NEW YORK – Food, fun, fellowship, and kefi flowed at the Apokriatiko Glendi – Greek Carnival – on March 11, hosted by a number of the community’s professional organizations at Terrace on the Park.
One element of the formula for a great celebration is “the more the merrier” and in the Greek-American community that includes not just the total guests but the number of organizations participating.
Credit is due to the Hellenic Medical Society (HMS) of New York, which invited the Hellenic Profession Women (HPW), HABA – The Hellenic Association of Professionals in Finance (the organization formerly known as the Hellenic American Bankers Association), the Hellenic Lawyers Association (HLA), the Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce (HACC), and the Cyprus-US Chamber of Commerce, to join them in preparing and presenting the annual affair they pioneered.
The Apollo orchestra led by clarinetist Lefteris Bournias and featuring lead singer Thomas Vretos delighted the guests with traditional Carnival music and injected the kefi guests have enjoyed for years when the party was presented by the doctors.
HMS Vice President Dr. Stella Lymberis invited all the organization to send its representatives up for the inaugural dance – the “Pos to Triboun to Piperi – How do they grind the pepper – played with gusto by Bournias and whose double entendres were sung with flair by Vretos.
The dancers included HLA president Michael Hartofilis, HPW Founder Maria Frantzis, HMS President Dr. George Liakeas – in costume, as usual, HACC President Nancy Papaioannou, HLS President Michael Hartofilis – and Dino Paliatzis, representing HABA.
Lymberis acknowledged the presence of Amb. Vasilios Philippou, who was just promoted to High Commissioner for Cyprus in New York, and his wife Anthea, Greek Consul Manos Koubarakis, and Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos and his wife Angela.
Lymberis thanked HMS administrator Evangelia Tavaris “for making everything possible,” and all the other volunteers.
Roula Lambrakis also greeted the guests and spoke of the importance of passing Greek tradition to the younger generation. “It is our obligation to transmit our love of Greece to Greeks and Philhellenes, she said. Lambrakis also expressed thanks to Demetrios Kaloidis, the owner of the venue with spectacular views of the 1964 World’s Fair environs and beyond, and its manager George Cadsounis.