The AHEPAN_AHEPA_75th_Anniversary_Commemorative_Edition - 20

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FIRS " ! DELEGATION
SENT TO CYPRUS
I
T
964
In the vanguard, AHEPA passed a
resolution urging self-determination
for Cyprus as early as 1946, setting
up a Cyprus Affairs Committee two
years later. In 1950 AHEPA called
the world's attention to the estimated
28,000 children abducted by
Communist forces in the Greek Civil
War. In 1964 AHEPA sent its first
delegation to Cyprus.
In an effot1 to inform the Greek
American community, as well as the
larger American community and the
Washington community in particular,
AHEPA sponsors conferences
on foreign affairs that bring together
government officials, political scientists,
leading journalists and. of
course, Ahepans. Nor is it uncommon
to find AHEPA leaders
testifying on Capitol Hill before the
House Subcommittee on Europe and
the Middle East or the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee.
EDUCATION:
T
T' " '
,1AfN FOCUS
Indeed, education, in a variety of
fom1s, has been a pillar of AHEPA
since the very beginning. AHEPA
started out educating the immigrant,
acclimating him and, as AHEPA
chronicler George J. Leber phrased
it, " making him a gentleman. "
In the early years AHEPA's education
program emphasized
citizenship and Greek as well as
American history. Today it's a
different story. With the third and
fourth generations of Greek
Americans coming of age, AHEPA
is doing precisely what GAPA
accused it of not doing: promoting
and preserving Hellenism ·s spirit
and values.
Scholarships have been part of
AHEPA's civic service since the
Chicago convention of '25.
Paralleling that, AHEPA began building
the bridge back to the motherland
in 1928, when over 500 Ahepans set
sail aboard the S.S. Sinaia.
Today AHEPA gives scholarships
on the local and national levels to
THE REASON FOR
ESTABLISHING SUCH AN
ORGANIZATION WAS
NOW A PROUD MEMORY
ANO AHEPA'S ENDURING
FOUNDATION.
promising Greek American students.
AHEPA and individual Ahepans
have been a force in establishing
Greek and Byzantine studies programs
at colleges and universities
around the country (see education
article on page 50.
WE CANNOT
FORGET OUR
HELLENIC ROOTS
AHEPA has been re-focusing too,
placing renewed emphasis on
Hellenic culture. past and present.
The AHEPA Cultural Foundation
has sponsored an evening of Greek
poetry and music and lectures on
archaeological finds in Cyprus.
As a civic-minded group,
AHEPA has always recognized
Americans, Greek and non-Greek,
who make valuable contributions to
the community and society at large.
These have included Presidents and
Prime Ministers, ambassadors and
humanitarians, recipients of AHEPA
awards made in the name of
Socrates and Pericles.
ATHLETICS PLAYS
A KEY ROLE
The athlete has a very special
place in Greek history and culture
and. with AHEPA, so it remains.
The Order has always taken enormous
pride in the achievements of
the Greek American athlete.
AHEPA's Harry Agganis Award was
established in 1955, in memory of
the great All-American who died in
his prime. Agganis honorees have
included: in football, Detroit Lion
Alex Karras; in basketball. Boston
Celtic Lou Tsiropoulos; and in
baseball, Baltimore Oriole Milt
Pappas. Among recent recipients
are Olympic diver Greg Louganis
and University of Georgia football
coach and All-American Mike
Castronis.(see Athletics article on
page 59 for full list of recipients).
On the local, district and national
levels, AHEPA and its junior orders
sponsor a wide variety of athletic
events and tournaments, believing,
like the ancient Greeks, that sports
and competition are an important
part of daily and civic life.
HOUSING TOPS
320 MILlIO
Nor has AHEPA forgotten the
elderly. Soon the 41 st Senior
Citizen's Center organized under
AHEPA's auspices will open.
These facilities are being sponsored
on the local level in conjunction
with the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development
(HUD), requiring seed monies of at
least $10,000.
A TRADITION
AND A LEGACY
Devoted to ideals of American
and Hellenic culture, education and
progress, AHEPA, despite its critics,
has achieved a singular success.
Since 1922 it has been a vital force
in the life of the Greek American
community.
Summing up the Order of
AHEPA, Theodore Saloutos wrote:
" More than anything else, through
the years it accomplished more in
identifying Greek Americans with
the greater American community
than did all the other organizations
combined. "
AHEPA's tradition is a proud one.
Its legacy is a real one. Its mission
goes on, setting sight on new horizons.
AHEPA's active role in the
Greek American community's
development and achievements is a
portrait of unselfish public service.
lntitially written by Steven Phillips
in 1984, Editor Peter Anas has
updated this wonde,ful " Ahepa
Story''
SUMMER 1997 * THE AHEPAN
The AHEPAN_AHEPA_75th_Anniversary_Commemorative_Edition

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