Santa Barbara AHEPA Chapter 243

SANTA BARBARA AHEPA CHAPTER #243 (est. 10/17/29)
“Promoting the Harmony of Greek Culture, Service, and Community”
http://www.ahepa20.org/~chapter243/

CHRISTOS ANESTI!!!

This chapter rejoices and gives thanks for a very productive first quarter of this year. We assisted in the success of the luncheon at UCSB where the Greek Ambassador honored the Hellenic Studies department, sponsored an excursion to the Getty Center to view the Holy Icons from the monastery of St Catherine located at the foot of Mt. Sinai, and held a very special evening commemorating the Independence of Greece from Ottoman rule. The beautiful Fess Parker Resort was an appropriate setting for the appearances of distinguished guests and a special performance of our Thavma dancers. We are thankful and humbled by everyone’s contributions to this event especially the team that brought it to fruition.
We now look to Saturday, May 19, 2007, when we will hold our Ahepa Glendi. This is a event of an old fashioned Greek night fun with dinner and dancing. There is an information flyer in this issue of “The Epistle” and will also be found in other locations. We look forward to a full house. Reservations are required.
Lastly we rejoice in this Easter season and the promise of Christ’s Resurrection.
ALITHENOS ANESTI!!!
The members of chapter #243

El Comino Submission
ORDER OF AHEPA
SANTA BARBARA CHAPTER #243
Established October 17, 1929
“Promoting the Harmony of Greek Culture, Service, and Community”
http://www.ahepa20.org/~chapter243/

This first quarter report from Chapter #243-Santa Barbara reflects a period of time in which the accomplishments of this period came with lots of effort. Our astrological friends say to blame Mars which was in a retrograde position. However teamwork which shared a common focus and goals prevailed with a lot of effort.
Our first successful endeavor was to have a chartered bus take members of our community and that of St. Athanasious Orthodox church to the Getty Center to view the Holy Icons and other priceless items from the Holy Monastery of St. Catherine at the foot of Mt. Sinai. Because this excursion was in the final two weeks of the exhibit there were Greek Dancers and mimes to entertain the large crowds that gathered for a last look at these treasures.
Our member and PDG Dino Frangos worked with our member Professor Apostolos Athanassakis who is the chair of Greek Studies at UC Santa Barbara to organize a luncheon where the Greek Ambassador to the United States, The Honorable Alexander Mallas, presented honors to individuals and to the Greek program. There were over two hundred in attendance.
On Saturday March 24, 2007 we presented a Greek Independence Day Commemoration at the beautiful Fess Parker DoubleTree Resort which faces the pounding surf of the Pacific Ocean. We were honored to have the Mayor of Santa Barbara, the Honorable Marty Blum, and the Daughters of Penelope District Governor, Mrs. Georgia Gastouniotis, The Ahepa District Governor Peter Triantafyllos, and District Marshall Bill Lambropoulos who spoke briefly. Our Thavma Dance group presented a very special interpretive dance suite for this occassion
Our honored speakers were the Consul-General of Greece, the Honorable Dimitrios Caramitsos-Tziras, and his colleague Dr. Yannos Papantoniou, Long time member of the Greek Parliament and former Minister of Finance and Economy where he guide Greece into the modern world economy, and as Minister of Defense, modernized the Greek Military. Our keynote speaker was the Honorable Governor Michael Dukakis, who with his charming wife, Katherine, highlighted the evening. That they chose to be with us at a time when there are many request for their time and energy honors us even more. Our Parish Priest, Fr. Simon Thomas, also commented on the importance of this date and led us in prayers. We Thank him for his support and participation.
This Ahepa chapter is always looking to the future. Items under consideration are future bus trips, hosting a Hellarikon, and a Poker Night at a casino. We still are working on a sister-city project and possible co- hosting of the ’08 mid-winter conference.
We hope to see all of you at our Glendi on Saturday May 19th, at our St. Barbara Parish Hall. We hope to see you there.

The members of #243