Vol.1, Issue 6 - Monday, October 1, 2007

A Message from AHEPA Headquarters

Our Sincere Thanks!
From the tarmac at Kennedy Airport in New York, as we load our initial shipment of care packages to Greece, our hearts are filled with joy and gratitude. We're loading over 271 very large and very heavy boxes onto an Olympic Airlines plane headed for Greece. Through your generosity, AHEPA Headquarters over the past month, has received over $250,000 worth of relief merchandise, which was sorted, prepared, inspected and packaged by our staff.

Press Conference Photo Joining us today were many of the leaders who helped make this effort possible. Featured (left to right) is the Olympic Airlines Cargo Manager for JFK Airport Nick Georgatos; AHEPA Supreme Vice President Nick Karacostas; Chair of Congressional Hellenic Caucus Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (NY); Mr. Sargent of Swiss Air Cargo; AHEPA Supreme Secretary Dr. John Grossomanides, Jr; and AHEPA Supreme Governor Louis Arvanites.

Many others share the success of this effort. We'd like to thank the AHEPA Chapters, The Daughters of Penelope, The Sons and Maids, the AHEPA Governors, all our members, and everyone else who supported us by sending your packages, at your own personal expense, to AHEPA Headquarters. Without all of you, this would not have been possible.

Olympic Airlines Logo Lastly we want to thank once more our friends at Olympic Airlines who are generously shipping all these care packages directly to Greece! Please remember Olympic when planning your next vacation or making your flight arrangements to our 86th Annual Supreme Convention, this upcoming July in Athens.

If you missed the deadline for sending in your care package, but still want one sent on your behalf, you can contribute the estimated cost of a full package ($150) directly to the AHEPA Emergency Greek Fire Relief Fund.

Sincerely,
AHEPA Headquarters

News From Greece, Cyprus and the Patriarchate

Government Earns Vote of Confidence
Athens, Greece (Athens News Agency) -- October 1, 2007 -- Greece's 300-member Parliament voted in the early hours of Monday in favour of the ruling New Democracy (ND) government's policy statement. Voting in favour were the 152 ND deputies while 148 voted against. ... read more.

New Law to Stop Homes on Burnt Forest Land
Athens, Greece (Kathimerini) -- October 1, 2007 -- A change to the law is being planned to create three-member regional committees that will have the power to order the destruction of any houses built on burned forest land. ... read more.

Cyprus Celebrates Independence Day
Cyprus (Cyprus News Agency) -- October 1, 2007 -- The Republic's armed forces, the National Guard, which acts as a deterrent, consolidates the feeling of security among the people and provides the country with the ability to continue efforts, through peaceful means, to solve the Cyprus issue, President of the Republic Tassos Papadopoulos has stressed, after the military parade to mark 47 years of independence. ...read more.

Archbishop Demetrios Honored by Mayor Michael Bloomberg
New York, NY (GoArch.org) -- September 26, 2007 -- AHEPA Supreme President Ike Gulas, and leaders from other Greek American organizations joined Mayor Bloomberg for a reception at the Mayor's official residence, paying tribute to Archbishop Demetrios' 40 years of hierarchical ministry. ...read more.

News From AHEPA

Please Take the Time to Send in your Dues!

Chapter Membership Drive
It's October, and for AHEPA, that means RUSH season. AHEPA Headquarters wants to remind you, on top of getting in your chapter dues as quickly as possible, we hope you'll use the incredible charitable work we do as an inspiration to friends and family to join your chapter. AHEPA Headquarters has new 2007 Membership Brochures for you and your chapter to use in your membership drives.

Daughters of Penelope Applauds House Passage of Domestic Violence Resolution
Washington, DC (AHEPA News) -- September 26, 2007 -- Penelope House Served 440 Women, 555 Children in 2006 -- The Daughters of Penelope Grand President Karen Stamatiades issued the following statement regarding passage of H.Res.590, a resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month....read more.

AHEPA 2008 Supreme Convention in Athens, Greece!
The dates to remember for the 2008 Supreme Convention in Athens, Greece, are July 1-12, 2008. The AHEPA Convention Committee has been working hard to prepare a wonderful getaway for the entire AHEPA community. The AHEPA from Australiasia, Canada, Greece and Cyprus will be attending our event in Athens, Greece. Thousands of Ahepans, Daughters, Sons and Maids will work together for this family reunion. For more information, or to register for the 2008 Supreme Convention, go to ahepa2008.com.

Within the next few weeks, AHEPA Headquarters will be mailing Supreme Convention registration and pricing brochures to all current AHEPA members. If you are not a current member of AHEPA, please JOIN TODAY!

Hot off the Press - The AHEPAN Fall 2007 Issue!
Can't wait for your copy to come in the mail? Burning to see if your picture made it into the feature section from the Supreme Convention? Well, suffer no more! You can download and view the issue online!.

Greeks of the Week

AHEPA Chapter 145 - Denver, CO
After doing an amazing job, hosting AHEPA's 85th Annual Supreme Convention this year, one would think the brothers of AHEPA Chapter 145 in Denver would be just about tapped out on generosity and service to the Order. This week AHEPA Headquarters received news that Chapter 145 President -- and Past Supreme President -- Lee Rallis (featured) asked their brotherhood to step up once more and raise the bar for chapter support for the Emergency Greek Fire Relief Fund. The result was a $10,000 check sent in to help the fire victims in Greece -- more than any chapter to date. We'd like to dedicate this issue of This Week For Greeks! to them, and are proud to name each of them AHEPA's Greeks of the Week. Join us in thanking AHEPA Chapter 145!

Greek Language Students of Jesuit High School - New Orleans, LA
The Greek 3 & Greek 4 language students of Jesuit High School in New Orleans say they remember the prayers and donations AHEPA channeled to their community in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. These fine young men collected $250 from their classmates and donated it to the AHEPA Emergency Greek Fire Relief Fund. Please join us in thanking their efforts by proclaiming them the official AHEPA "Honorary Greeks" of the Week! Special thanks to Jesuit teachers Joe Knight, and Daughters of Penelope member Deborah MacInnes for their help with this effort.