Supreme President Ike Gulas asked, retired Army Colonel Nicholas P. Vamvakias, and retired Navy Captain Demosthenes N. Kolaras, Retired General of the Greek Air Corps Father Demetrios Kanellopoulos and retired US Army Lt. Cary V. Mossaidis participated in the wreath laying ceremony. An Honor Guard Specialist assisted them.
“It is a unique and powerfully moving experience,” said Vamvakias, who during the ceremony, reflected upon his fellow Army servicemen with whom he served in the mid-1960s. “It is especially meaningful to perform this ceremony at this time in our nation’s history when our brave men and women are in harm’s way. This is one of the greatest honors anyone can perform and a small way of expressing our community’s gratitude to our fallen heroes,” said Supreme President Gulas.
485 Gravesites Memorialized at Arlington
On Sat., May 24, members of AHEPA Chapter 31, Washington, DC, and surrounding AHEPA Chapters gathered to memorialize those identified as Greek-Americans or Greek Orthodox who are buried at Arlington National Cemetery. According to members of the chapter, there are roughly 485 gravesites at which Ahepans present a bouquet of artificial flowers and pause in remembrance of those who perished for our nation. The chapter has performed this ceremony annually since 1949. This year, members from AHEPA Chapter 438, Arlington, Va. also assisted.
“I commend Chapter 31 for its carefully detailed effort to properly honor and remember the memory of those brave souls of our community who sacrificed so much for freedom,” said Gulas.
For more information about Arlington National Cemetery, please visit www.arlingtoncemetery.org.
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AHEPA is the largest Greek-American association in the world with chapters in the United States, Canada, Greece, Cyprus, and sister chapters in Australia and New Zealand. It was established in 1922 by visionary Greek Americans to protect Hellenes from prejudice originating from the KKK, and in its history, AHEPA joined with the NAACP and B'nai B'rith International to fight discrimination.
The mission of the AHEPA family is to promote the ancient Greek ideals of education, philanthropy, civic responsibility and family and individual excellence through community service and volunteerism.
For more information about the AHEPA family, or how to join, please contact AHEPA Headquarters, (202) 232-6300, or visit www.ahepa.org.
The mission of the AHEPA family is to promote the ancient Greek ideals of education, philanthropy, civic responsibility and family and individual excellence through community service and volunteerism.
