|
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
|
Contact: AHEPA Headquarters
Phone: (202) 232-6300
Email: press@ahepa.org
|
Press Release
AHEPA Donates Christmas Gifts to Saint Basil Academy Students
Organization's Support for the Academy Spans Over 60 Years
WASHINGTON - The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA), a leading association for the nation's three million American citizens of Greek heritage and countless Philhellenes, attended Saint Basil Academy's annual Christmas pageant and luncheon reception on December 15, 2012 where AHEPA family representatives presented each of the 14 Saint Basil Academy students with a Christmas gift.
"For more than 60 years the AHEPA family has been a proud supporter of Saint Basil Academy," said Dr. John Grossomanides, who was unable to attend but was represented by an AHEPA family delegation. "These students are so special and work very hard to achieve their academic goals. The AHEPA family will always be committed to ensuring the mission of Saint Basil Academy is met.".
An audience of more than 200 persons was treated to a Christmas pageant staged by the Academy students. His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios spoke at the luncheon. Father Costas Sitaras, executive director, Saint Basil Academy, and Evellyn Tsiadis, president, Saint Basil Academy Board of Trustees, and a Daughters of Penelope past grand president, welcomed the guests.
"We were treated to a wonderful program that captured the essence of the Christmas spirit," added AHEPA's Saint Basil Academy Chairman James Poll, a past supreme secretary. "It was a pleasure to spend the day with Archbishop Demetrios, the leadership of St. Basil's, and of course, the students."
In addition to Poll, Daughters of Penelope Grand Secretary Demi Thomas, Supreme Governor Jimmy Kokotas, Executive Director Basil Mossaidis, and AHEPA district officers from New York and New Jersey were in attendance to support the event.
In its 90-year history, AHEPA has donated more than $1.75 million to Saint Basil Academy for the construction of dormitories and a school building. Also, the Daughters of Penelope has contributed to the furnishing of new buildings that have been built on campus and built a heated outdoor swimming pool for the children. Together, the AHEPA family provides for the ongoing maintenance and renovation of the facilities it helped to construct.
For more information about St. Basil Academy, please visit www.saintbasilacademy.org, or how you can help the academy, visit www.saintbasilacademy.org/donate/wish_list.
###
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 visitwww.ahepa.org. To learn more about the AHEPA National Educational Foundation, please visit www.ahepa.org/education.