AHEPA Regional Banquet Honors Excellence in Ohio

AHEPA Regional Banquet Honors Excellence in Ohio AHEPA held its latest in a series of Regional Banquets in Columbus, Ohio, at the Ohio Statehouse, March 17, where excellence in leadership and service were honored, announced Supreme President Carl R. Hollister.  In addition, proceeds from the banquet benefited The Ohio State University Department of Classics for the purpose of permanently endowing a chair for the department's Modern Greek Program, and the Junior Orders of AHEPA, the Sons of Pericles and Maids of Athena. "We congratulate and commend our distinguished honorees, who represent the best in leadership and service to the community and who are an inspiration to us all," Supreme President Hollister said. He also thanked the banquet's host committee and anonymous sponsors for making the event a success.   The honorees were: Michael Stinziano and Doug Preisse, each received the AHEPA Friendship Award, for their dedicated an unwavering support of the Hellenic community throughout Ohio. Hon. Zack T. Space, former U.S. representative, received the AHEPA Excellence in Public Service Award, as he continues to serve the public in an exemplary manner. Past Supreme Secretary Nicholas Alexander received the AHEPA Excellence in Education Award for spearheading the development of the Modern Greek Program at The Ohio State University since 1973, and he continues to help the program grow. Christopher Brown, Ph.D., lecturer, The Ohio State University Department of Classics, received the AHEPA Excellence in Classical Studies Award for his passion for teaching the Classics; and Past Supreme President Franklin Manios received the inaugural AHEPA-Gus Maggos Excellence Award for his significant contributions to the Order of AHEPA, including its scholarship and athletics programs. The award is named in honor of the late Brother Gus Maggos, an Ahepan who left his job to sell $50 million in World War II Bonds and received recognition from President Franklin D. Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Brother Gus J. Lazares served as Master of Ceremonies.  More than 230 persons attended the event, which included a reception in the Ohio Statehouse Rotunda. The Ohio Statehouse is built in the Greek Rival style, a type of architectural design inspired by ancient Greek buildings. Read the entire news release with additional images Greek Independence Day Celebrations 2018 Annually, AHEPA family chapters, districts, and our communities, work together to promote parades across the country, to secure Proclamations from state and local governments, to organize flag-raising ceremonies at various State Capitols and City Halls, or to lay wreaths at memorial sites.  Please let us know how your community is celebrating the 197th anniversary of Greek Independence.  Submit your photos, with brief captions, to admin@ahepa.org. London Calling: AHEPA Chapter Assists with DOP Chapter Installation Over the weekend, Brothers from AHEPA Apollon Chapter 602, London, England assisted with the installation of the Daughters of Penelope's newest chapter, Eleni Chapter 440, London. DOP Thetis Chapter 439, Brussels, Belgium, also assisted.  Congratulations to the AHEPA Family of London, England! Register Today! | AHEPA Family Supreme Convention   Make sure you are caught-up on the details of the 96th AHEPA Family Supreme Convention, July 22 to 27, 2018, Atlantic City, N.J. Harrah's Hotel & Casino will play host for our annual meeting.  learn more  PDF  Register Today! Don't forget to follow AHEPA on social media:

Program Announcements 2018 National Scholarship Application Available The AHEPA National Educational Foundation announced its 2018 scholarship application is available. The deadline to apply for an AHEPA National Educational Foundation scholarship is March 31, 2018.Become one of many students who received a national AHEPA scholarship since the foundation's inception.  Apply Today! AHEPA Journey to Greece 2018 Session Journey to Greece this summer with AHEPA and Webster University! Earn college credit while traveling to a whole host of iconic ancient Greek sites and beautiful Greek locations. The 2018 session runs June 23 to July 21. Deadline to apply is April 30, 2018. Apply Today!  Share: Our 2018 Journey to Greece Promo Video 2018 AHEPAcademy Session | Apply Today! Join a select group of Greek American students from across the country for AHEPAcademy, June 24 to 30, 2018, George Mason University, outside Washington, DC.  Learn more Application Deadline: April 15, 2018 Share: AHEPAcademy Promo Video (via Facebook) Apply Today! Upcoming Events & Deadlines March 22 | Greek Independence Day Reception at the White House 31 | AHEPA National Educational Foundation Scholarship Deadline April 15 | AHEPAcademy Application Deadline 30 | AHEPA Journey to Greece 2018 Session Application Deadline May 16 | AHEPA Family Capitol Hill Day July 22 - 28 | 96th AHEPA Family Supreme Convention, Atlantic City, N.J. Join AHEPA Today! In Our Own Words. What AHEPA means to us. Join AHEPA Now Greek American News Digest Editor's Note: Editorials, Commentaries, and Opinion pieces are shared for information purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the views or policy positions of the Order of AHEPA, its affiliated organizations, and members.     Historic 'Macedonia is Greece' Rally Held in New York Greek Reporter (March 18)      Thousands of Greek Americans held a rally in New York to express their opposition to any use of the word "Macedonia" in the negotiations currently under way between the governments of Greece and the FYROM.  read more    Greek Opposition Leader Promotes Corporate Tax Reduction  Bloomberg Politics (March 15) The reduction of corporate taxation from 29 percent to 20 percent in two years and the implementation of an aggressive reform agenda will be priorities for Kyriakos Mitsotakis, leader of Greece's main opposition party, if he comes into power.  There is a "distinct possibility" elections will take place in the second half of 2018, Mitsotakis said in an interview with Bloomberg TV.  read more  US ambassador says hopes for resolution on Greek soldiers held in Turkey Ekathimerini (March 20) US Ambassador in Athens Geoffrey Pyatt on Tuesday said that the United States is "fully engaged" over the issue of two Greek soldiers who are in custody in Turkey after being arrested earlier this month for accidentally crossing the border.  read more Greece: 16 migrants die as smuggling boat sinks in Aegean ABC News (March 17)   A smuggling boat sank Saturday off a Greek island, killing at least 16 migrants including children, and a search-and-rescue operation was underway to find two others believed missing.  The wooden boat was believed to have been carrying around 21 people when it sank for reasons that were not immediately clear off the coast of the eastern Aegean island of Agathonisi, the Greek coast guard said. Three people - two women and one man - managed to swim to the island and alert authorities.  read more US supports Cyprus in its search for offshore gas ABC News  (March 16)   A senior U.S. State Department official has repeated Washington's support for Cyprus' right to carry out an offshore search for oil and gas.  Assistant Secretary of State Wess Mitchell told reporters after talks with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades on Friday that the U.S. also wants to see a resumption of talks to reunify the ethnically divided island nation.  Mitchell's remarks come amid Turkey's strong opposition to what it calls a "unilateral" Greek Cypriot search for hydrocarbons that doesn't directly involve breakaway Turkish Cypriots.  read more    Cyprus: Eni committed to gas search despite Turkey's dissent Washington Post  (March 15)   Italian company Eni is committed to carrying on its search for gas off the east Mediterranean island of Cyprus despite Turkey's strong opposition, the Cypriot government said Thursday.  A statement said Eni is "determined to fulfill its obligations" under its contracts with Cyprus to carry out exploratory drilling in six areas off Cyprus where it has been licensed do to so.  read more  Peter G. Peterson, a Power From Wall St. to Washington, Dies at 91 New York Times (March 20) Peter G. Peterson, the billionaire financier and philanthropist who combined a spectacular career in industry and Wall Street with public policymaking and dogged advocacy of government fiscal prudence, died on Tuesday at his home in Manhattan. He was 91.   read more     Assassin's Creed may go to Greece in 2019 Techradar (March 19)   Part of the fun of the Assassin's Creed series is guessing where and when the next title may be set. If recent rumors are anything to go by the next installment could take players to ancient Greece in 2019.  read more  Video | Greek Gymnast Lefteris Petrounias Wins Another Gold Greek Reporter (March 17) 'Lord of the Rings' Lefteris Petrounias added another Gold Medal to his distinguished career winning the ring competition at the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup in Baku, Azerbajian.  read more