Vol.1, Issue 6 - Monday, October 8, 2007

A Message from AHEPA Headquarters

Important Notice: Care Package Mailing Deadline Has Passed!
The September 28th deadline for mailing care packages to AHEPA Headquarters has passed. Supreme President Ike Gulas would like to personally thank everyone who contributed goods toward the estimated $250,000 worth of care packages AHEPA sent to Greece, making this effort a tremendous success. (see related press release).

If you missed the deadline, but still want to help AHEPA send direct relief to the fire victims, President Gulas encourages you to contribute the estimated worth of a full care package ($150) directly to the AHEPA Emergency Greek Fire Relief Fund. 100% of these tax deductible contributions go directly to relief for those affected by the fires in Greece.

Thank you, again, to everyone who made this care package drive an amazing success!

Sincerely,
AHEPA Headquarters

News From Greece, Cyprus and the Patriarchate

Papoulias Calls on Turkey to Meet Obligations Towards Ethnic Greeks
Athens, Greece (Athens News Agency) -- October 5, 2007 -- President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias on Thursday called on Turkey to meet its obligations toward the ethnic Greeks living within its borders, as well as to re-open the Orthodox seminary on the island of Halki, in the Sea of Marmara. Papoulias, speaking in the northeastern city of Xanthi, where he arrived on Thursday to attend celebrations for the city's liberation from Ottoman rule, also referred to the role that the geographical position of Thrace could play in the region's development and improvement. ... read more.

Greece Wildfire Relief Underway
Nashville, TN (Baptist Press) -- October 1, 2007 -- Southern Baptist disaster relief volunteers from five states are planning trips to Greece in the aftermath of wildfires that raged across 469,000 acres in late August, destroying more than 100 villages and killing at least 67 people. ... read more.

Members of European Parliament Say Turkey Must Open Ports and Airports to Cyprus
Nicosia, Cyprus (Embassy News) -- October 3, 2007 -- Members of the European Parliament Transport Committee, currently visiting Cyprus at the invitation of Cypriot MEP Ioannis Kasoulides, have sent a message to Turkey that it must open its ports and airports to the Republic of Cyprus. ...read more.

News From AHEPA

AHEPA Delivers Assistance to Greece:
U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney inspects AHEPA Care Packages
AHEPA brings more than 270 care packages to JFK airport for Olympic Airlines and Swiss Air Cargo to load and transport to Greece for the victims of last month's devastating fires. ...read more.

Chapter Membership Drive
It's October, and for AHEPA, that means RUSH season. Supreme President Ike Gulas, in an effort to assist all chapters, has waived all chapter initiation & reinstatement fees for the balance of 2007! 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.

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.

Important Notice: Supreme Convention Registration & Pricing Brochure
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!

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!

Gus County Jr.
(Past Supreme Secretary, Athlete, Brother, Friend)
We have the sad duty to inform you that Brother Gus County Jr. passed away October 1, 2007 in hospice in Ohio. Brother County served on the Supreme Lodge as Supreme Secretary and was a big supporter of the AHEPA Athletic Program. In honor of his father, Gus County Sr., and with the help of Dr. Monthe Kofos, Gus created the Gus County Athletic Award, presented every year at the AHEPA Supreme Convention. Brother County was a member of chapter # 118 in Toledo, Ohio and was a 58 year member of the Order of AHEPA.

Gus will be missed, but never forgotten. We would like to dedicate this issue of This Week For Greeks! to Brother County -- an athlete, a leader, a brother, a friend ... a true Ahepan! (Official Obituary & online guest book!)

In lieu of flowers or gifts, Gus left wishes that donations in his name be made to the AHEPA Educational Foundation. To make an online contribution, select the AHEPA National Educational Foundation on the secure online contributions form.

Who's Your Greek of the Week?
There are many heroes in our community who often sadly go unrecognized. You can help. Nominate someone to be AHEPA's Greek of the Week!. Simply email a short, detailed nomination, along with a digital photo of them to webmaster@ahepa.org.

AHEPA To Me ...

AHEPA To Me ...
AHEPA has special meaning to all our members, and we want to read your special story. Supreme President Gulas has asked for your insight to "What AHEPA means to me ..."

Submissions should be brief (no more than two paragraphs) and should begin with "AHEPA To Me ..." Please include your full name, chapter affiliation and years of membership (if applicable), along with a digital photo (optional, but preferred). Send AHEPA To Me ... submissions to webmaster@ahepa.org.