The AHEPAN - Spring 2013 - (Page 4)

A Message From Dr. John Grossomanides, AHEPA Supreme President Our Chapters Provide Strength, Inspiration Dr. John Grossomanides As we approach the homestretch of our administrative year, I have had the opportunity to reflect upon the chapter visitations that have afforded me many inspirational experiences. We are the leading Greek American grassroots organization, and it is our chapters that give us our strength. They have developed programs to meet the specific needs of their local communities or districts, and I was fortunate to learn about them firsthand. • Chapter 154, Portland, Oregon, has purchased several hundred acres of land along the Columbia River and developed “Camp Agape.” This program hosts children from all backgrounds and provides them the opportunity to learn to fish, swim, and play in a wonderful environment. • In Pensacola, Florida, Chapter 296 truly observed Veterans Day by sponsoring an AHEPA Float in the annual Veterans Day Parade. • Just three years ago, Yankee District 7 started a Hellenic History Tournament to encourage high school students to learn Greek history. Today, it continues to flourish as three teams compete in a Jeopardy! style game show setting with cash prizes. • Rose of New England Chapter 110, Norwich, Connecticut, hosts the coffee hour at church once a month to improve its outreach to the community. The chapter also sponsors Greek Heritage Night at a Minor League baseball game, handing out Greek flags; singing the American and Greek national anthems, and Greek youth folk dancers perform prior to the first pitch. • Chapter 129, Louisville, Kentucky has undertaken the “Adopt-a-Highway” project, a one-mile stretch adjacent to the church to get publicity for the organization and provide community service. • In Merrillville, Indiana, Chapter 78 practices excellent outreach to the broader community, distributing news releases to the local newspaper when it elects new officers, provides scholarships, or conducts a community service project, such as its work in the Meals on Wheels Program. A news release is distributed to the newspaper once a week. • Every March, AHEPA districts and chapters conduct Flag Raising Ceremonies to commemorate Greek Independence Day and receive Proclamations from governors at State Capitol buildings in Hartford, Providence, Sacramento, to name a few. Indeed, AHEPA chapters accomplish tremendous acts from providing housing to senior citizens, to hosting golf tournaments to help sponsor scholarships, to simply organizing an AHEPA Sunday Program with fervor and enthusiasm. And it is with great pride that I witnessed or participated at a plethora of innovative, unique, and outstanding events. Let’s learn from our chapters. Let’s work together toward a dream I have, which is for AHEPA to be a household word like Rotary International, Elks, or Knights of Columbus. Let’s spread the word about AHEPA, its worthy mission, its storied history, and its notable charitable undertakings. It all starts at home in our local communities. We should be proud, stand tall, and wear our AHEPA pins to show the world who we are and what we have accomplished. However, I strongly contend the best is yet to come. 4 | The AhepAn · Spring 2013 www.ahepa.org http://www.ahepa.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The AHEPAN - Spring 2013

The AHEPAN - Spring 2013
President’s Message
AHEPA Family News
Mailbag
Congressional Banquet to Return to Washington
The 2013 Supreme Convention: Join Us in Orlando
Civic Responsibility
PAC Update
The Periclean
Housing
Veterans
AHEPA Family Chapter News

The AHEPAN - Spring 2013