Supreme President Chris Kaitson embarked on an extensive visitation tour of the AHEPA Domain in early September, meeting with and celebrating chapters across the U.S. to invigorate our communities in pursuit of our shared mission.
The journey began when the Athens Chapter 24 graciously hosted the Supreme President during his visit to Boston, taking the opportunity to discuss important initiatives for the coming year with the chapter brothers.
He then traveled to Glenview, Illinois, for the District 13 Workshop, where he reviewed the District program for the year, when folks from the district golf outing made a surprise visit to celebrate the occasion.
Then, the Supreme President attended Chapter 205’s Cheese and Wine Social, where over 80 members and patrons engaged in camaraderie. SP Kaitson additionally received the opportunity to address the crowd, speaking about AHEPA and our mission.
Next was a stop in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where SP Kaitson met with PSP John Galanis and Chapter 43 members over lunch before heading to Madison, Wisconsin, similarly meeting with the local Chapter 369 brothers.
At this point, he headed to Minneapolis, Minnesota, to meet with Chapter 66 members, before heading to the University of Minnesota’s Immigration Research History Center archives to view their records on AHEPA and our mark on history.
Next was a stop in Des Moines, Iowa, where the Supreme President met with Chapter 192 brothers and was granted the opportunity to address the crowd, speaking on how to rejuvenate the vision of AHEPA and how to get more people involved.
He then attended a dinner hosted by AHEPA National Auditor Craig Clawson in Omaha, Nebraska, alongside Chapter 147 members, and from here, he traveled to Phoenix, Arizona, where he met members from the local chapters as well as their elected representatives at a Community Greek Festival. All before heading to Scottsdale.
In Scottsdale, SP Kaitson represented AHEPA at a gala hosted by the National Hellenic Society, where AHEPA was recognized for its commitment to Hellenism and all that we do.
He then finalized this leg of the trip in Warren, Ohio, alongside chapter 88 brothers, where he attended the funeral for PSP Franklin Manios, presiding over a farewell tribute to the recently deceased AHEPA legend.
That same weekend, he met with Warren Mayor Will Chamberlin, who issued a proclamation declaring October 23rd as “Franklin Manios Day.”
Speaking on the events, Kaitson said, “I would like to thank each and every one of the folks I met over the course of my recent excursion. Our strength as Ahepans is in our unity – a feat only possible due to the individual excellence our members strive for on a daily basis. Likewise, the unbelievable generosity bestowed upon me by the dozen chapters I visited along the way cannot go unrecognized. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for being yourselves, and for joining us on this mission we call Hellenism.”