Santa Barbara AHEPA Chapter 243

SANTA BARBARA CHAPTER #243
“Promoting the Harmony of Greek Culture, Service, and Community”

Greetings from Chapter #243 nestled in the foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains of Santa Barbara. We experienced two events during this last quarter which we would like to share with our Ahepa family.
Ahepa Brother Alex P. Haimanis who has been a member of Ahepa since 1969, chaired a special event that has been a focus of his for the last twenty-one years, and that is the support of the Orthodox Missions programs. Over these many years his efforts have resulted in approximately two million dollars in support of that organization
This past February he organized a “Concert for Tanzania” to raise funds for a church project in a remote village which included a well, clinic, school, and a ten acre plot to become a farm so the villagers can eventually sustain themselves.
Jamie Chamberlin, who grew up in our community and is a soprano with a long list of accomplishments throughout the world, donated her talents for this concert as did her accompanist Renee Hamaty.
With a generous donation from James and Rose Marie Towle, along with friends and members of the community funds raised are over seventy-five thousand dollars to date. A reception after the concert put a sweet ending to the concert.
Brother Haimanis is grateful to his fund-raising committee and the families of M/M Spears, Iskander, Gorbenko and Mwesigwa who also sponsored this fabulous evening.

On April 23rd we hosted a joint District 20 visitation with our Ahepa brothers from the Ventura Chapter # 220. This special event was chaired by PDG Costadino Frangos. This dinner meeting was held at the Harbor Restaurant at Stern’s Wharf. Our special guest for the evening was Consul General Dimitris Caramitsos-Tziras who will be leaving shortly to his next assignment as Ambassador to the United Nations. He has been a friend to this chapter and we wish him well. Our gift to him was a small desk-top world clock-so that no matter where he is and no matter what time it is-he will be reminded of Santa Barbara.
Also in attendance was Supreme Governor Nicholas Pedris, PSG Chris Mellas, PSG Lyle Hochberger, the District 20 Lodge members-District Gov. John Triantafyllos M.D., Lt. Gov. Bill Lambroploulos, Marshall John Kopatsis,Dist. Advisor Peter Trianfyllos, and PDG Costadinos Frangos.
In addition to an update of world affairs by the Consul General, and an update of District 20 news from our Governor, the Supreme Governor initiated four new members into our chapter.
This fun evening was capped by a huge cake to honor the George’s in both chapters.
We remarked on the beautiful sunset over the gentle ocean waves and the huge sea birds floating in the sky-but little did we know until later of the bountiful deposits the birds left on our vehicles. Ah-Mother Nature—at her best.
Jim Brown, Chapter Secretary