PRINCIPAL COMMITTEES
- Memorial Day Wreath Laying at Arlington National Cemetery.
Commencing first in 1949, Chapter No.31 has honored
the known American veterans of Greek descent interred in Arlington National Cemetery. The
Saturday before Memorial Day, members of the Chapter travel throughout the Cemetery and
place small bouquets of flowers before the headstone of each Veteran of Greek descent,
whether that veteran is from a local family or not. A priest from a local Greek Orthodox
Church will often accompany the group and offer appropriate blessing and prayer. Over the
years this event has generated favorable national comment and has been followed by similar
actions by other Chapters located near one or more National Cemeteries. A national effort
to this end is now in progress under the guidance of the Supreme Lodge with Chapter No.31
acting as its executive agent.
Chairman: Christos N.
Kyriazis
- Annual AHEPA Awards Committee.
Chapter #31 has been an active and proud member of the AHEPA Awards Program both
on a National and on a District level and has participated with annual contributions and
nominations of worthwhile candidates. Since 1970, Chapter #31, together with other local
Chapters of AHEPA and the Daughters of Penelope have awarded scholarships to high school
seniors who excelled in academic, athletic and civic endeavors in the Washington D.C.
area. To date, thousands of students have been so honored. It is noteworthy to point out
that the scholarships are determined by an independent panel of judges and are based on
preset and competitive standards intended to measure excellence in scholarship and
athletic prowess.
Chairman: elected from committee
members of the metropolitan area AHEPA and Daughters of Penelope Chapters
- Chapter #31 Scholarship Committee.
Through a bequest in her will, Helen G. Demas the wife of the late Dr. Charles J.
Demas provided for the “Dr.Charles J. and Mrs. Helen G. Demas Scholarship Fund”.
An active member of the AHEPA, Dr. Demas firmly believed that the promotion of both
Americanism and Hellenism as major goals of AHEPA was essential. By establishing the
scholarship fund to promote education, he and his wife hoped that it would act as a beacon
to encourage other AHEPAns to do likewise. Chapter #31 administers the fund, initially
about $30,000, and the selection of students to receive annual scholarships is done in
strict conformance to the wishes and instructions of Brother Demas. Other scholarship
funds are welcomed and will be handled as instructed by the donor.
Chairman: Arthur H. Lalos
- Hellenic
Studies Committee.
Based on the desire of AHEPA to perpetuate the ideals and traditions of our forebears,
Chapter #31 has taken an active role in supporting the teaching of Ancient and Modern
Greek language and studies at local area colleges and universities. These efforts have
become focused recently in response to the illogical and irresponsible attacks of a few
isolated and fanatical revisionists who wish to negate the contributions of Hellenic
culture to Western civilization so as to advance their own. An initial contribution by
Chapter #31, as well as contributions from other sources, enabled a permanent five course Modern Greek Language and Literature Studies
program to be established at the University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland campus, sponsored by the Department of Classics
Department. The courses in Modern Greek Language are:
Fall
Semester:
- Elementary Modern
Greek I (FOLA 108G ) , 3 credits.
- Intermediate Modern
Greek (FOLA 118G ) , 3 credits.
Spring
Semester:
- Elementary Modern
Greek II (FOLA 109G ) , 3 credits.
- Intermediate Modern
Greek II ( FOLA 119G ) , 3 credits.
The
course in Modern Greek Literature is:
- Classics 309. The
Classical Tradition in Modern Greek Literature, 3 credits.
We are
actively working in assisting to create a permanent Chair of Hellenic Studies at the
University of Maryland at the College Park, Maryland campus. The Hellenic Studies Program
will include the following:
- Endowed Chair in
Hellenic Studies
- Endowed Visiting
Professorships
- Two Endowed Graduate
Fellowships
- Three Endowed
Scholarships
- Endowed Public Lecture
Series
- Endowed Student
Exchange Program
- Endowed Fund for
Collections
Chairman:
Alexandros J. Alexandrou
- AHEPA Senior Housing Committee.
This team of Brothers, all of whom are real estate experts, is focused on locating
a possible site for the development of a Senior housing complex. The first stage entails
the evaluation and appraisal of alternative sites in the Washington DC metropolitan area
that can accommodate a senior housing facility. Once this is accomplished, the team’s
objective will then focus on managing the resources needed for construction in conformance
with applicable “federal housing standards”.
Chairman: Basil M.
Assimakopoulos
- The Future of AHEPA.
The profound changes in the AHEPA organization contemplated by the Year 2000 report,
provide a historic opportunity for Chapter #31 to play an active role. We believe that the
Order of AHEPA must be restructured and reoriented to contribute in the future the vital
role it has played in the past. The evaluation and analysis completed to date has
identified the primary problems involved and placed the Order on notice that it must
address each of them in an organized, forward looking manner. In corollary fashion, AHEPA
must become directly involved in the promotion of Hellenism as a critical core element of
Americanism, and the defense of Hellenic history and culture against those who would
destroy it in pursuit of their own political agendas. Chapter #31 is committed to a
forward-looking Order of AHEPA that will retain its emphasis on Americanism while pursuing
the Hellenic ideals we proudly cherish.
Chairman: Demosthenes Kolaras
- Internet Link.
In an effort to attract younger members, to express confidence in the future of
AHEPA and to keep pace with developing technology, the Chapter voted unanimously in March
of 1997 to construct an Internet home page within the guidelines developed with assistance
of chapter officers and issued by the National Office. That effort resulted in the very
first Chapter website to be placed on the national AHEPA webpage. Concurrently, the
Chapter is exploring the feasibility of establishing an AHEPAn chat or talk window on one
of the Internet servers for the metropolitan area AHEPAns, Daughters, Sons and Maids. Such
a system would provide a fast, convenient message area -as an option to e-mail- for a talk
and discussion center, and as means to make quick and inexpensive Chapter announcements.
Chairman:
Vassilis K. Skardis, PE
