stacy Skartsiaris are sisters, noting that he is proud of the family’s accomplishments and their dedication to giving back to the community.

More information about Theo & Stacy’s Restaurants is available online: theoandstacys.com.

The post The Skartsiaris Family Talks to TNH about Giving Back appeared first on The National Herald.

BOSTON – Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew notified the Holy Synod of the Phanar on Tuesday, November 27 that he has accepted the request of His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America for an extension of his resignation until Easter. This development was made during the second round of meetings in Geneva on Tuesday, November 20, as The National Herald exclusively revealed.

Specifically, the Patriarch asked the members of the Holy Synod to swear not to repeat what was discussed during the meeting for fear it might leak to the press. He said that when he met with Archbishop Demetrios in Geneva, he requested his resignation again. However, the Archbishop told the Patriarch that he didn’t want to be embarrassed into resigning now and requested that the Patriarch give him some time.  When the Patriarch asked the Archbishop how much time he needed, the Archbishop said until Easter, so that it didn’t appear that he stepped down under unpropitious conditions. The Patriarch agreed to grant him the extension.

The National Herald previously reported that Bartholomew had decided to deal with the issues surrounding the Archbishop immediately by requesting that the Archbishop submit his resignation willingly, and not with Bartholomew taking action himself. This report was based on information compiled from reliable sources who are in a position to know Bartholomew’s thoughts and the decisions he makes.

It should also be noted that there is no doubt whether Demetrios will cease to be Archbishop, the only question that remains is when. Additionally, as previously reported, this is the third time that Bartholomew has given Demetrios an extension, apparently for reasons which only he knows.

Meanwhile, Demetrios and the Executive Committee of the Archdiocesan Council had a teleconference on Monday, November 26 in which the Archbishop requested that $40 million dollars be raised for St. Nicholas at Ground Zero in New York. If construction of the church were to resume, it would be very difficult for Bartholomew to ask him to leave.

However, many Greek-Americans who know the ecclesiastical issues of the Archdiocese well, believe that it will be almost impossible to raise that amount of money under the current circumstances surrounding the Archdiocese.

The National Herald is in a position to know that Bartholomew’s decision has left many speechless with the Phanar because at their previous meeting, Bartholomew had said that the November 27 Synod would deal with the issues of America.  As such, the Greek-American community, who follows the decisions of the church with much interest, is surprised with Bartholomew’s inaction.

The post Bartholomew Gives New Extension to Demetrios appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW JERSEY – The Cyprus Children’s Fund held its annual testimonial dinner on November 25 this year honoring the former chairman of the organization, Savas Tsivicos, at The Venetian in Garfield, NJ.

The event began with a blessing and prayer led by His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America. Those present included Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the United Nations Ambassador Kornelios Korneliou, Consul General of Greece in New York Konstantinos Koutras and his wife Popita Pavli, and the Consul General of Cyprus in New York Alexis Phedonos-Vadet and his wife Melina.

In his statement to The National Herald, Mr. Tsivicos warmly thanked the Board of Trustees of the Cyprus Children’s Fund for his honorary distinction and expressed his optimism for the continuation of the organization’s sacred work.

“In my 30 years of service to the Fund, 12 of which I served as president,  we managed to create a large charity program that provides financial assistance to 400 children in Cyprus on a monthly basis,” Tsivicos said, adding that “every year we give about $65,000 in student scholarships. Wherever there is a need in Cyprus, Greece, America, we are always there to help.”

Current President of the organization, Nicos Zittis, also spoke with TNH and congratulated Tsivicos for his significant honor and thanked him for his great contribution.

“Our organization was founded in 1974 by Archbishop Makarios to help the victims of the Turkish invasion,” Mr. Zittis said. “Since then, the support and contribution of the Hellenes abroad is truly admirable and we thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts.”

Scholarship Committee Chairman Charles Anastasiou said that since the founding of the fund, more than $1 million have been awarded in student scholarships.

First Vice-President of the organization Andrew C. Zachariades thanked the guests who attended to the event, as well as all the donors and sponsors.

The Consul General of Cyprus Alexis Phedonos-Vadet described Savas Tsivicos as a model of honesty, morality, and integrity who has a deep love for Cyprus and Hellenism.

The Consul General of Greece Konstantinos Koutras praised Mr. Tsivicos’ character and his contribution to the Hellenes abroad.

The First Lady of Cyprus, Andri Anastasiades, thanked everyone who contributed to the Cyprus Children’s Fund’s amazing social and philanthropic work. She also prayed that the new generation of Greek-Cypriots in the United States will follow the example of Savas Tsivicos.

President of the Federation of Cypriot American Organizations Kyriakos Papastylianou said that Savas Tsivicos has devoted his life to promoting national affairs and that he deserves every honor and distinction.

“I congratulate [Mr. Tsivicos] for his dedication to the ideals of freedom. As U.S. citizens, we have a duty to protect the children of Cyprus,” said PSEKA (Justice for Cyprus) President Philip Christopher.

The post The Cyprus Children’s Fund Honors Savas Tsivicos (Pics) appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW YORK – The New Renaissance Chapter #5 as part of the Manhattan AHEPA Family was reactivated on November 13 with the help of Supreme Secretary Paul Pavlakos and Past Supreme President Andreas Christou. The chapter currently has 10 members and was originally founded in 1930. In a statement released on November 27, AHEPA sent “congratulations to all our new members, especially the newly elected officers of President Emmanuel Kandilas, Vice President Danny Calos, Secretary Anthony Calos, and Treasurer Sergio Zefi.”

AHEPA (American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association) is the largest Greek-American association in the world with chapters in the United States, Canada, Greece, Cyprus, and sister chapters in Australia and New Zealand. It was established in 1922 by visionary Greek Americans to protect Hellenes from prejudice originating from the KKK, and in its history, AHEPA joined with the NAACP and B’nai B’rith International to fight discrimination. The mission of the AHEPA Family is to promote the ancient Hellenic ideals of education, philanthropy, civic responsibility and family and individual excellence through community service and volunteerism.

AHEPA’s Delphi Chapter #25 was founded in 1923 in Manhattan. It was the first chapter in New York State and one of the first in the Northeast. The Delphi Chapter #25 was instrumental in welcoming the early Greek immigrants to the USA as they disembarked at Ellis Island and helping them with their assimilation into the American culture by assisting them with learning the English language, finding employment, and eventually becoming citizens of the United States.

The Delphi Chapter #25 has had many notable and prominent members in its history, including many Philhellenes who embraced AHEPA’s ideals and values. In 1924, Seraphim G. Canoutas joined Delphi Chapter #25. He was at the time the most notable historian and the primary source for the 1880 to 1920 wave of Greek immigrants.

The Sons of Pericles were started in 1926 by a group of Manchester, NH Ahepans. The founder was Dr. Alexander Cambadhis. He helped the fledging new youth group with their dealings with other organizations as well as with the Order of AHEPA. His goal and the goal of the Sons of Pericles is to promote Hellenism to the youth and to keep the fire of our Motherland burning for generations to come. Together with the aid of some members of the Order of AHEPA from the Manchester, NH chapter, these young men were the first members of the Order and are known collectively as the Mother Lodge of the Sons of Pericles.

The post AHEPA’s Sons of Pericles Reactivated in Manhattan appeared first on The National Herald.