The AHEPAN - Fall 2009 - 4

message from nicholas a. karacostas ahePa suPreme PresiDent as one Successful decade ends a promising one begins H appy New Year! I hope everyone had a joyous Holiday Season. The decade of the 2000s was a successful one for AHEPA. It concluded with a whirlwind of activity that we have featured in this issue of The AHEPAN. All facets of our worthy mission continue to be met at the national, district, and chapter levels. I am Nicholas A. Karacostas constantly in awe of the work being performed on a daily basis in the community. My visitations have been eye-opening in this regard, and I am grateful for each member’s hard work and effort. For countless years Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has been a gracious host of the AHEPA family on our annual overseas excursions. We were afforded the humble opportunity to reciprocate by extending our hospitality to the Ecumenical Patriarch during His All Holiness’ landmark visit to United States. On November 5, 2009, His All Holiness visited AHEPA Headquarters for the very first time, along with His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, in a truly historic moment for the Greek American community. In speaking with many Ahepans on my travels since that day, I know His All Holiness’ visit left a significant and lasting impression on us all. I believe it truly signifies the mutual respect and admiration that exists between AHEPA and the Ecumenical Patriarchate in accordance with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. Moreover, the AHEPA family can be proud of the role it played in support of the Ecumenical Patriarch’s visit to the United States. The dinner held by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in honor of the Ecumenical Patriarch is clear evidence. Also in November, we hosted the first of four “National Regional Salute Banquets” to be held throughout the United States. Our aim with this series of regional banquets is to invigorate the grassroots while providing a “national stage” to recognize excellence in our hometowns and communities. I am pleased that our first attempt at this new and fresh approach was a successful one. Our banquet in Flushing, New York, on November 21, 2009, was a sold-out affair with a distinguished list of deserving honorees from diverse professions. I look forward to our next regional banquets in Portland, Oregon, on March 6, and Chicago on May 1. Please join us! Exciting new events and tough challenges await us in a new decade. I encourage the community to engage in our “United We Serve” public service initiative to feed the less fortunate. Beginning in February, our campaign will focus on helping our Veterans in need. The campaign will culminate on Memorial Day, May 31, 2010. We concluded the first part of our food collection drive for children that lasted from October 1, 2009 to January 1, 2010 with many successful drives completed by chapters and individuals. Please send AHEPA Headquarters your status reports. For more information, please visit www.ahepa.org/serve. As with all parts of our mission, please keep community service and volunteerism at the forefront of your chapter’s work. Strengthening and giving back to the community is AHEPA’s greatest asset. Lastly, it is not too late to mark your calendars for the 2010 AHEPA Supreme Convention in Montreal, July 11 to 18. I look forward to seeing you there as together we take our first steps in a new and promising decade for AHEPA. . the ahepan Fall 2009 www.ahepa.org

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The AHEPAN - Fall 2009

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