Santa Barbara AHEPA Chapter 243

ORDER OF AHEPA
SANTA BARBARA CHAPTER #243
Established October 17, 1929
“Promoting the Harmony of Greek Culture, Service, and Community”
‘Keeping the Spirit Alive”
http://www.ahepa20.org/~chapter243/
www.ahepa20.org/chapters (easier for some)
“Let’s Do Something Great in 2008!”

MINUTES OF MARCH 17, 2008
(St. Patrick’s Day)

**LATE BREAKING NEWS**-----
As the value of the U.S Dollar has been weakened it becomes important to assist our CHAPTER and the U. S. Economy by circulation of currency-so support the U. S Economy AND your Santa Barbara Ahepa Chapter and PAY YOUR DUES!!!! Please contact either Steve or Chris Compogiannis

MEETING DATE CHANGE!!!!! Our APRIL MEETING will be held one week later than usual-on Monday April 28, 2008 @ Harry’s Plaza Café. This is because Holy Monday falls on our regular meeting night. (See you in church!!)

The Chapter meeting was held at the McKenzie Market because our regular meeting place was fully booked for the St. Patrick’s Day holiday. Our hosts were the owners and Ahepa Brothers Peter and Mrs. Katina Demourkas, and John P. Demourkas who provided a delicious Lenten meal (certainly much tastier than the corn-beef and cabbage usually served on this holiday or the traditional 7-course meal for an Irishman-a 6 pack and a baked potato.)

My guest and I arrived at 6:40 PM and the meals were already served so I would assume the meeting was called to Order promptly at 6:39PM by President Jim Arger and that the Opening prayer and Blessing was said.

There were 12 members and 2 guests in attendance. Our guests were: NICK GEKIS who visited us last year and is known in our community and Brother CHRIS MALLAKIS from Camarillo and a member of the Ventura Chapter #220. Absent officers were: Steve Compogiannis who is under the weather (and we wish him a speedy recovery) and George Papazacharioudakis who went to Greece for his nephew’s wedding, to visit family and to reconnect with the Glory of Greece (ask him about the garbage and gas station strikes). He was unable to provide the minutes of the February 18, 2008 meeting prior to leaving but I will have those minutes for the record upon his return home.

PDG Dino Frangos received an emergency call and had to leave early. He suggested that we organize a District 20 and perhaps a National project to raise funds for Rett Syndrome and ultimately to assist the Kolendrianos family and their granddaughter who

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suffers from this syndrome. By unanimous vote we agreed and Dino will make the appropriate contacts and report at our next meeting.

SECRETARY’S REPORT. The minutes were unavailable so we proceeded from memory

TREASURER’S REPORT. Chris reported that as of last month’s meeting our general fund had $2,209.56. He transferred $ 1,800 to the Smith Barney account which now has $9,035.22. Happy Dollars has $169.which is included in the Smith Barney monies.
Membership Dues-18 members are paid out of a membership of 34. The more members paid the more delegates and votes our chapter will be entitled to. PLEASE PAY YOUR DUES.

National Convention in Greece-July 1 thru July 12. Our only delegate is Alex Haimanis. If you are interested in attending the convention the deadline is June 1, 2008

President Arger passed out Delegate/Alternate forms for the District Convention to be held May 29th through June 1st. at the Double Tree Hotel. Individual tickets can be purchased for the Banquet, Scholarship Luncheon, and the Glendi. The Luncheon will be held on Saturday, May 31st at $40 each. We urge our members to at least attend the luncheon and show support for our local and District youth who are receiving scholarships from our Ahepa District. Forms are available on-line and at our next meeting.

We discussed the Greek Independence Day presentation to be held after Liturgy on March 23rd. President Jim said the DOP will provide the desserts. Br. Bill Poulis will cook and Louis Velliotis will provide cod-fish for the Lenten meal consisting of fish rice, salad, bread, bottled water left from the festival and desserts. Bill’s budget is $200. We will collect donations on behalf of the Orthodox Missions and assist Alex Haimanis with this worth while project. Georgia Gastouniotis has the children who will recite poems; Helen Iounidis has the dance groups prepared. We just ask our members to assist with the clean-up.

Our May 3rd project-a trip to the J. Paul Getty Villa is on hold as the bus company may not have buses available. We will monitor the situation.

Ahepa Sunday-we are unsure of the date although we feel it will be the Sunday after Mother’s Day-May 18th. Jim Brown will confirm date. We discussed possible programs for the event. Jim Brown suggested Dr. Dimitriou as a speaker because he did a history of our chapter. (Your humble servant will follow-up). We felt this would be a coffee hour event; we need to have a contact to make the Koliva, which may cost $65, and give up-dates to Carol Stathopoulos who maintains the memorial list.


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The meeting was adjourned at 7:45 PM by President Jim following the closing prayer by Bill Poulis.,

With Thanks to our hosts-the Demourkis family and to the strains of “Danny
Boy” we clogged around the Blarney Stone and line danced out the door. John thought clogging was a drainage problem but we assured him otherwise.

April Birthdays-Gregory Pantages (4/16).


Respectfully Submitted,
James P. Brown
Chapter #243 Secretary.