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Contact: Andrew Kaffes
Phone: (202) 232-6300
E-mail: akaffes@ahepa.org
For Release January 12, 2000
Ahepa Float Captures Queen's Trophy And Olympic Spirit; Hellenism Captures The Eyes Of
Millions
![[Parade Band Leader]](parade_band_leader.gif) Pasadena, California -- The AHEPA Hellenic
Float captured the Queen's Trophy in the 111th
Tournament of Roses® Parade for the second
consecutive year, a rare accomplishment for a
second-year entrant, announced Supreme
President George J. Dariotis. The trophy is
awarded for the best and most effective use of
roses in concept, design and presentation.
"It's a rare feat for a new sponsor's first
two entries to be awarded the Queen's Trophy,"
said Bill Lofthouse, president, Phoenix
Decorating Company, the builders of the
AHEPA Hellenic Float. "We haven't seen this
accomplishment in many years, even among
veteran float sponsors."
The float, appropriately themed "Passing
the Torch," featured a floral Olympic torch
symbolic of the spirit of Hellenism that is to be passed on
to future generations, said Nick Perdaris, president of the
AHEPA Hellenic Foundation, the organizing body for the
project.
According to Perdaris, past Olympian Peter
Clentzos, Pasadena, California, and Olympic hopefuls
Paul, Thomas and William Pappas, Grant's Pass,
Oregon, illustrated the theme brilliantly, wearing
Olympic attire that depicted the progression of
Olympic dress--past, present and future.
"We were able to salute the Olympic spirit
by paying tribute to Olympians from one century to
the next," said Perdaris. "Symbolically, Peter
'passed the torch' to Tom."
"In addition to winning the Queen's Trophy,
the AHEPA Hellenic Float was successful in
projecting Hellenism to a worldwide audience," said
Chris Mellas, vice-chairman of the AHEPA
Hellenic Heritage Foundation.
According to Mellas, it was estimated
that 1.5 million spectators lined the parade
route, and over 100 million Americans and
some 400 million people in over 111
countries viewed the parade on television.
"There is no better vehicle for
AHEPA to project Hellenism with such
grand exposure than through this parade,"
said Mellas. "AHEPA is extremely honored
and pleased to be a participant in the
Tournament of Roses."
The Float Riders
Clentzos, 90, represented Greece in the 1932
Olympic Games held in Los Angeles and competed
in the pole vault. He is a 64-year member of
AHEPA and an inaugural inductee in the AHEPA
Hellenic Athletic Hall of Fame. Clentzos' chapter
continued on page 4
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