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AHEPA e-News! - Vol. 10 Issue 14- Wednesday, April 6, 2016
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L-R: SOP Supreme President Christou, Supreme President Galanis, DOP Grand President Pilallis, and MOA Grand President Socaris. (DOP Photo)
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AHEPA Family Attends White House Greek Independence Reception
The AHEPA family celebrated the 195th Anniversary of Greek Independence at a White House reception held April 4, 2016. President Barack Obama, Vice President Joseph Biden, Jr. and His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios provided remarks. "We thank President Obama for hosting the American Hellenic community and for issuing a proclamationthat calls on the people of the United States to observe Greek Independence Day with appropriate ceremonies and activities," Supreme President John W. Galanis said.
He added, "AHEPA treasures the fact that representatives of the American Hellenic community have been welcome to the White House since AHEPA's meeting with President Calvin Coolidge in 1924."
Supreme President Galanis, Daughters of Penelope Grand President Connie Pilallis, Sons of Pericles Supreme President Andreas Christou, Maids of Athena Grand President Deanna Socaris, Supreme Vice President Andrew Zachariades, Supreme Secretary George E. Loucas, Supreme Treasurer Carl Hollister, Supreme Counselor George Horiates, AHEPA Executive Director Basil Mossaidis, and DOP Executive Director Elena Saviolakis, represented the AHEPA family.
AHEPA Delivers Aid to Flint, Michigan
AHEPA has mobilized its chapters to help victims of the Flint water crisis, announced Supreme President John W. Galanis. AHEPA Automotive
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L-R: Brother John Costa, member, Chapter 141, Flint; Tina Martinez, director of Operations, Eastern Michigan Food Bank; District 10 Governor Craig A. Theros; and Fr. Angelo Maggos, priest, Assumption Greek Orthodox Church of Grand Blanc, which is near Flint.
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District 10 (Michigan) donated and delivered 1,944 gallons of milk to the Flint community, via the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, March 25, 2016.
According to state public health departments, optimal nutrition can play an important role in minimizing the amount of lead absorbed and stored in bones, especially in children. When minerals such as calcium and iron are deficient, lead absorption is increased.
AHEPA Donates to USO to Commemorate 75th Anniversary
AHEPA presented the USO with a $1,000 donation, April 4, 2016.
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L-R: Supreme Treasuer Hollister, Supreme Secretary Loucas, Cleveland and Supreme President Galanis.
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"AHEPA has a long history of supporting military service members and their families and veterans' organizations," Supreme President John W. Galanis said. "We are proud to present this small token of appreciation to the USO on the occasion of its 75th anniversary. For decades, AHEPA has supported USO programs, including its ' Care Package' and 'United through Reading' programs in appreciation for our members of the Armed Forces." Supreme Secretary George E. Loucas and Supreme Treasurer Carl Hollister joined Supreme President Galanis in making the presentation to
Susan Cleveland, regional development manager, USO, at AHEPA Headquarters.
AHEPA Applauds Announcement of U.S. Financial Aid to Refugee Crisis
AHEPA applauds an announcement by Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Heather Higginbottom that the United States is committing an additional $20 million to provide assistance with the refugee crisis throughout Europe, including Greece, announced Supreme President John W. Galanis. Deputy Secretary Higginbottom made the announcement during a visit to the island of Lesvos, Greece, March 28, 2016. The deputy secretary thanked the Greek government and its people, along with humanitarian organizations, for "working tirelessly to assist some of the world's most vulnerable people."
Deadline Extended | AHEPA Journey to Greece Program
AHEPA and Webster University are teaming-up once again to offer college students the opportunity to study abroad in Athens, Greece this summer and earn college credit through the AHEPA Journey to Greece program. Journey to Greece, a program which has been a fixture in the community for decades, will be held June 23 to July 23, 2016. The deadline to apply for the 2016 session has been extended to April 30. Call for Applications: 2016 AHEPAcademy Session
High School Juniors: Join a select group of Greek American students from across the country for AHEPAcademy, from June 26 - July 2, 2016 at  George Mason University, outside Washington, DC. AHEPAcademy is a leadership and professional development program that identifies, educates, inspires, mentors, advances, and networks exceptional Greek-American high school students as they progress through their high school, college, graduate and professional careers. AHEPAcademy is looking for exceptional Greek American high school juniors during the 2015-2016 school year with top grades (minimum 3.5/4.0 GPA or equivalent, or Top 10% of Class), who exemplify scholarship, leadership, character, participation in extracurricular activities, community service, and involvement in the Greek American community to apply for selection to this summer's AHEPAcademy on Campus program.
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WASHINGTON UPDATE
Hellenic Caucus Membership at 136. Help It Grow.
ACTION ITEM | Help Us Grow the Hellenic Caucus!
Congress has returned to Washington to commence the Second Session of the 114th Congress. AHEPA asks that you help us to grow the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues to newer heights. The Hellenic Caucus has been an active, bipartisan group in Congress since its founding in 1995. It is co-chaired by U.S. Reps. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Carolyn Maloney (D-NY).
Membership in the Hellenic Caucus stands at 136.
Save the Date! | 2016 AHEPA Family Capitol Hill Day
Wednesday, May 25
Capitol Hill Day Kick-off Reception
8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Cannon House Office Building - Room 340
Meetings with Your Legislators
and their Staffs Will Follow
Educate Your Legislators about
Help Build the Hellenic Caucus
Walk the Halls of Congress with Fellow Advocates from
Make Plans to Attend Today!
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REBUILD SAINT NICHOLAS SHRINE CAMPAIGN
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Ahepans tour the Saint Nicholas construction site.
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AHEPA is determined to meet its Saint Nicholas Capital Campaign fund raising goal. The administrative year is well underway and donations--large and small--are pouring in for AHEPA's #RebuildStNicholas capital campaign.
- We sincerely thank Wolverine Chapter 142, Lansing, Mich., for its $12,000 donation to the campaign! Chapter 142 is home to Past Supreme President Phillip T. Frangos. Thank you!
Visit our #RebuildStNicholas campaign webpage.
Has your district or chapter organized a fundraiser for the campaign to #RebuildStNicholas? Take action and support AHEPA's campaign today! Please tweet about your fundraising activity by using #RebuildStNicholas to share your work with the broader community!
PROJECT UPDATE
Thanks to a live webcam, you can watch progress being made with a first-hand look at the site where Saint Nicholas National Shrine will be build.
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The Ahepan
NEW! Get an advance peek at the spring winter issue of The Ahepan! Share it with family and friends by forwarding this electronic version.
Read about how AHEPA and Congress came together in appreciation for a World War II hero, recap AHEPA's participation on a Leadership Mission to Israel, Cyprus and Greece in January, and catch a preview of the 94th Supreme Convention to be held this summer in Las Vegas. Also, check out the latest on how AHEPA chapters give back to the community.
Click on the magazine icon to read it today!
Summer 2016 Deadline: May 13, 2016
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Upcoming Events
April May 25 | Capitol Hill Day
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Greek American News Digest
Greece sends first migrants back to Turkey under new EU deal CNN (April 4) The first migrants to be deported from Greece as part of a controversial new EU plan to tackle the migration crisis have landed on Turkish soil. Three boats carrying 202 people departed in the early hours of the morning from the Greek islands of Lesbos and Chios. Migrants on board the first ferry were escorted ashore by Turkish police in the port town of Dikili on Monday morning, as authorities set up a tarp to prevent gathered media from seeing on board. A second boat docked shortly afterward.Greek authorities said there were 136 migrants on board the two boats from Lesbos -- the majority of them from Pakistan, with others from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India, as well as two Syrians who had returned voluntarily. read more
Greek Church says Pope to visit to highlight refugee crisis Ekathimerini (April 5) The Church of Greece on Tuesday said it had accepted a suggestion from Pope Francis that he visit Greece to highlight the plight of thousands of refugees fleeing conflict. The Holy Synod, the ruling body of the Greek Orthodox Church, said it had suggested the Pontiff visit the Greek island of Lesvos, the Aegean island where hundreds of thousands of refugees and migrants have arrived in the past year. An official of the Church of Greece told Reuters that the visit could take place on April 14-15. Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew would also be invited, the official said. read more
Mass Lowell unveils digital archive of Sen. Paul Tsongas's papers The Lowell Sun (Apr. 5) U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas smiled as she looked at photos of her husband and read excerpts of his papers. "Paul thought differently, thought out of the box," she said, remarking on his push to get people in the community working together on issues. read more
Justin Trudeau walks in Montreal's Greek Independence Day Parade CBCNews (April 3) Montrealers who have watched Prime Minister Justin Trudeau jet-set around the globe were able to see him back in his home riding of Papineau today for the annual Greek Independence Day Parade. The parade started at 1 p.m. in the Parc Extension neighbourhood. Trudeau was an obvious crowd favourite, even though attending the parade is a tradition for the politician. "He hasn't missed one in five or six years," said Andy Crilis, the executive vice-president of the Hellenic Community of Greater Montreal. "It's normal for us to see him there. But him being the prime minister this year makes it extra special." read more
PM to Greek president: Israel prevents mass passage of refugees to Europe Times of Israel (Mar. 31) Benjamin Netanyahu meets with Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos in Jerusalem. Netanyahu hails the "common values" of the two countries, and announces an expansion of bilateral ties in "Energy, tourism, knowledge, innovation and others." He adds: "Israel contributes to stability in the Middle East. A strong Israel prevents the passage of masses of refugees to Europe." read more
Gabriella Papadakis, Guillaume Cizeron repeat as ice dance world champs ESPN (April 1) Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France repeated as ice dance world champs Thursday, defending their title despite missing the Grand Prix season because of injury. They were followed by two American teams, marking just the third time the U.S. has had multiple ice dance medalists at the same world championships. Papadakis and Cizeron scored a record 118.17 points for a total of 194.46 and easily held off local favorites Maia and Alex Shibutani. The Shibutanis, siblings from nearby Connecticut, scored 113.73 points for a total of 188.43 for their second world championship medal and first since 2011. read more
Nia Vardalos Joins ABC Series 'The Catch' Deadline (Mar. 30) Coming off the strong box office opening for My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, Nia Vardalos has joined the cast of ABC's new thriller drama series The Catch, from Shonda Rhimes' Shondaland, as a recurring. Details about her character are sketchy, but I hear she will play Leah Wells, a neurotic but formidable counterfeiter. The casting reunites Vardalos with Rhimes after guest-starring on her long-running medical drama Grey's Anatomy in 2012. The Catch, executive produced by Rhimes, Betsy Beers and showrunner Allan Heinberg, centers on the strong Alice Vaughan (Mireille Enos), a forensics accountant who will stop at nothing to get to the truth. read more
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This is an electronic news service of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association.
For more information visit the AHEPA Online Headquarters at www.ahepa.org.
1909 Q Street, NW Washington, DC 20009 Tel: 202-232-6300 Fax: 202-232-2140 Email: ahepa@ahepa.org
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