SOUTHAMPTON, NY– Each summer the Greek Orthodox Church of the Hamptons Kimisis tis Theotokou chooses a noble cause to honor and support through proceeds from its Blue Dream gala, a wonderful night of dining and dancing, inspiration, and fellowship.
On August 27, the spotlight will be on the Beau Biden Foundation for the Protection of Children, which was “created to honor the life of Joseph R. “Beau” Biden, III, and to continue his life’s work: ensuring that all children are free from the threat of abuse.”
CNN Anchor Chris Cuomo, the brother of New York’s governor Andrew Cuomo, will be the Emcee beneath the billowing tents evoking sailboats on the Mediterranean and tables decorated with the imagination and touches of elegance guests have come to expect from co-Chairs Olga Karloutsos Palladino, Karen Mehiel, and Angela Giannopoulos.
Beau Biden’s wife Hallie, and his siblings Hunter and Ashley Biden are the honorary chairs of the event.
Guests arriving for the indoor-outdoor reception at 6:30 at the Muses, which is housed in the Nicholas S. Zoullas Hellenic Center on the church grounds in Southampton, NY will be greeted by Fr. Alexander Karloutsos, Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Presbytera Xanthi Karloutsos, and Fr. Constantine Lazarakis and Presbytera Anastasia Lazarakis, along with spirited volunteers.
Mylos Entertainment led by DJ Savas and singer Olympia Milonas will provide music and this year there will also be a “surprise” at what is well known as a great party for a good cause, and Palladino noted that among the guests will be numerous celebrities and public officials.
Asked about the choice of the Foundation Palladino said “We love the Biden family” and added that the organizers wanted to respond to the suggestion by last year’s guests that after honoring an international charity in 2015, it was a good time to highlight an American initiative.
Mehiel echoed Palladino’s appreciation for the philanthropic activities and the philhellenism of the Biden family – the Vice President often notes that his Greek friends call him “Joe Bidenopoulos.”
“My husband” – industrialist, philanthropist and Greek-American community leader Dennis Mehiel – “and I have been fortunate to have met and gotten to know the Bidens through our Greek affiliation and also as active members of the Democratic Party.”
She learned about Beau Biden’s work to protect children from pedophiles while he was serving as attorney general for the state of Delaware. “I was deeply moved and in awe of the challenge he took on,” she said, and expressed appreciation for the work of the Foundation, which was created to further Beau’s cause to protect children from all types of abuse.
Mehiel looks forward to the hard but gratifying work of producing the Blue Dream every summer. “As the philanthropic arm of the Greek Orthodox Church of Southampton, Blue Dream, conceived by Olga Palladino, represents the unbiased, selfless work that Father Alex and Presbytera Xanthi do – inspiring so many people.”
Angela Giannopoulos is the creative arm of the endeavor. She founded Studio3, a full service event design and production firm in 2003 and her company serves “clients in the beauty, fashion, and life style industries. The key distinction lies in our organic and modern style, creating breathtaking environments that convey vibrancy, imagination, and professionalism.”
The Beau Biden Foundation for the Protection of Children was established in June of 2015 “as an operating non-profit to continue Beau Biden’s commitment to protecting the most vulnerable among us, especially children who have fallen victim to abuse and neglect. We believe that no child should be threatened by a predator – either an adult or a peer. We believe that child abuse can be prevented through effectively educating adults and children, developing the next generation of child welfare professionals and strengthening child protection laws around the country.”
The Foundation is founded on Beau Biden’s declaration that, “We have seen the progress that can be made when society commits to shining a bright light on a crime like domestic violence, and we are seeing the beginning of what can be accomplished if we continue shining that bright light on child abuse. As adults, we have a legal and moral obligation to stand up and speak out for children who are being abused. These children cannot speak for themselves.”
In addition to serving the spiritual, educational, and cultural needs of its congregants, the Greek Orthodox Church of the Hamptons has made philanthropy to the broader community a top priority. On an ongoing basis, the church supports local charities such as the Bridgehampton Head Start Program, The Suffolk Perinatal Coalition, Long Island’s Honor Flight Program for our Veterans, Hamptons Health Society, Dominican Sisters, The Bread and More Soup Kitchen and Southampton Hospital to name a few.
Through the Blue Dream summer gala the parish has made significant contributions to the Children’s Tumor Foundation, Wounded Warriors Through Sports, Amani Global Works, and Refugees International. Since Blue Dream’s inception in 2011 more than $650,000 has been given to charities.
More information is available online at www.kimisishamptons.org