Starting in Capital District 3, Supreme President Tsivicos, accompanied by Supreme Counselor Themis Frangos, visited our brothers in the Peter Derzis Chapter 438 Chapter of Falls Church, VA. The Brothers, including AHEPA Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Col. Nicholas P. Vamvakias welcomed the Supreme President to their holiday event with open arms and the Supreme President welcomed the chance to connect on a more personal level.
The next stop was the District 3 Holiday Party in Baltimore, Maryland, where Supreme Governor Georgio Comninos joined the entourage to welcome the Supreme President to his hometown. District Governor Aristidis Bouloubassis, PSG George Papaspyrou, and AHEPA Brothers from Chapters throughout Maryland gathered at Estiatorio Plaka in Greektown to celebrate along with representatives from local DOP Chapters as well.
The caravan headed west next, making a special trip to visit the brothers of Chapter #59 in Canton, OH, where they were joined by Supreme Governor John Karapides and District 11 Governor Steve Papakirk, to participate in a mass initiation ceremony. Chapter President George Kalantzis officiated over the ceremony and Past Supreme Presidents George E. Loucas & Carl R. Hollister were in attendance as well. The Chapter initiated eleven new members before discussing current events and AHEPA programming. The Supreme President also presented Past Supreme Governor Tasos Kalantzis with the AHEPA Heroes Medal in honor of his unrelenting dedication to our Order.
Following his stop in Ohio, Supreme President Tsivicos traveled to District 4, where he met with members of some of our western Pennsylvania Chapters to discuss the current state of affairs of AHEPA. Brothers from Pittsburgh, Ambridge, Uniontown, Beaver Valley, & Canonsburg all came together for a luncheon where they discussed the AHEPA Journey to Greece program and our upcoming Supreme Convention in Larnaca, Cyprus. After Lunch, the Supreme President was able to visit the Perry Como statue in Canonsburg and briefly drove by the AHEPA 156 affordable housing complex.
The penultimate stop on the Supreme President’s visitation list this week was in Harrisburg, PA, where area chapters gathered at Theo’s Bar and Grill to hear updates from the Supreme President about plans for the upcoming year. Supreme President Tsivicos highlighted his plans and gave special attention to the upcoming Congressional Banquet (May 22nd) and Supreme Convention. Special thanks to District 4 Governor Christ Megoulas for arranging to have area chapters visit with Supreme President Tsivicos. During his visit he was able to bestow awards on brothers Dr. Zissis Chroneos, George Papacostas, and Bill Kotsalos in honor of their service to the Order of AHEPA.
Following his visitations to Districts 3, 11 and 4, the Supreme President returned to his home District, District 5, to attend the AHEPA Journey to Greece Fundraiser in Moonachie, NJ, in which the AHEPA Educational Foundation raised $70,000 for the AHEPA Journey to Greece program!