The Voice of the Greek Community CELEBRATING 65 YEARS OF COMMUNITY NEWS AND HISTORY

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1 The Voice of the Greek Community JAN/FEB CELEBRATING 65 YEARS OF COMMUNITY NEWS AND HISTORY VOL. 74 NO. 537 HOLY TRINITY GREEK ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL 600 EAST BLVD CHARLOTTE, NC JAN/FEB 2014 Our Vision: With the Grace of God, to provide a loving and caring Community where all belong to Christ, through worship, sacramental life, everyday spiritual discipline, sanctification, education, witness and fellowship. Our Mission Our Mission is to become faithful followers of Christ and thus active Greek Orthodox Christians by accepting and submitting to the Will of our Lord so that we may realize salvation and enter into the Kingdom of God. WHAT S INSIDE THIS ISSUE... Remarks from Father Michael - I lost my Son (in-law)... 3 Message from the President John Tsumas... 4 Articles on Repentance by Father Tommy... 7 Preschool News Philoptochos News Greek School News East Boulevard Charlotte, NC Charlotte, NC Permit No. 871 PAID Non-profit Organization U.S. Postage

2 2 JAN/FEB 2014 The Voice of the Greek Community A Message From The Editor Hello again everybody, Once again, Happy New Year to everyone. At the time of this writing, Spring weather is among us after that cold Winter. In the front picture of The Voice will be our Future. With your help, we will bring Holy Trinity into the 21 st century. The walls have been repainted, the carpet has been replaced and we have many talented young ladies doing many updates in the education wing. In the next issue of The Voice, we will feature Easter and offer several pictures from Holy Week. Until next time, Be safe, Angelo Pete Politis Official printer of The Voice Mullen Publications Inc. Charlotte, NC org Visit today! Voice Editorial and Business Staff Voice Committee Members: Angelo Pete Politis, Editor; Lucy Pappadakes, Co-Editor; Effie Dounis, Despina Kaltsounis, Stephanie Kaltsounis, George Andrews Contributing Writers Fr. Michael Varvarelis, Dean of the Cathedral Fr. Tommy Vlahos, Priest Religious Reflection George Karres - P.C. Presidents Message Ministry Writers: Effie Fotopoulos Sunday School Larry Peroulas Greek School Maria Kleto Preschool Viola Weber Philoptochos Olga Yamalis Choir News Cathy Chicklistas Forever Young Tom Ganatsios GOSA Georgia Georgoulakos Around Charlotte Town Johnny Couchell Athletic Program John Georgopoulos GOYA-HOPE/JOY Loula Kontoulas Heritage Preservation Committtee Gloria Kontoulas Education, Culture and Youth Diakonia, Around Charlotte Town Helen Beleos Community Profiles Andrew Karras Spiritual Dr. Taki Hondros Health George Politis Professional Services Daughters of Penelope N. Markos Kontos AHEPA Number of Parish Families 875 Clergy/Staff: Rev. Fr. Michael Varvarelis, Dean of the Cathedral; Helen Karras, Office Manager/Secretary; Angelo Tatsis, Building Assistant; John Georgopoulos, Youth Director/Building Supervisor; Larry Peroulas, Greek School Director; Maria Kleto and Cindy Balatsias, Preschool Directors; Lucy Pappadakes Choir Director; Toni Karnazes, First Sevice Choir Director; : Dr. Philip Thevaos, Baritone Choir Director; Irina Monzolevskaya, Organist; George Politis, Effie Fotopoulos, Sunday School Directors Parish Council: George Karres, President; John Karagiannis, Vice President; George Andrews, Treasurer; Spero Koufaliotis, Assistant Treasurer; John Tsumas, Secretary; Peter Thomopoulos, Assistant Secretary; Dr. Takie Hondros, Member; Dino Pappas, Member; Margaret Nixon, Member; Caleb Russell, Member; Angelo Kefalas, Member; Dimitri Dounis, Member; Jimmy Georgiou, Member; George Limbanovnos, Member; Angelo Spero, Member. Cathedral Foundation: Harry Stathopoulos, Chairman;, Nickolas Ballas Vice-Chairman; Mathew Karres, Secretary; Chris Karres Tresurer; Nick Kantsios, Assistant Sec./Tres; George Watson, Nick Nixon, Members. Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral bi-monthly publication is published 6 times per year. Church Telephone: 704/ ; Preschool: 704/ Check out the latest news and photos on the web

3 The Voice of the Greek Community JAN/FEB Remarks From Father Michael by Father Michael Varvarelis Dean of the Cathedral I lost my Son (in-law) On Saturday, January 25 th, 2014, I received a phone call from Presvytera telling me that our son-in-law, Angelo, was taking his last breaths and he was on his way to the next life. I felt the pain of losing my dear child and a feeling of numbness overtaking my entire entity, while at the same time I was encouraged to know that he was going to His Creator and Savior. We left as soon as it was possible to get to Bethlehem, PA. It was a nine-hour trip that became more than 10 hours because in Virginia we had a bad snow storm. It was not easy. Aggeliki, when she realized that her husband turned for the worse, called her siblings, his mother and his siblings and they all sat next to Angelo praying the whole time till he left this life. Angelo left that evening at 6:30pm. We made it to his home at 4:00am on Sunday morning. My daughter at the time was calm but very exhausted. My grandchildren were sleeping except for the youngest, the two year old, who was in his crib chanting along during the Trisagion that we offered, and as we finished, we overheard in the baby monitor, little Mihali saying, Daddy, daddy..!! It seemed that he was happy. My other children were also still there. Our daughter for the moment was in control; crying, praying, sad, but in control. I went to the Church for the Sunday Divine Liturgy and after the Service I returned back to my daughter s home. We made the arrangements. We talked and reminisced about the life and many strengths of my son-in-law. I tried to reflect on his life at the funeral and while I was unable to hold my composure at times, I will share here a few points of his life. I do this because from the Parish Council to the Philoptochos and all the dear members of our Holy Trinity Cathedral Parish-Family, I received strong, thoughtful and incredible support of prayers, comfort and love. Presvytera along with Aggeliki, our daughter, and our whole family are very grateful to each and every one of you. Angelo, who passed to the next life at the age of 34 was born, raised, educated and lived in Bethlehem, PA all his life. He was the oldest of the three siblings and an intelligent, diligent, kind, caring and devoted Orthodox Christian. He graduated from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, as an electrical engineer and the School (Lehigh) paid for his graduate work because of his excellent grades, earning his Masters Degree in the same field. He worked at Lutron Company located in Coopersburg, PA in Lehigh Valley only 20 minutes away from his home. He loved his work and his co-workers. I was so impressed to see the owner, administrators, and a huge number of co-workers who came to the Church for the Viewing and the Funeral. I knew Angelo since I was assigned to St. Nicholas in Bethlehem back in He was only 10 years old at that time. He served in the Holy Altar, attended the Altar Boys monthly meetings and attended weekly Monday Bible studies I had for the children/youth at St. Nicholas. His entire family; parents, siblings were coming regularly to Church, for confession and received Holy Communion. When he was in Elementary School, then Middle School and High School he would ask me to permit him to come into the Church and iconograph the Saints depicted on the walls. He was very talented in this area and iconography was his hobby. He was pious and spiritually structured and was strict with himself with all the disciplines of our Orthodox spiritual life; prayer, reading of the Bible, reading the lives of the Saints, fasting, having strong sacramental life and participating in the Sunday School which was offered to the students after Mom, God honored us with a cross. Are we not going to joyfully receive it? Are we going to complain about it? He wants to save us. He wants to take us to His Kingdom. Isn t this cross, this illness, a blessing? I thank the Lord!! Holy Communion. When he graduated from College, I asked him to help with Sunday School. He was always smiling, friendly, joking and loved being with the students. Therefore, indeed, he was a very effective Sunday School Teacher until the year when because of his condition was not able to get to the classroom and teach. You may remember that three years ago he lost his father from cancer. His mother is hurting very much. In fact while Angelo was diagnosed with cancer, as well, and while receiving treatments, his mother would ask him the difficult question why? I found his position and understanding of his condition very powerful, meaningful and comforting. He responded to his mother, Mom, God honored us with a cross. Are we not going to joyfully receive it? Are we going to complain about it? He wants to save us. He wants to take us to His Kingdom. Isn t this cross, this illness, a blessing? I thank the Lord!! From the very beginning when Angelo was diagnosed with biliary (ampullary) cancer, he let Aggeliki know that his journey in this life perhaps was near the end and made all the necessary arrangements for the family to be prepared when it was his time to depart. He took good care of himself to be treated by specialized medical institutions and doctors. He was diagnosed in the month of October 2012 and on November 20, 2012 he had an (Whipple procedure) operation at Sloan-Kettering Continued on page 4 Μας έφυγε το παιδί μου (ο γαμπρός μου) Το Σάββατο στις 25 Ιανουαρίου 2014, έλαβα ένα τηλεφώνημα από την Πρεσβυτέρα μου που μου είπε ότι ο γαμπρός μας, Ευάγγελος, έπαιρνε τελευταίες αναπνοές του και ήταν στο δρόμο του για την αιώνια ζωή. Ένιωσα ένα σφίξιμο στην καρδιά και τον πόνο της απώλειας του αγαπητού παιδιού μου και ένα αίσθημα μουδιάσματος πέρασε σε όλο το είναι μου, ενώ ταυτόχρονα την ίδια στιγμή έπαιρνα δύναμι από την βεβαιότητα ότι επήγαινε στον Δημιουργό και Σωτήρα του. Φύγαμε το συντομότερο δυνατό να πάμε στη Βηθλεέμ, PA. Ήταν εννέα ώρες ταξίδι που έγινε σε περισσότερο από 10 ώρες, επειδή στη Βιρτζίνια βρήκαμε μια άσχημη χιονοθύελλα. Δεν ήταν εύκολο. Η Αγγελική, όταν συνειδητοποίησε ότι ο σύζυγός της γύρισε προς το χειρότερο, τηλεφώνησε στά αδέλφια της, στη μητέρα του και στα αδέλφια του και όλοι ήταν παρόντες δίπλα στον Ευάγγελο προσευχόμενοι, μέχρι που άφησε αυτή τη ζωή ο Ευάγγελος. Εφυγε από αυτή τη ζωή εκείνο το βράδυ στις 6:30 μ.μ.. Εμείς φθάσαμε στο σπίτι στις 4:00 το πρωί της Κυριακής. Η κόρη μου εκείνη την ώρα ήταν ήρεμη, αλλά πολύ εξαντλημένη. Τα εγγόνια μου κοιμόντουσαν εκτός για τον νεότερο, που είναι δύο ετών, ο οποίος ήταν στην κούνια του, μιλώντας κατά τη διάρκεια του Τρισαγίου που κάναμε, ενώ όταν τελειώσαμε ακούγαμε την φωνή του που έλεγε, «Μπαμπά, μπαμπά..!» Φαινόταν ότι ήταν χαρούμενος. Τα άλλα παιδιά μας ήταν ακόμα εκεί. Η κόρη μας προς το παρόν είχε τον έλεγχο, έκλαιγε, προσευχόταν, ήταν λυπημένη, αλλά είχε τον έλεγχο στον εαυτό της. Πήγα στην εκκλησία για την Κυριακάτικη Θεία Λειτουργία και μετά την ακολουθία επέστρεψα πίσω στο σπίτι της κόρης μου. Κανονίσαμε για τα της κηδείας. Μιλήσαμε αναπολώντας τη ζωή και τα χαρίσματα του γαμπρού μας. Προσπάθησα να αναφερθώ στα σχετικά σχετικά με τη ζωή του στην κηδεία αν και ήτο δύσκολο να συγκρατήσω την ψυχραιμία μου και την συγκίνησή μου. Εδώ θα μοιραστώ μαζί σας μερικά σημεία της ζωής του. Το κάνω αυτό γιατί από το Ενοριακό Συμβούλιο μέχρι την Φιλόπτωχο και όλα τα αγαπητά μέλη της Ενορίας του Καθεδρικού, δέχθηκα ισχυρή, στοχαστική και αμέριστη στήριξη από τις προσευχές, την παρηγοριά και την αγάπη όλων. Η πρεσβυτέρα μαζί με την Αγγελική, την κόρη μας, και ολόκληρη η οικογένειά μας είμαστε πολύ ευγνώμονες στον κάθε έναν από εσάς. Ο Ευάγγελος, ο οποίος πήγε στην αιώνια ζωή στην ηλικία των 34 ετών γεννήθηκε, μεγάλωσε, μορφώθηκε και έζησε στη Βηθλεέμ, PA όλη του τη ζωή. Ήταν το μεγαλύτερο από τα τρία αδέλφια και ήτο έξυπνος, Continued on page 5

4 4 JAN/FEB 2014 The Voice of the Greek Community The President s Message by John Tsumas Parish Council President Dear Holy Trinity Community, Χριστός Ανέστη! It is with great pleasure that I am writing you today. I feel honored to be able to serve our Holy Trinity community and look forward to doing my part to help Holy Trinity grow as a family. This church and community means a great deal to me, as I am sure it does to you. Being part of our community has helped me personally grow as a Christian, Father, Husband and Friend. I owe a great debt to all of those who have come before me and to everyone that forms Holy Trinity today. It is in that spirit that I approach my responsibilities to all of you. As I think back over the years to what Holy Trinity has meant to me, there are many areas that I love and have fond memories of. The one area that really stands out to me is the sense of community that I was fortunate to be able to grow up in. Holy Trinity has always been the place where as a child, then an adult, I felt like I was part of a greater family. It is a place that has always given me a sense of love and support. I hope that all of you feel that Holy Trinity has been that rock in your life, just as it has been in mine. I would like to encourage you to make Holy Trinity a central part of your life. As a community, we need support in every area imaginable. For those of you that are part of the future of Holy Trinity, please consider getting more involved. For those of you that have been the backbone of our family for so many years, please continue to be involved and mentor those that will lead Holy Trinity into the next generation. It is important that all of us work together to reach a common goal of making Holy Trinity the beacon of love and support that our Father expects it to be. Please remember that for us to build a greater sense of community, that it requires your time, effort and commitment. This is not an area where things such as money matter. We need you and all the great things that you can bring. We need you present at the Church services and the events that our community puts time and effort into. We need your wisdom and talents to help shape the future path of Holy Trinity. We have a dynamic community and if we all pull together we can be a shining example of what a solid Christian community can be. Thank You, John Tsumas President Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral Continued from page 3 Memorial Hospital in New York. When chemotherapy was no longer working he made an appointment and seeked help at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX and with the advice of both institutions and specialized physicians, started clinical trials at John Hopkins in Baltimore in the Fall of The second week in January of 2014, John Hopkins Hospital told him that the clinical trials were not working, the cancer had spread even more, and advised him to go home and be in the care of Hospice. When during his illness and treatments, I asked him how he was feeling spiritually with this entire ordeal he told me Dad, whatever the will of God is, I feel fine. He knows what is best for us. I could not expect anything more powerful coming from a dedicated Christian than that. When some of our parishioners who were kind enough to ask me how my son-inlaw felt and how we were looking at this situation I was saying: It doesn t make any sense with our rationale for a 34 year old husband and father of three children to have this horrible and fatal disease. But I know that what does not make any sense here to us on this earth and in this world, it will make perfect sense in the next life, when we will understand the answer(s). When we last visited him in mid- January of this year, his liver had expanded and was protruding visibly outside of his body. We had a Holy Unction Service. Afterwards I asked him if his liver was problematic or hurting. He said, both, difficult to manage and very painful. No complaints, no why, no need to see this go away. He was at peace. In all these very difficult conditions, he would go to Church and receive Holy Communion. About ten days before he passed away, he took a trip and saw his spiritual father for his last confession. The last Sunday that he went to Church, it was impossible for him to walk. He was in a wheel chair. That is how he went to receive Holy Communion! It amazed me his deep desire and commitment to receive the Lord! The last of his days, the Priest would go to his home and give him Holy Communion there. I mentioned in the Funeral that perhaps one of the reasons he left this life is what we find in the Scriptures (Wisdom of Solomon 4:11) Speedily was he taken away, lest that wickedness should alter his mindset, or deceit entice his soul. My daughter was saying to me how much they loved each other and during their entire married life they did not have an argument! They never fought. She has been able to keep focus on her children and maintain the household, but she experiences moments that are difficult. Some days and nights are almost unbearable. I believe that your prayers help sustain her and her children. As my Presvytera and I express our most sincere appreciation for all you have done for us and our daughter and the children, we would like to once more request to please continue having them and us in your prayers. Thank you. May his memory be eternal. All the latest news and photos are now on the web. Visit today! Living the Orthodox Life: Putting Christ first in our lives through prayer, worship and partaking in the Sacraments thus building and growing spiritually, His Kingdom on earth.

5 The Voice of the Greek Community JAN/FEB Continued from page 3 επιμελής, ευγενής, νοιαζόταν για τον άλλο και ήτο αφοσιωμένος Χριστιανός Ορθόδοξος. Αποφοίτησε από το Πανεπιστήμιο Lehigh στη Βηθλεέμ, ως ηλεκτρολόγος μηχανικός και το Σχολείο του (Lehigh University) κατέβαλλε τα δίδακτρα για τις μεταπτυχιακές σπουδές του λόγω της εξαιρετικής του απόδοσης, παίρνοντας το πτυχείο του στον ίδιο τομέα. Εργάστηκε στην εταιρεία «Lutron» που βρίσκεται στο Coopersburg, Πενσυλβάνιας στο Lehigh Valley μόλις 20 λεπτά μακριά από το σπίτι του. Αγαπούσε τη δουλειά του και τους συναδέλφους του. Ήμουν τόσο εντυπωσιασμένος που είδα τον ιδιοκτήτη, τους Διοικητικούς Υπαλλήλους, και ένα τεράστιο αριθμό των συναδέλφων του που ήρθαν στην Εκκλησία για την κηδεία του. Ήξερα τον Ευάγγελο από τότε που διορίσθηκα στην Ενορία του Αγίου Νικολάου στη Βηθλεέμ το Ήταν τότε μόλις 10 ετών. Υπηρέτησε στην Αγία Τράπεζα, και συμμετείχε στις μηνιαίες συναντήσεις των παιδιών του Ιερού ενώ ταυτόχρονα παρακολουθούσε ανελλιπώς τις εβδομαδιαίες συναντήσεις μελέτης της Αγίας Γραφής που είχα για το παιδιά / την νεολαία τού Αγίου Νικολάου. Όλη η οικογένειά του, οι γονείς και τα αδέλφια του έρχονταν τακτικά στην εκκλησία, στην εξομολόγηση και ελάβαιναν Θεία Κοινωνία. Όταν ήταν CASCADE REFINING INC Since 1974 στο Δημοτικό Σχολείο, καθώς και μετά στό Γυμνάσιο και Λύκειο μού ζητούσε να του επιτρέψω να εισέλθη στην Εκκλησία για να αγιογραφήσει τους Αγίους πού απεικονίζονται στους τοίχους. Ήταν πολύ ταλαντούχος σε αυτόν τον τομέα και η εικονογραφία ήταν το χόμπι του. Ήταν ευσεβής και πνευματικά δομημένος και ήταν αυστηρός με τον εαυτό του με το σύνολο των πρακτικών της Ορθόδοξης πνευματικής ζωής μας. Όπως προσευχή, ανάγνωση της Βίβλου, μελέτη τής ζωής των Αγίων, νηστεία, ισχυρή μυστηριακή ζωή «Μαμά, ο Θεός μας τίμησε με ένα σταυρό. Δεν θα Τον δεχθούμε με χαρά; Θα διαμαρτυρηθούμε γι αυτόν; Ο Θεός θέλει να μας σώσει. Θέλει να μας πάει στή Βασιλεία Του. Δεν είναι αυτός ο σταυρός, αυτή η ασθένεια, μια ευλογία; Ευχαριστώ τον Κύριο!». και συμμετοχή στο Κατηχητικό Σχολείο που λειτουργούσε μετά τη Θεία Κοινωνία. Όταν αποφοίτησε από το Κολέγιο, τον παρεκάλεσα να βοηθήσει με το Κατηχητικό Σχολείο. Ήταν πάντα χαμογελαστός, φιλικός, αστειευόμενος και αγαπούσε να είναι με τους μαθητές. Ως εκ τούτου, πράγματι, ήταν πολύ αποτελεσματικός Δάσκαλος τού Κατηχητικού Σχολείου μέχρι το έτος , όταν, λόγω της κατάστασής του, δεν ήταν σε θέση να πάει στην τάξη και να διδάξει. Ίσως να θυμάστε ότι πριν από τρία χρόνια έχασε τον πατέρα του από καρκίνο. Η μητέρα του είναι πληγωμένη πάρα πολύ. Στην πραγματικότητα, ενώ ο Ευάγγελος είχε διαγνωστεί με καρκίνο, καθώς επίσης, και ενώ ελάβαινε χημοθεραπείες, η μητέρα του τον ερώτησε με το δύσκολο ερώτημα «γιατί;» Βρήκα τη τοποθέτηση και την κατανόηση της κατάστασης του πολύ δυνατή, ουσιαστική και παρήγορη. Εκείνος απάντησε στη μητέρα του, «Μαμά, ο Θεός μας τίμησε με ένα σταυρό. Δεν θα Τον δεχθούμε με χαρά; Θα διαμαρτυρηθούμε γι αυτόν; Ο Θεός θέλει να μας σώσει. Θέλει να μας πάει στή Βασιλεία Του. Δεν είναι αυτός ο σταυρός, αυτή η ασθένεια, μια ευλογία; Ευχαριστώ τον Κύριο!» Από την αρχή, όταν Ευάγγελος είχε διαγνωστεί με χοληφόρο ( ampullary ) καρκίνο, μίλησε με την Αγγελική γνωρίζοντας ότι το ταξίδι του σε αυτή τη ζωή, ίσως ήταν κοντά στο τέλος και έκανε όλες τις απαραίτητες προετοιμασίες για την οικογένεια ώστε να είναι έτοιμη όταν ήρθε η ώρα του να αναχωρήσει. Πρόσεξε από την αρχή τον εαυτό του να ζητήσει και να βρεί εξειδικευμένους γιατρούς και Νοσοκομεία. Είχε διαγνωσθεί με καρκίνο τον μήνα Οκτώβριο τού 2012 και στις 20 Νοεμβρίου του 2012 είχε εγχείρηση (Whipple ), στο «Sloan -Kettering Memorial Hospital «στη Νέα Υόρκη. Όταν η χημοθεραπεία δεν απέδιδε πλέον έκανε ένα ραντεβού και αναζήτησε βοήθεια στο Selling your GOLD and SILVER Jewelry? SELL YOUR JEWELRY WHERE THE JEWELERS SELL THEIRS! NO MIDDLEMAN = NO JEWELER FEES! BEST PAYOUT IN TOWN! FREE & HONEST ESTIMATES Continued on page 8

6 6 JAN/FEB 2014 The Voice of the Greek Community Angelo John Forlidas CHARLOTTE - Mr. Forlidas, 86 years of age, passed away peacefully Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014, at the Levine & Dickson Hospice House at Southminster after a brief illness. Angelo was born Aug. 26, 1927, in Monroe, La. After graduating from high school in Baton Rouge, La., he briefly enrolled at Texas A&M University before joining the Navy at the age of 17, near the close of World War II, serving in the Pacific theater. After the war, he transferred to the University of South Carolina, graduating second in his class with degrees in civil and structural engineering. During his six-decade-long career as an architect, Angelo worked for Odell Associates on the team that designed the uptown branch of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library on Tryon Street and the main campus of Garinger High School, among other projects. In his private architectural practice, he designed more than a dozen Belk department stores throughout the southeast, as well as several notable drive-in restaurants. In his partnership with his brother, Philip, Angelo designed and built numerous commercial buildings, five multi-family apartment communities, and more than 100 single-family homes in and around Charlotte. A lifelong member of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, where he once taught Sunday School, Angelo was also a member of: the American Institute of Architects; the Charlotte Apartment Association; the Home Builders Association of Charlotte; the American Legion of Veterans; Excelsion 261 Lodge of Freemasons; and the Order of AHEPA, where he was a past president. Angelo was preceded in death by his Visit today! parents, John Evagelos and Cornelia Pappas Forlidas, and his brothers Nick John Forlidas (wife Hazel of Sunset Beach) and Marion John Forlidas. He is survived by his brother Philip John Forlidas (wife Betty) of Charlotte; his nephews John Roy Forlidas (wife Cindy) of Augusta, Ga., and John Evans Forlidas of New York City and Charlotte; his nieces Karen Forlidas Gaskins (husband Steve) of Wilmington, Leigh Anne Forlidas and Constance Marion Forlidas, both of Charlotte; and four great-nieces and -nephews. The Trisagion and funeral service for Mr. Forlidas was held 11 a.m. Monday, March 3, 2014, at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral with the Reverend Michael Varvarelis officiating. Interment followed in Evergreen Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Order of AHEPA Foundation, c/o Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 600 East Blvd., Charlotte, NC Arrangements are in the care of Hankins & Whittington Funeral Service, 1111 East Blvd., Charlotte, NC. Please share condolences online at www. hankinsandwhittington.com. Constandinos A. Panou CHARLOTTE - Constandinos A. Panou, 80, of Charlotte, NC, passed away Thursday, the 16th of January 2014, at Novant Medical Center. He was born the 5th of March 1933, in Viniani, Evrytania, Greece to the late Antonios Panou and Spyrydoula Tsolias. Costa served in the Greek Air Force as an airplane electrician. In 1956 he came to the United States and worked for the Presto Grill in Charlotte and eventually became a partner and owner. After a visit back to his beloved Greece in 1962, he returned with his bride Katerini. He then became a partner with Tom Nixon in the old Fish Net fish camp which was in Matthews, NC. His last restaurant he worked was The Union Station in Monroe, NC, on the old Charlotte highway. Costas was a member of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral for over 50 years and had formerly served as a board member. Because of his love and passion for the church, he was one of the best chanters with an exceptional voice that the church was honored with. He was also a member of Velouchi, Evrytania Association. The Trisagon service was held 7:00 PM, Sunday, the 19th of January 2014, at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral. Funeral services were held 11:30 AM, Monday, the 20th of January 2014, at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral. Burial followed in Evergreen Cemetery. Ironically, after 50 years of marriage to a most special and loving wife, Katerini, whom God took from us much too soon and exactly three months earlier, Costas wanted to be with her so he left us on January 16, Costas leaves his two sons: Tony (Antonios) Panou and Sam (Serafim) Panou who will mourn both parents in such a short time; his motherin-law, Eleni Nikopoulos of Greece and many loving and caring nieces and nephews here and also in Greece. In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by sisters: Fotini, Sophia, Maria, Vasiliki and Panagiota all of Greece. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral Foundation, 600 East Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28203, or Panagia Prousiotissa Chapel at Elatos Park, Weddington, NC, c/o Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral. Notes of encouragement and condolences may be made to the family by visiting The Panou family is being served by Ellington Funeral Services, The Historic Morehead St. Chapel, 727 E. Morehead St., Charlotte, NC Fotini Loukas Rhodes CHARLOTTE - Mrs. Rhodes, 88, of Charlotte, NC and Athens, Greece, passed away Tuesday, the 21st of January 2014, at the Harris Hospice of Novant Health Medical Center. She was born the 17th of December 1925, in Athens, Greece, one of seven children to the late John Loukas and Katherine Papageorge Loukas. Fotini was a member of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral and was a dedicated wife, mother and grandmother. She spent part of her time in Athens, Greece and in Charlotte, NC, the last several years she remained here with her daughter. Mrs. Rhodes is survived by her daughter, Stella Mae Rhodes and her husband, Nick Drossopoulos of Charlotte, NC and two grandsons: Peter and Billy Drossopoulos and many family and friends in Greece. Funeral services were held 2:00 PM, Saturday, the 25th of January 2014, at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral. Burial followed in Evergreen Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral Building Fund, 600 East Blvd., Charlotte, NC Notes of encouragement and condolences may be made to the family by visiting The Rhodes family is being served by Ellington Funeral Services, The Historic Morehead St. Chapel, 727 E. Morehead St., Charlotte, NC Sophia Kostantinon Tatsis CHARLOTTE - Sophia Kostantinon Tatsis fell asleep in the Lord on January 3, 2014, surrounded by her beloved family. She was born in Xioniades, Greece on November 16, Sophia married her husband of 47 years, Anastasios Tasos Tatsis, on January 16, 1966, and they emigrated to Charlotte. She worked in the family business, Tasos Restaurant, in uptown Charlotte for many years. Mrs. Tatsis later worked at Harris-Teeter and most recently worked at Ardrey Kell High school. Sophia was a loving mother and grandmother and enjoyed spending time with her immediate and extended family. She loved flowers and every year planted beautiful red geraniums. Sophia is survived by her husband, Tasos, daughter, Anna Shinas and her husband Aristotle, son Steve Tatsis, and her granddaughter, Efthimia Mia Shinas, all of Charlotte, and her brother Takis Zografos, of Athens, Greece. The funeral service was held on Monday, January 6, 2014, at 1:00pm at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 600 East Boulevard, Charlotte. Burial took place at Evergreen City Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral Ministry Fund at 600 East Boulevard, Charlotte, NC, Online condolences may be addressed towww. carolinafuneral.com. Carolina Funeral Service & Cremation Center is entrusted with the arrangements. Get up to date news and events at:

7 The Voice of the Greek Community JAN/FEB WHAT IS REPENTANCE? Fr. Tommy D. Vlahos MAY REPENTANCE BE FOREVER! Fr. Tommy D. Vlahos All the latest news and photos are now on the web Visit today!

8 8 JAN/FEB 2014 The Voice of the Greek Community Continued from page 5 MD Anderson Cancer Center στο Χιούστον, Τέξας και με τη συμβουλή των δύο Νοσοκομείων και τών εξειδικευμένων γιατρών, ξεκίνησε τις κλινικές δοκιμές στο John Hopkins στη Βαλτιμόρη το φθινόπωρο του Την δεύτερη εβδομάδα, τον Ιανουάριο του 2014, στού John Hopkins Hospital του είπανε ότι οι κλινικές μελέτες δεν δούλευαν, ο καρκίνος είχε εξαπλωθεί ακόμη περισσότερο, και τον συμβούλεψαν να πάει στο σπίτι του και να είναι στη φροντίδα του Hospice. Όταν κατά τη διάρκεια της ασθένειας και των χημοθεραπειών του, τον ρώτησα πώς αισθανόταν πνευματικά με όλη αυτή τη δοκιμασία μου είπε : «Μπαμπά, είμαι αναπαυμένος με το να γίνει το θέλημα του Θεού, νιώθω μια χαρά. Εκείνος, γνωρίζει τι είναι καλύτερο για εμάς.» Δεν θα ημπορούσα να περιμένω τίποτε πιο δυνατό να προέρχεται από ένα χριστιανικό σαν και αυτόν. Όταν μερικοί από τους ενορίτες μας, που είχαν την καλοσύνη να με ρωτήσουν πώς ο γαμπρός σας αισθάνεται και πως εκτιμούμε αυτή την δύσκολη κατάσταση απήντησα: «Δεν έχει κανένα νόημα με την λογική μας για έναν 34χρονο σύζυγο και πατέρα τριών παιδιών να έχει αυτή θανατηφόρα ασθένεια. Αλλά ξέρω ότι αυτό που δεν έχει κανένα νόημα εδώ για μας σε αυτή τη γη και σε αυτόν τον κόσμο, θα έχει τέλειο νόημα στην επόμενη ζωή, όταν θα έχουμε την απάντηση.» Όταν τον επισκέφθηκα την τελευταία φορά στα μέσα Ιανουαρίου του τρέχοντος έτους, το συκώτι του είχε μεγαλώσει και προεξείχε εμφανώς έξω από το σώμα του. Κάναμε Ευχέλαιο. Μετά τον ρώτησα αν το συκώτι του τον ενοχλούσε από το μέγεθος η είχε πόνο. Μού είπε, «και τα δύο, και τον εμπόδιζε και είχε πολύ πόνο.» Δεν έκανε παράπονο, ούτε είπε γιατί, όχι, ούτε είπε να φύγει αυτό το κακό μακριά. Ήταν σε ειρήνη. Μέσα σε όλες αυτές τις πολύ δύσκολες συνθήκες, πήγαινε ανελλιπώς στην Εκκλησία και λάβαινε τη Θεία Κοινωνία. Περίπου δέκα μέρες πριν πεθάνει, πήγε και είδε τον πνευματικό του πατέρα για την τελευταία του Εξομολόγηση. Την τελευταία Κυριακή που πήγε στην Εκκλησία, ήταν αδύνατο γι αυτόν να περπατήσει. Ήταν σε αναπηρική καρέκλα. Με αυτό τον τρόπο πήγε να λάβει τη Θεία Κοινωνία! Με κατέπληξε ο βαθύς πόθος του να λαβαίνει τον Κύριο! Στις τελευταίες ημέρες του, ο Ιερέας πήγαινε στο σπίτι του για να του δώσει τη Θεία Κοινωνία εκεί. Ανέφερα στην κηδεία που ίσως ένας από τους λόγους που έφυγε από αυτή τη ζωή είναι αυτό που βρίσκουμε στην Αγία Γραφή ( Σοφία Σολομώντος 4:11 ) «Γρήγορα έφυγε, μήπως η κακία τού αλλάξει την σύνεσή του.» Η κόρη μου μού έλεγε πόσο πολύ αγαπούσε ο ένας τον άλλον και ότι σε όλη τη διάρκεια του έγγαμου βίου τους, δεν αντάλλαξαν ποτέ ένα πικρό λόγο! Ποτέ δεν τσακώθηκαν. Η Αγγελική έχει συγκεντρώσει την προσοχή της στα παιδιά της και στο νοικοκυριό. Ομως βιώνει στιγμές που είναι δύσκολες. Μερικές μέρες και νύχτες είναι σχεδόν αφόρητες. Πιστεύω ότι οι προσευχές σας την βοηθούν καθώς και τα παιδιά της. Καθώς η Πρεσβυτέρα μου και εγώ εκφράζομε την βαθειά μας ευγνωμοσύνη για όλα όσα έχετε κάνει για μας και την κόρη μας και τα παιδιά, θα ηθέλαμε να σας παρακαλέσομε να συνεχίσετε να τους έχετε στις προσευχές σας. Σας ευχαριστώ. Να είναι η μνήμη του να είναι αιωνία. All the latest news and photos are now on the web. Visit today! Dial Charlotte, N.C Ray M. Teague - Res: Cell Finest Seafood in the Carolinas 8517 Monroe Rd. Charlotte, NC (704) Hours: Tu-Th 11:30am-9pm Fri 11:30am-10pm Sat 3pm-10pm Sun 11:30am-8pm Now serving beer & wine Private party room available Specializing in memorial events

9 The Voice of the Greek Community JAN/FEB Έντυπη Έκδοση Κυριακάτικη Ελευθεροτυπία, Κυριακή 1 Δεκεμβρίου 2013 Πήρε την Ελλάδα μαζί της στην Αμερική Η γιαγιά από την Ευρυτανία έγινε μετανάστρια στα 95 της Υπεύθυνος: ΦΩΤ.: ΓΙΑΝΝΗΣ ΓΙΑΝΝΑΚΟΠΟΥΛΟΣΣυνέντευξη στη ΓΕΩΡΓΙΑ ΛΙΝΑΡΔΟΥ Η γιαγιά ξυπνά χαράματα. Ταΐζει, αρμέγει τα ζωντανά, μαζεύει τ αβγά από τις κότες. Παίρνει την τσάπα, σκαλίζει. Βάζει στην ποδιά τους καρπούς της γης, υψώνει το βλέμμα, λέει «δόξα τω Θεώ» και στέλνει μία καλημέρα στην Ελλάδα. Η 95χρονη Ελένη Χολέβα, από το χωριό Μουζίλο της Ευρυτανίας, ίσως να ναι η μεγαλύτερη σε ηλικία Ελληνίδα που εγκατέλειψε τον τόπο και μετανάστευσε στη Βόρεια Καρολίνα των ΗΠΑ. Οταν πριν χρόνια τα παιδιά της, ο Κώστας, ο Γιάννης, η Κατερίνα, έφυγαν για μια καλύτερη ζωή στην Αμερική, εκείνη έμεινε πίσω με το γέροντα. Του λεγε: «Να πάω κι εγώ;» Της απαντούσε: «Τον κακό σου τον καιρό, κάτσ εδώ που σαι». Του ξανάλεγε: «Μία εβδομάδα θα πααίνω στο ένα μου παιδί, μια στο άλλο και μια στο τρίτο μου παιδί». Ξανά: «Τον κακό σου τον καιρό». Εφυγε ο γέροντας απ τη ζωή και τα παιδιά την πήραν μαζί τους. «Στο Καρπενήσι δεν έχω κανέναν. Ντιπ, πάνε όλοι», λέει η γιαγιά που ήξερε μια ζωή να δουλεύει. Παιδί έπαιρνε το μουλάρι, έδενε τα δοχεία με το γάλα απ τις κατσίκες και το πούλαγε στους τουρίστες που επισκέπτονταν το χωριό. «Εδειχνα στον πατέρα μου τα λεφτά που έπαιρνα και μου λεγε: Ασ τα κι ας βρίσκονται». Πώς θα μπορούσε να ζήσει η γιαγιά κλεισμένη σ ένα σπίτι; Είδε κι απόειδε ο γιος της ο Κώστας Χολέβας και για χάρη της «μετακόμισε» το χωριό στη Βόρεια Καρολίνα. Της έφτιαξε μια στάνη τριάντα στρεμμάτων με κατσίκες, πρόβατα και κότες και την ονόμασε «Φάρμα Μουζίλο». Οπως και στην Ελλάδα, ταΐζει τις κατσίκες τραβώντας το κλωνάρι από το δέντρο Η γιαγιά λες και ξαναγεννήθηκε. «Δεν μπορώ να καθίσω, στεναχωριέμαι». Καλύτερα στο Καρπενήσι ή στην Αμερική; «Πού να βρω τέτοιο καλό στην Ελλάδα; Αν το χα αυτό το καλό που χω εδώ, θα γέραγα; Δε θα γέραγα. Εκατόν πενήντα χρόνια θα πάγαινα με το νερό και τον αέρα που χει. Εδώ είναι άλλος τόπος, άλλος κόσμος. Γλώσσα δε ξέρω να κρίνω. Κουβεντιάζω μόνον με τους Ελληνες και τα παιδιά μου». Ολες τις δουλειές με τη μαγκούρα τις κάνει. Της φωνάζει το παιδί της να ξεκουράζεται, η νύφη της το ίδιο. Αγύριστο το κεφάλι. «Αμα δε με πονάγανε τα γόνατα θα φτανα μπροστά απ αυτούς στη δουλειά, αλλά τώρα δε μπορώ, τώρα με περιποιούνται. Γεννάνε δυο φορές τα κατσίκια, αλλά δεν το θέλουν το γάλα τούτο, θέλουν το γάλα που ναι εδώ, της Αμερικής». Η γιαγιά πίνει ένα κρασάκι κερασμένο από την εγγονή της Σταυροκοπιέται, κοιτάζει στον ουρανό και λέει: «Τις κότες, να χα τις κότες που γεννάνε εδώ, θε να μουν πλούσια εκεί. Δόξα τω Θεώ και την Παναγιά, τίποτες άλλο δε θέλω». Θέλει να επιστρέψει; «Μου λέει ο γιος μου, να σε πάρω, μάνα, να πάμε. Οχι, δε θέλω. Ασε με δω που μαι. Τότε ήμουν νιότερη, πάγενα κι ερχόμουν, αλλά τώρα έχει ταλαιπωρία, γεράματα. Πέρασαν τα χρόνια, δε μπορώ. Θα βρω και το νερό, θα βρω και τον καφέ, θα με νίψουν, θα με πλύνουν, πλυμμένη είμαι, μ έχουν κάθε μέρα, αλλά τα ποδάρια μου ποιος θα τα φτιάξει στο Καρπενήσι;» Την παρακολουθώ να τραβάει το κλωνάρι από ένα δέντρο, να φωνάζει τις κατσίκες να φάνε και ακούω την Ελλάδα που χάνεται. Οχι μόνον αυτήν που σκορπά τους νέους για δουλειά, στο από δω κι από κει του πλανήτη, αλλά τη χώρα όπου παραβιάστηκε και η πλέον τρυφερή «συμμαχία» των παλιών με τους νέους. Τη χώρα όπου πια στα σχολικά βιβλία δεν υπάρχει η γιαγιά δίπλα στο τζάκι που χει κοντά το εγγόνι και αφηγείται ιστορίες. Η γιαγιά πίνει ένα κρασάκι που την τρατάρει η εγγονή της και η ψυχή της γαληνεύει. «Μου αρέσει που έχω τη γιαγιά εδώ, την αγαπώ πολύ, μαθαίνω κι εγώ απ τις δουλειές που κάνει. Παγαίνω πέρα δώθε και μιλάμε όπως στα χωριά». Η εγγονή της η Ελένη μιλά ελληνικά με αμερικανική προφορά, ανεκτίμητα μπερδεμένη με αυτήν από το χωριό Μουζίλο. Ναι, ανεκτίμητο. «Θες βοήθεια γιαγιά; Οϊ δε θέλω. Γιαγιά, να το κάνουμε μαζί. Οϊ, δεν ξέρεις πώς να το κάνεις»... Κάποτε στα χωριά τούτης της χώρας που μάλλον σε λίγο θα ναι έρημα (πολλά ήδη είναι), μια ξεχωριστή γνώση γεννήθηκε που δεν τη βρίσκεις σε κανένα σχολειό: την ξεγέννησε μαία και την έθρεψαν οι κακουχίες αλλοτινών χρόνων. Αντεξε και μεταδόθηκε από γιαγιάδες και παππούδες στα εγγόνια τους. Κάποτε, στα έρημα χωριά αυτού του τόπου, παλιές ιστορίες να διηγηθεί κανείς δε θα υπάρχει. Ούτε και γιαγιάδες να μονολογούν: «Ντιπ, πάνε όλοι...». Fellowship: Recognizing that the Church is a unified body of Christ, we value our Community being renewed and transformed, producing the fruits of the Holy Spirit: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and selfcontrol. Get up to date news and events at Visit today!

10 greek school win you r a l 20

11 nter uth l ly 013 hellenic dance festival 2014

12 12 JAN/FEB 2014 The Voice of the Greek Community GOYA-HOPE/JOY News By John Georgopoulos Winter Youth Rally 2013 Coming from a first timer s experience, Winter Youth Rally 2013 was an unforgettable experience. The experience was filled with church services, basketball games, championships, Bible Bowl competitions, dances, and memorable moments. I was one of the few GOYA members who had never been to Winter Youth Rally in the past, and I am glad I made the right decision to come the year of Many of my fellow GOYA members from church have always told me Winter Youth Rally is a blast, I had to come, it is memorable, I will meet so many new people, I will make so many new friends, and it would be a mistake not to attend- especially my senior year. I finally decided to take matters into my own hands and experience Winter Youth Rally myself. I had high expectations due to all of the great things I heard about Winter Youth Rally, and I must say, my experience definitely beat those expectations. I had the most enjoyable, enriching, and engaging time of my life. The annual Winter Youth Rally was held in Atlanta, Georgia, from December 27th to December 29 th. The first day we arrived in Atlanta at our hotel, Charlotte GOYA members were eager to set foot off the bus and enter the hotel in order to greet and mingle with their friends they have not seen in months or even years. They met these other Goyans through previous Winter Youth Rallies, St. Stephens Camp, Hellenic Dance Festival, etc. On the other hand, to me, the lobby was filled with many unfamiliar faces. At first, I was quite intimated and nervous because I did not know anybody. I was a complete stranger. Everyone was mingling with each other, playing pingpong, playing air hockey, and playing the Wii. Throughout the day, I was introduced to so many new people from different cities. Towards the end of the night, I was on the opposite end of the spectrum from where I was hours ago. I made so many new friends, exchanged many numbers, and followed many people on Instagram and Twitter. It was amazing to break my Charlotte GOYA border and meet and interact with people I share the same faith and heritage with. Not only was meeting other Goyans one of the highlights of my trip, but watching the Boys and Girls Basketball play was entertaining. All of the Charlotte teams impressed me by playing a great game with full effort and heart. Charlotte had five basketball teams playing at Winter Youth Rally, and two of them made it to the championship- the Senior Girls and the Junior Boys Division. Towards the end of both of those championship games, I nearly had no voice from the intensity of the games. I was constantly jumping up and down and cheering Charlotte on. Later those nights, Bible Bowl competitions were held and dances occurred. On Saturday night, there was an American dance. On Sunday night, there was a Greek dance. Both of these dances were bursting in energy. After the dances, Charlotte held a massive floor party. A large amount of people from other cities visited our floor to dance with us. It was great to break the tensions between cities and join together as one, dance together, and just have fun. Winter Youth Rally was the grand way to end 2013 and start To this day, I keep in touch with all of the new friends I made at Winter Youth Rally, and I am looking forward to the next event so I can see them again. Not only did I make new friends, I became closer and bonded with my current GOYA friends from Charlotte. Ever since Winter Youth Rally, my bond, connection, and love with Charlotte GOYA has grown to be so much stronger. But most importantly, my relationship, faith, and love with God have developed. With every event, occasion, and experience at Winter Youth Rally, God was always a part of it. I am blessed to have had the opportunity to attend Winter Youth Rally All of the friendships, memories, and lessons I have learned and made will follow me in my continuing journey of life, and they will forever mark my heart for many years to come. Amelia Pantazis HDF is one of the many events that our GOYA looks forward to every year and I can honestly say that this year was one of the most exciting competitions that I have ever been to. From the 10-hour bus drives, to the amazing fun everyone had at Universal, this trip was a journey we took together that I am sure we will always cherish and remember. Through our experience we were able to sing, dance, worship together and grow closer to our Greek heritage and to Christ. After a week of studying and exams, we all gathered promptly to leave for a 10-hour drive to Orlando. Most would dread such an adventure, but it turned out to be much more fun than we thought. We watched movies, listened to music, sang, and when all else failed, slept. Refreshed, we arrived about midnight and rushed to practices. Early the next morning, we began our performances. In addition to the performances, we went to the Hard Rock Cafe, attended a spiritual workshop, explored the hotel, and attended a Divine Liturgy together. Personally, I enjoyed watching our Adult group, Thrylos, perform. Their sets, as always, were incredible and they truly deserved the Diamond Award that they won. The weekend quickly came to an end with an award ceremony. During this ceremony, it was announced that next year s HDF competition will be hosted by our community in Charlotte. Get up to date news and events at Visit today! Though I can definitely say that, as hosts, Orlando did a great job, I am confident that Charlotte will be phenomenal hosts and will give our guests an experience of a lifetime. As we boarded the bus for our return in the morning, our adventure was not over. We were going to Universal Studios. We want to thank our community for treating us to a day at Universal Studios for all our hard work. The weather was perfect and the rides left us breathless. Harry Potter World was indescribable. Every little detail was perfect and the rides were out of this world. Seuss Landing was just as amazing and I really enjoyed the trolley ride that over looked the whole park. Exhausted, we began our trip back to our home. We arrived in Charlotte a little after one in the morning. Though cold and tired, we lingered in the parking lot of the church for our final goodbyes. We just did not want the weekend to end. I believe we had such an amazing time at HDF, not only because it was a break to relax and have fun, but also because we were able to spend time together as a community. I am proud to say that we represented our community well. We took an amazing group of Goyans and chaperones to give HDF a glimpse of the best Charlotte has to offer and what to expect next year. Lea Holevas Your Neighborhood Jeweler! We offer a large selection of quality jewelry at affordable prices as well as watches that include Citizen, Seiko, Bulova, Swiss Army, Skagen and more. We have full service jewelry and watch repair to care for your treasures! Brownlee Jewelers is a Charlotte tradition specializing in excellent customer service for over 70 years! For more information on what is offered at Brownlee as well as additional store locations: Michelle Pavlakos Μιλάμε Ελληνικά store manager and graduate gemologist Park Road Shopping Center 4147 Park Road Charlotte, NC Hours: M-F 10-7, Sat. 10-6

13 The Voice of the Greek Community JAN/FEB GOYA-HOPE/JOY News Continued As you all know, I recently traveled to Washington, DC for four days with my school. I must say that it was one of the best experiences of my life and something that my classmates and I will never forget. I saw and learned so much about our nation and its government! We were definitely being watched over; our bus blew a tire on the way back to Charlotte but our bus driver maintained total control and kept us safe! I was also able to participate in the Wreath Laying Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery by being one of four winners of an essay-writing contest at school. It was definitely the highlight of my trip; especially since my Godparents came to watch. Eliana Davis HDF 2014: A Weekend of Fun, Friends and Paradosi Charlie Kleto Each year the Metropolis of Atlanta holds the Hellenic Dance Festival (HDF) in a different parish, this year being Orlando. The weekend started off on Friday with opening ceremonies and live music practices. In between practices, there was plenty of time to catch up with friends from all over the Metropolis. The night died down relatively early in preparation for Saturday s competition. Saturday began early in the morning with the youngest groups in each division and the day continued with each group performing twice, except the advanced senior and adult groups. With teaching a group in the advanced senior category and dancing in the adult category, I was one of the last ones to be done with the first day of competition. Saturday moved to the Hard Rock Café, with live music provided by Dromeno, a band from Seattle. They played traditional music from all over Greece, which provided for a full night of dancing and fun with friends from all over the country. After the dance, to end the night, a small group of people joined together in the lobby of the hotel to enjoy a post Hard Rock glendi played by different musicians that were at HDF. As the night wound down, it was time to get a couple hours of sleep to prepare for another busy day of competition. Get up to date news and events at: Sunday morning started off with Divine Liturgy, breakfast, and before we knew it, it was time for Charlotte s two groups in the advanced senior category to perform. After that category finished, our adult group was up next in the adult category. We were one of the last groups to perform, and that suite was among the best of the weekend. Sunday night began with the awards ceremony, and two out of four of Charlotte s groups received recognition. The 11th grade group, Thorivos, directed by myself and Renee Fragakis received 4th place in the advanced senior category, and the adult group, Thrylos, directed by Sarantos Kaperonis and Evelyn Karras got the highest award out of all the groups at HDF. After the award ceremonies, HDF ended with a final paradosiako glendi at the hotel and it went on into the early morning. The late night glendi is always a great ending to an even greater weekend. Overall, I feel that Orlando s HDF was a very successful weekend, two of Charlotte s groups placed and friendships were made over a connection to our Greek heritage and paradosi. I always look forward to HDF weekend every year and I am excited to see what next year will hold in Charlotte. Kai tou xronou! All the latest news and photos are now on the web Visit today! Free Delivery 15% off Every 3rd of the Month on all non-prescription Items Drive Thru Durable Medical Equipment Six Month Supply Discount US Post Office 2334 South Blvd

14 14 JAN/FEB 2014 The Voice of the Greek Community Preschool By Preschool Staff Whooo s in the News at the Preschool? Happy New Year and many blessings in 2014! We hope that everyone enjoyed their Christmas holiday as we celebrated the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. It was great to have all of our children back at the preschool after the holiday break. January and February have been busy months at the preschool. We started the month with our annual Doughnuts for Dads on January 14th and 15th. All of the Dads and Papous were invited to come and have doughnuts and coffee with their children and grandchildren. In February, we kicked off the month with the opening of registration for the school year and our annual World s Finest Chocolate Candy Bar fundraiser. Each of the classes enjoyed their individual Valentine s Day parties that took place on February 12th-14th. We wrapped up the month with a teacher workday on the 20th and the beginning of the Parent/Teacher conferences for our two-, three- and four-year-old classes. Our preschoolers are continuing to bring in their spare change drive for The Owl Outreach which is the preschool s part of the KIDS CARE Courtyard Fundraising effort. This money will be applied to the handicapped ramp for the office area and Fr. C Hall. What a great way for the youth of our community to help out our senior citizens and handicapped parishioners. We are proud that the preschool has raised over $ so far. Thank you for your support and please continue to send in your spare change. For those of you who are not familiar with Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Preschool, we are a half-day program open from 9:15 am to 1:15 pm. We have classes for children ages 18 months old to 4/5-year-olds. Since we are a Greek Orthodox preschool, your child will have the unique opportunity to be exposed to the Orthodox faith and the Greek language. Preschool registration is now open for the school year. In order to guarantee a spot for your child, you will need to complete and return the registration forms along with the non-refundable $ registration fee. Registration forms are available in the preschool office or can be downloaded from the church website. We invite you to come by and take a tour of our preschool. To register your child or for more information, contact the preschool office at or htgo.org, or by calling the co-directors Cindy Balatsias at or Maria Kleto at Please enjoy reading a brief summary from our teachers to see what has been happening in each of their classes. M-F 4 s The Little Explorers Mrs. Angelina Korinis & Mrs. Athina Politis We hope that 2014 is healthy, fulfilling and exciting for everybody. Let us all go back to school January 6th with a fresh and positive attitude, ready to work and achieve our goal, which is nothing else but to prepare your children for kindergarten as well as possible, in a safe and loving environment. Learning can be fun and in our little society, our classroom, we meet our classmates, we make new friends, we socialize, we play and we learn new things every day. The more often your children are at school, the smoother their learning and their transition from Preschool to Kindergarten. Preschool and any kind of school can be fun and games, but ultimately it is a discipline and we must take it seriously for the children s benefit. In our class, we ll be reading and listening to several books pertaining to doctors, the human body, vets, polar bears, penguins, snowmen and winter animals. We ll learn about the hexagon (εξάγωνο) and we ll mix black and white to make grey. Most importantly though, we ll be doing a lot of testing on many things we have covered and are still trying to master. So, stay healthy and keep coming! Although January is one of the long months (31 days), it is going fast as February is pushing its way in! Since there is snow in our area, the kids look forward to having fun. One day, during circle time, some of them were telling me they have never seen snow before, therefore, hooray for the snow and the new experience!!!! February is the month when we learn about groundhogs and, of course, shadows. We also learn about the difference between shadow and reflection. We will be talking a lot about our five senses (πέντε αισθήσεις) and we will be checking how many we can use at the same time, which could be only one or all five. February is Dental Health month and, you guessed it; our little hygienists will be brushing, flossing, making, fixing or... ruining teeth at our Science center! We will talk about food that is or is not good for our bodies and teeth, we ll talk about some good habits that we must have, such as brushing our teeth every day, keeping our body clean, sleeping enough and exercising. Our Community Center will be transformed into a Post Office (ταχυδρομείο) as we learn about sending letters and the importance of making someone feel good by receiving a letter or a card. It may sound somewhat old-fashioned nowadays with computers and iphones, but we believe that old-fashioned is still good and still in business! Love and caring is another subject. Jesus taught us to love one another and we ll talk how much He loved children. We ll be mixing red with white and blue to make pink and purple. Math wise, we ll be working on various patterns (μοτίβα), such as AABB and we ll do some work on symmetry (συμμετρία). In other words, we will be busy, busy, busy! We are still testing the children trying to get ready for the parentteacher conferences, but at this point, we cannot promise we ll finish on time due to numerous absences. Please try to be in class (if not sick), be on time and discuss any problems or any issues with the teachers; after all, we are trying hard to make your children s transition to Kindergarten as smooth as possible. MWF 3 s The Cuddly Kittens Mrs. Athina Politis & Mrs. Anna Koufaliotis Happy New Year 2014 to All!!! We hope your holidays were full of joy, wonder, love and much needed rest. January is a busy month. Our themes are winter, cold, snow, winter animals, penguins, bears, doctors and vets. Through our winter books and our hands-on activities, we will try to give our kids a feeling of what this (brrr!!!) cold month of January has to offer. The Parent-Teacher Conferences will start in February. Evaluation of our children will take place this month because it takes some time to complete this process. Parents, please set aside HOLY TRINITY GREEK ORTHODOX PRESCHOOL FALL REGISTRATION INFORMATION some school time at home with your children. It would be so beneficial to them and would help us greatly if you could reinforce at home what we are teaching the children in class. Please practice holding scissors & markers correctly, cutting with scissors and puzzle assembly (minimum of 8 pieces) with your children at home. Also review the colors, shapes in both Greek and English, rote counting the numbers 1-15 in English and the numbers 1-10 in Greek. Thank you in advance. Your cooperation and understanding is so much appreciated. The collaboration between us would only have a positive impact in our children s progress, academic development and social growth. We are already so pleased with their progress. Our Bible verse this month is: God made us what we are Ephesians 2:10. For more details, please refer to our class calendar. And now enjoy a small, cold, winter poem I made myself a snowball Just as perfect as can be. I thought I d keep it as a pet And let it sleep with me. I gave it some pajamas And a pillow for its head. Then last night it ran away. But first it wet the bed! Gotcha!! Love one another John 4:7. That s what Jesus taught us Love each other, Love our friends, Love our families. Throughout the month of February our main theme will be love, with the highlight being our Valentine s Day class party on February 14th.That day, the kids need to bring in Valentine s cards to exchange with their friends in our class. Please also include an empty tissue box so we can put the card (decorate it if you would like). Also, we will be discussing dentists, health and nutrition, and what we need to do to take care of our bodies. Like brushing our teeth, staying clean, eating healthy foods, and getting rest and exercise. Reminder Parent-Teacher Conferences are this month. Here are few ways to say I love you: S agapo (Greek); Ti amo (Italian); Je t aime (French); Teano (Spanish) TTH 2 s The Leaping Frogs Mrs. Continued on page 15 registration forms and a non-refundable registration fee are due at the time of registration $ for the first child and $75.00 for each additional child Preschool Hours: 9:15 am 1:15 pm CLASSES AVAILABLE NUMBER OF DAYS TUITION ORTHODOX TUITION NON-ORTHODOX Toddlers (18 months) 2 Days $ $ Year Olds 2 Days $ $ Year Olds 3 Days $ $ Year Olds 5 Days $ $ For more information contact: Preschool Office: or Cindy Balatsias: or Maria Kleto: REGISTER YOUR CHILD TODAY!

15 The Voice of the Greek Community JAN/FEB Continued from page 14 Vicki Exarhos & Mrs. Vickie Koskinas Happy New Year 2014 to all! We are back in full swing after a restful Christmas break. January is a busy month for the leaping frogs. Our themes include everything having to do with winter, cold weather and snow. We will discuss the climate, arctic animals, such as penguins and polar bears and how to dress for the changing seasons. We will also focus on our bodies and how God made us special. We will learn about the five senses and how very important they all are. Our colors for this month are white and black and our shapes are the star and snowflake. We look forward to seeing those of you who can make it on January 14th for Donuts with Dad. The children really enjoy this special time! Also, as a little reminder, please continue to check your child s folder for any news, events or progress reports. February is an exciting an eventful month for the two-year-olds. Our themes include Valentine s Day, dental health, visiting the doctor, and everything Circus! We will focus on the color pink, and our shape, the heart. We will discuss friendships and being kind to one another, and celebrate Valentine s Day with a class party. We will continue our lesson with the importance of good dental hygiene, and the proper way to brush our teeth. We will discuss visiting the doctor s office for our check-ups and how important it is to stay healthy. Lastly, we will explore different aspects of the circus through our crafts and activities... We have a fun-filled and busy month ahead! MW The Toddling Turtles Mrs. Maria Beall & Mrs. Mahe Politis Happy New Year! Welcome back. We are so excited to see all of your smiling faces! In January, we settle back into our routine and discuss the winter season, our body parts and our five senses. Some fun activities regarding winter are painting with ice and painting snowflakes. We will have fun using our five senses to experiment with cookies and cool whip. Maybe we ll even get a snow day this month! Brrrr! Winter is here but in February, we will warm loved ones hearts with Valentines! A few things we will learn about are heart shapes and the colors pink, white and red. We will discuss friendships, things we love, sharing and caring. Our Valentine s party will be filled with laughter, love and, of course, sweets! Philoptochos By Viola Weber Happy New Year. We would like to remind everyone that the Philoptochos means Friend of the Poor, aiding the ones in need, caring for the sick, and helping the hurting. We want to extend our deepest gratitude to our parishioners and friends who participated in and supported our various fundraising efforts last year. Your stewardship to Philoptochos is gratefully appreciated and allows us to help many charitable organizations as well as those in need in our church community. The Vasilopita cutting was on Sunday, January 12th. The photos in this article are from this event. A tray was passed during both Divine Liturgies and all money collected went to Saint Basil s Academy. Refreshments were served by our Board afterward. The presidents/representatives of the various organizations who were to receive a piece of the Vasilopita were announced. Thank you to the ladies for baking the Vasilopita. The Philoptochos Membership Tea and meeting was held on Sunday, February 2nd. This was a time to recruit new members and explain the role that Philoptochos plays in the community and the Church. Thank you to Mr. Katsoudas and Mr. Kalevas for preparing the meal and to our committee chairs of that event: Diane Ramsey, Lucy Pappadakes, Maria Nickolopoulos, and Mena Nixon. On Saturday, February 15th, the Daughters of Penelope sponsored their Queen of Hearts Tea at the Carmel Country Club to raise money for the Levine Cancer Center. Our local Philoptochos donated $500 to this worthy cause. On February 23rd, the Clergy Education Fund Tray was passed. On March 8, a Philoptochos Area Meeting will be held at Holy Trinity in Raleigh. The Metropolis Philoptochos President, Dee Nicolaou, will preside over the meeting. Our next local meeting will be held at noon on March 18th and will include a Lenten cover-dish luncheon. The Philoptochos Retreat will be at the Diakonia Center on March 21st- 23rd. The Attic Sale will be on March 29th. The proceeds from this event will go to fund our charities. Finally, over the next several months, we will be working on making more blankets for the Philoptochos challenge. Please consider joining and offering your Stewardship today. The Metropolis deadline for Stewardships to be counted for the membership award given at the 2014 National Clergy-Laity Congress is April 30. Get up to date news and events at: All the latest news and photos are now on the web Visit today!

16 16 JAN/FEB 2014 The Voice of the Greek Community Choir News By Olga Yamalis Happy New Year! The HTC Choirs are enjoying their slowdown time following the busy Christmas season and are getting ready to kick it into high gear for the Lenten season. With Pascha being earlier this year, that time will start before we know it! On January 19 and February 23, our Romanos Baritone Choir and St. John Koukouzelis Youth Choir were both featured as they sang during 1st and 2nd Divine Liturgies, respectively. Hopefully, the congregations are enjoying the unique sound provided by each of these specialized choirs. The Youth Choir will only be singing one more time this year and that s at the Divine Liturgy on the Saturday of Lazarus, however, alumni of the Youth Choir are ALWAYS welcomed to participate in any of the adult choirs whenever they are in the Cathedral. Now it s time for the Byzantine Choir to prepare another set of hymns to chant after Liturgy, as they did before Christmas! With all these choirs, surely there is something for everyone! If you can carry a tune and have a love of singing praises to God, please consider joining one (or more) of our HTC Choirs. You may get contact information for the appropriate choir director by calling the church office. All the latest news and photos are now on the web. Visit today! Order of AHEPA Marathon Chapter No. 2 The Marathon Chapter No.2 of Charlotte is off to a great start for the 2014 calendar year. The chapter has been responsible for funding needs at both the local and national level for several years. Most recently was recognized by the Boy Scouts of Mecklenburg County as a sponsor of their programs. The chapter welcomed Supreme Vice President Philip Frangos in February, as he visited with members of the Charlotte chapter. In March, an initiation of new members was held with AHEPA District No. 3 Lt. Governor Jim Stasios in attendance. Applications for scholarships are now available to the children of chapter members. Scholarships will be awarded in mid-may and the application deadline is April 15th. Additionally, there are also scholarships available at both the district and national level. Information is available on the AHEPA website at ahepa.org. AHEPA day will be held on May 18th with a luncheon to celebrate the day and recognize students who receive the scholarships. The chapter meets on a monthly basis and continues to promote Hellenism, Education, Philanthropy, Civic Responsibility, and Family and Individual Excellence. If you have an interest in joining the Charlotte chapter of AHEPA, please contact the chapter president, George Kokalis or any of the chapter officers; Khalil Kardous, Tom Cavalaris and Mark Kontos. Disc & Sciatic Problems? Decompression Therapy...Without Surgery! Get up to date news and events at: Sports Injuries Rehab Preventative Scoliosis Care Kids Cold Laser Massage Therapy Nutrition Auto Accidents Move Well To Live Well Dr. George A. Limbanovnos 8019 Ardrey Kell Rd. Charlotte, NC Christian Maturity: In Ephesians chapter four, Saint Paul says we are to be a measure of the stature of Christ; that we should no longer be chidren, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head: Christ.

17 The Voice of the Greek Community JAN/FEB All the latest news and photos are now on the web Visit today! REMARKABLE FAMILY CARE is just around the corner. Crown Point Family Physicians is a name you can trust when it comes to your family s health. We combine leading-edge technology with personalized service to deliver remarkable care. Our board-certified physicians can care for every member of your family from newborns to seniors. Your entire family can count on us for: Newborn, infant and pediatric care Adolescent, adult and geriatric care Routine gynecological care and post-menopausal care Same-day sick appointments Treatment of minor injuries School, sports and employment physicals On-site laboratory, X-ray, ultrasound and bone density testing Cardiovascular testing echo and stress testing Make an appointment today by calling Monroe Road, Suite 155 Charlotte, NC ΑΝΟΙΞΗ 5η ΕΤΗΣΙΑ ΧΟΡΟΕΣΠΕΡΙΔΑ Το Σάββατο στις 10 Μαΐου 2014 στην Κοινοτική αίθουσα Fr C Hall της Αγίας Τριάδας, η ΑΝΟΙΞΗ θα παρουσιάσει και πάλι μία αξέχαστη Δημοτική Βραδιά. Ολοι είναι ευπρόσδεκτοι να έλθουν και να διασκεδάσουν μαζί μας με ζωντανή μουσική, χορό, μεζεδάκια, αναψυκτικά και ποτά. Οπως και στα προηγούμενα χρόνια, έτσι και εφέτος θα έχουμε την ευκαρία να διασκεδάσουμε με το συγκρότημα ΕΝΤΑΣΗ που αποτελείται από τους εξαιρετικούς μουσικούς Γιάννη Θεμελή, Νίκο Σοφό, Δημήτρη Παπαδημητρίου, και στο κλαρίνο ο Δημήτριος Δάλλας. Θα απολαύσουμε παραδοσιακή μουσική από την Στερεά Ελλάδα, Πελοπόννησο, Νησιά, Κρήτη, Ήπειρο, Μακεδονία, και Θράκη. Είσοδος $15 το άτομο και παιδιά κάτω των 12 ετών $5 Αναψυκτικά και ποτά Cash Bar Σας περιμένουμε όλους για ένα όμοφρο γλέντι. Service: As believers we like to fulfill our commitment to serve others within and outside our Community. We do this by sharing our time, talent and treasures for the ministry and the glory of the Lord. On Saturday, May 10th, the 5th Annual ANOIXI Demotiki Vradia Dance will be held in the Fr. C Hall here at Holy Trinity Cathedral. For those that have not attended the ANOIXI Dance in the past, this year is a great opportunity to come out and enjoy a night full of dancing, food, parea, and LIVE MUSIC! We will enjoy music by ENDASI who consists of: Dimitrios Dallas, Yianni Themelis, Nikos Sofos, and Dimitri Papadimitriou. They will be playing music from throughout Greece including Sterea Ellada, Peloponnesos, the islands, Epirus, Kriti, Makedonia, and Thraki, using none other than LIVE KLARINO! In addition to lots of dancing and great music, hors d oeuvres will be provided alongside a cash bar. This dance is open to everyone in the Holy Trinity community and we encourage ALL AGES to attend. Tickets are only $15 and kids 12 and under are $5. We hope to see everyone on the night of May 10th as it will be a night to remember! Jaime Wise, MD Jeffrey Hutchings, MD Marshall McMillan, MD M. Mark Hester, MD John Crawford, MD Dimitrios Hondros, MD Kate Lowe, MSN, RN, FNP Authentic Greek Restaurant Located in Southend 200 East Bland St. Charlotte, NC Lunch: Sun - Fri 11:00am - 2:30pm Dinner: Mon - Thur 5:00pm - 10:00pm Dinner: Fri & Sat 5:00pm - 11:00pm Available for Private Parties on Sundays Call for Reservations

18 18 JAN/FEB 2014 The Voice of the Greek Community ΠΑΡΟΥΣΙΑ ΤΩΝ ΕΥΕΡΓΕΤΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΠΛΗΘΟΥΣ ΚΟΣΜΟΥ ΕΓΙΝΑΝ ΤΑ ΕΓΚΑΙΝΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΥΠΕΡΣΥΓΧΡΟΝΟΥ ΚΤΙΡΙΟΥ ΔΕΥΤΕΡΟΒΑΘΜΙΑΣ ΕΚΠΑΙΔΕΥΣΗΣ ΤΟΥ ΕΛΛΗΝΟΑΜΕΡΙΚΑΝΙΚΟΥ ΣΧΟΛΕΙΟΥ «ΑΚΑΔΗΜΙΑ ΣΩΚΡΑΤΟΥΣ» ==Συνέχεια από το προηγούμενο τεύχος== Ξεχωριστή τιμή στην εκδήλωση αποτέλεσε η παρουσία ευεργετών και πολλών υποστηρικτών της Ακαδημίας, όπως του ζεύγους Θεοδώρου και Ερρικας Σπυροπούλου από το Σικάγο, των αδελφών Γεωργίου και Παναγιώτη Κουτσόγεωργα, του προέδρου του τοπικού Τμήματος της AHEPA Marathon Chapter 2, κ Γεωργίου Κόκαλη και του προέδρου του Ιδρύματός του, κ. Δημητρίου Καβαλάρη, της πρυτάνεως του Κολεγίου Εκπαίδευσης του Πανεπιστημίου της Β. Καρολίνας, κ. Μαίρης Λυν Καλχούν, του προϊσταμένου του Καθεδρικού Ναού Αγίας Τριάδος, π. Μιχαήλ Βαρβαρέλη, και πολλών άλλων αντιπροσώπων τοπικών οργανισμών και συλλόγων όπως της Ένωσης Ευρυτάνων Αμερικής «Το Βελούχι» και του Πανγκριγκόριαν. Ο Ιωάννης Κουτσόγεωργας (συνιδρυτής της Ακαδημίας) και ο Πρόεδρος του Ιδρύματος του Τμήματος της ΑΗΕΠΑ στο Σάρλοτ με τις θυγατέρες τους. Με ιδιαίτερη χαρά έγινε αποδεκτό το ζεύγος Σπυροπούλου τόσο κατά την επίσκεψή του στην Ακαδημία όσο και στην ελληνική κοινότητα του Καθεδρικού Ναού Αγίας Τριάδος. Στον Καθεδρικό Ναό, την Κυριακή το πρωί της 24ης Νοεμβρίου, το ζεύγος Σπυροπούλου αναγνωρίσθηκε από τον π. Μιχαήλ και δόθηκε η ευκαιρία στον κ. Σπυρόπουλο ν απευθύνει χαιρετισμό στο πολυπληθές εκκλησίασμα. Στη συνέχεια, το ζεύγος, προσκλήθηκε στο γεύμα στη μεγάλη αίθουσα της κοινότητας, όπου με εγκαρδιότητα έγινε δεκτό από πολλούς ομογενείς της Σάρλοτ και είχαν την ευκαιρία να συναντηθούν με γνωστούς, να συνάψουν νέες φιλίες με ανθρώπους που αγαπούν και προάγουν ελληνόγλωσση παιδεία και ελληνικό πολιτισμό. Οι κ.κ. Δημ. Τάσιος, Αθαν. Νικόπουλος, Θεόδ. Σπυρόπουλος και Νίκος Αποστολόπουλος Ο εκ των ιδρυτών και πρόεδρος του Δ.Σ. της Ακαδημίας Ελευθέριος Περούλας διατηρεί εξαιρετική συνεργασία, επί μακρά σειρά ετών, με τον κ. Θεόδωρο Σπυρόπουλο. Η Ακαδημία και οι μαθητές της είναι ευγνώμονες στον κ. Σπυρόπουλο διότι από την πρώτη μέρα της ίδρυσης του σχολείου βρίσκεται στο πλευρό τους, παρέχοντας ενθάρρυνση και οικονομική βοήθεια. Το περασμένο καλοκαίρι, 20 μαθητές, εκπαιδευτικοί και γονείς επισκέφθηκαν την Ελλάδα για τρεις εβδομάδες και όλα τα έξοδά τους καλύφθηκαν από τον κ. Σπυρόπουλο. Οι μαθητές επισκέφθηκαν πρώτα την Ακρόπολη και στη συνέχεια πήγαν στην Πελοπόννησο απ όπου, με άλλα παιδιά από τη Γαλλία και άλλες χώρες, είχαν την ευκαιρία να επισκεφθούν αρχαίους τόπους και μνημεία, να κάνουν μπάνια, να διασκεδάσουν μαζί, να βελτιώσουν τα Ελληνικά τους, να μάθουν ελληνικούς χορούς και να επιστρέψουν γεμάτα από αγάπη για την Ελλάδα. Η υποδοχή και φιλοξενία των μαθητών εκ μέρους της πολυβραβευμένης για το φιλανθρωπικό της έργο στην ευρύτερη περιοχή της Πελοποννήσου κ. Μαρίας Μασσαρά και του άοκνου συνεργάτη της με μεγάλη προσφορά στον Ελληνικό Προσκοπισμό, χημικού μηχανικού, καθηγητή του Πανεπιστημίου Πατρών Βίκτωρος Στιβανάκη ξεπέρασε κάθε προσδοκία της Ακαδημίας. Επίσης, στην επιτυχία αυτή τεράστια ήταν και η συμβολή του Παγκαλαβρυτινού Πολιτιστικού Συλλόγου με τα εξαιρετικά χορευτικά του. Θερμότατα συγχαρητήρια για την άψογη οργάνωση και τον συντονισμό του ταξιδιού αυτού εκφράζονται στην γονέα του σχολείου κ. Αφροδίτη Ντέιβις. Οι εντυπώσεις, η αγάπη και οι αναμνήσεις των μαθητών από την επίσκεψή τους στην Ελλάδα θα είναι για πάντα στην καρδιά τους. Του χρόνου προγραμματίζονται νέες επισκέψεις.» Η ευρύτερη ελληνοαμερικανική κοινότητα του Σάρλοτ έχει αγκαλιάσει από την ίδρυσή της την Ακαδημία και είναι πολύ υπερήφανη για την εξαιρετική επιτυχία που σημειώνει αλλά και το αξιέπαινο έργο που επιτελεί στη διδασκαλία της ελληνικής γλώσσας και την προαγωγή του ελληνικού πολιτισμού σε παιδιά όλου του κόσμου. Γι αυτό, κατά τη διάρκεια του επίσημου δείπνου τιμήθηκαν εκ μέρους της Ακαδημίας οι ευεργέτες της, οι οποίοι συνέβαλαν στην επιτυχία της, τόσο από οικονομικής πλευράς, όσο και ακαδημαϊκά στη δημιουργία ποιοτικών εκπαιδευτικών προγραμμάτων και στην εν γένει επέκτασή της, προσφέροντας άλλοι πάνω από , άλλοι από και άλλοι πάνω από Ομάδες μαθητών κάλεσαν τους τιμώμενους στη σκηνή και αναφέρθηκαν στο έργο και τη συμβολή τους στην επιτυχία της Ακαδημίας. Ο πρόεδρος της Ακαδημίας Ελευθ. Περούλας λίγο πριν την επιβράβευση των τιμηθέντων και απευθυνόμενος στους προσκεκλημένους είπε τα εξής: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Socrates Academy and thank you for honoring with your presence our Ribbon Cutting ceremony of our new building. A lot of things have to go right for a school to be as successful as Socrates Academy has been so far; - students, who love to come to school, ready and eager to learn; dynamic Leadership Team that inspires excellence to all; outstanding teachers who teach an exciting and unique Greek-American curriculum, as well as dedicated and hard working volunteer Board of Directors and Foundation Board of Trustees who provide effective management and fiscal stewardship. However, strong parental involvement, academic national and international partnerships and financial support are also very valuable components of our students academic excellence. The individuals we are honoring tonight are a beacon of partnership, collaboration, and achievement of common goals. They have given from their heart and we continue to work to make them feel proud of the work that we do, the students that we serve, and the community that we are building. We believe that your investment in our scholars quality education is the most productive investment ever. Hope you will never be disappointed you did and you will continue to do so. George & Pete Couchell: Recognized in appreciation of their significant financial contributions, strong commitment and great interest in Socrates scholars continued academic excellence and the fulfillment of the school s mission. AHEPA Marathon Chapter #2 Foundation: Recognized in appreciation of their outstanding donation to fully equip the state-of-the-art Greek Language Lab and for the support of the scholars Hellenic-American academic excellence and the fulfillment of Socrates Academy s mission. Mr. Theodore & Mrs. Erika Spyropoulos: Recognized in appreciation of your outstanding financial support, and the incredible trip of our scholars to Greece, an amazing experience of a lifetime with lasting memories and lifelong friendships. Dr. Mary Lynne Calhoun: Recognized in appreciation of her exemplary academic leadership, her dedicated service to Socrates scholars, staff and the Board as Founding Board Member and Advisory Board Chair. Continued on page 19

19 The Voice of the Greek Community JAN/FEB Continued from page 18 (From left): Dr. Paul & Mrs. Lea Tsahakis: Recognized in appreciation of their generous financial contribution and continued interest towards the fulfillment of Socrates Academy s mission. Mr. John & Mrs. Tina Peroulas (receiving the plaque on behalf of their son and daughter Dean and Stacy): Recognized in appreciation of their generous financial contribution that made a dream playground a reality much to Socrates scholars daily delight and enjoyment. Mr. Tom & and Mrs. Laura Nixon: in appreciation of their generous financial gifts and continued sponsorship of Socrates Multilingual Choir. ΣΥΓΧΑΡΗΤΗΡΙΑ ΣΤΟΥΣ ΕΠΙΤΥΧΟΝΤΕΣ ΣΤΙΣ ΕΞΕΤΑΣΕΙΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΟΜΑΘΕΙΑΣ 2013 Η ΕΠΙΤΥΧΙΑ ΤΟΥΣ ΞΕΠΕΡΑΣΕ ΚΑΘΕ ΠΡΟΣΔΟΚΙΑ ΜΑΣ ΑΠΟ ΤΟΥΣ 35 ΣΥΜΜΕΤΕΧΟΝΤΕΣ ΠΕΤΥΧΑΝ ΟΙ 30 ΤΟΥΣ ΕΥΧΟΜΑΣΤΕ. ΚΑΙ ΣΕ ΑΝΩΤΕΡΑ! AGARWAL RISHAB * APOSTOLOU NIKI- NICOLE * ATHENS CHRISTINA * ATHENS GEORGIA * AVRAM BIANCA * CHOATE ALYSSA ELAINE * CHRISTENBURY MARIA * CHRISTODOULIAS ANGELINA * COLLINS LUCAS * DAVIS ELIANA MARIA * DEAN ISABELLE * DIAMANTIS JONATHAN * EVANS REYNA * GEORGOULIAS DESPINA * HUNT DIMITRIOS * INGRAM MARY-OLIVIA * ISLAM LEVI JAMES * IVANOV SARGIS MAIS * KAKAVITSAS ELENA * KANELOS MELINA ANNA * KENDRICK LIANA * LEICHT EKATERINA * LIMBERAKIS AMELIA * MABON JACKSON * NIXON MARIANNA * PALAMARIS OLYMBIA * PATTON MYLON * SKENTERIS MERSINI SIDNEY * VICKERS KAITLYN * WEBER KATHRYN MARIE Κοσμοσυρροή στη Μαθητική Γιορτή των Τριών Ιεραρχών και των Ελληνικών Γραμμάτων Την Κυριακή 26 Ιανουαρίου, μαθητές, γονείς, φίλοι και επίσημοι προσκεκλημένοι του Ελληνικού Απογευματινού Σχολείου και του Κατηχητικού Σχολείου του Καθεδρικού Ναού Αγίας Τριάδος πλημμύρισαν με την παρουσία τους το κοινοτικό μας κέντρο για να τιμήσουν, όπως κάνουν κάθε χρόνο, την μνήμη των Τριών Ιεραρχών, να γιορτάσουν τα Ελληνικά Γράμματα, να συγχαρούν τους επιτυχόντες στις Εξετάσεις Ελληνομάθειας 2013 και να επιδώσουν τα ελληνοαγγλικά λεξικά στους μαθητές της Δευτέρας τάξης του Ελληνικού Σχολείου. Αμέσως μετά το θαυμάσιο γεύμα, έγινε η έναρξη των εκδηλώσεων με προσευχή, και στη συνέχεια όλοι μαζί ψάλαμε το απολυτίκιο των Τριών Ιεραρχών. Ακολούθησε ενός λεπτού σιγής στη μνήμη του αείμνηστου και μεγάλου ευεργέτη του Ελληνικού μας Σχολείου Νικολάου Γουδέ. Διπλή ήταν η λύπη του προϊσταμένου μας π. Μιχαήλ που δεν μπόρεσε να παραβρεθεί στη γιορτή γιατί έπρεπε να φύγει εκτάκτως για την Πανσιλβάνια, όπου όλη η οικογένειά του θρηνούσε τον πρόορο χαμό του αγαπημένου τους γαμβρού. Όμως, έδωσε εντολή να τον εκπροσωπήσει ο π. Γρηγόριος. Τη διπλή αυτή τρανή γιορτή τίμησαν επίσης με την παρουσία τους και απηύθηναν χαιρετισμούς ο νέος πρόεδρος του Κοινοτικού Συμβουλίου του Καθεδρικού μας Ναού κ. Ιωάννης Τσούμας, η διευθύντρια και υποδιευθύντρια του σχολείου τσάρτερ «Ακαδημίας Σωκράτη» κυρίες Κρίστεν Πριγκάνς και Αθανασία Σμιθ. Σύντομους χαιρετισμούς απηύθυναν και η εκπρόσωπος του Συλλόγου Γονέων και Διδασκάλων του σχολείου κυρία Κάθι Πίττμαν και ο διευθυντής του Ελληνικού Σχολείου και του Εξεταστικού Κέντρου Ελληνομάθειας Ελευθ. Περούλας, ο οποίος έκανε και την όλη παρουσίαση του προγράμματος, ευχόμενος στους μαθητές η ακτινοβολία των λόγων και των αρετών των Τριών Ιεραρχών να φωτίζουν την ψυχή τους και να καθοδηγούν τις σκέψεις και τις πράξεις τους. Στη συνέχεια, οι μαθητές της 5ης και 6ης τάξης χόρεψαν θαυμάσιους παραδοσιακούς χορούς, μαθητές του Κατηχητικού Σχολείου διάβασαν αποσπάσματα από τα αξεπέραστα συγγράμματα των Τριών Μεγάλων Πατέρων και Οικουμενικών Διδασκάλων, επιτυχόντες μαθητές στις εξετάσεις ελληνομάθειας απάγγειλαν στροφές από το αθάνατο ποίημα του εθνικού μας ποιητή Διονυσίου Σολωμού «Ύμνος εις την Ελευθερίαν» και οι μαθητές της 2ας τάξης παρέλαβαν τα ελληνοαμερικανικά λεξικά που η κοινότητα τους δωρίζει κάθε χρόνο. Κάτω από τα παρατεταμένα χειροκροτήματα όλων, ακολούθησε η απονομή των Πιστοποιητικών Ελληνομάθειας στους 30 επιτυχόντες μαθητές στις περσινές εξετάσεις πιστοποίησης ελληνομάθειας του Κέντρου Ελληνικής Γλώσσας του Ελληνικού Υπουργείου Παιδείας, Δια Βίου Μάθησης και Θρησκευμάτων. Ο κ. Περούλας δεν παρέλειψε να ευχαριστήσει θερμά, ως ελάχιστο δείγμα αναγνώρισης, το γιό του Κώστα που έκανε προσφορά το γεύμα και τους πάντα πρόθυμους μαγείρους με επικεφαλής το κ. Σπύρο Καλύβα, οι οποίοι διέθεσαν τον πολύτιμο χρόνο και το ταλέντο τους για να μαγειρέψουν τα νοστιμότατα φαγητά. Επίσης τον διευθυντή Νεολαίας κ. Ιωάννη Γεωργόπουλο, τον κ. Ευάγγελο Τάτση, τις άοκνες κυρίες του Συλλόγου Γονέων και Διδασκάλων και τις δασκάλες του σχολείου για τις απαραίτητες προετοιμασίες στην αίθουσα των εκδηλώσεων καθώς και για την αγάπη τους και ενθάρρυνση των μαθητών μας. Στιγμιότυπο από την απονομή των Πιστοποιητικών Ελληνομάθειας στους επιτυχόντες μαθητές της Ακαδημίας Σωκράτη, η οποία έλαβε χώρα κατά τη διάρκεια της γιορτής των Ελληνικών Γραμμάτων στις 30 Ιανουαρίου ΑΙΕΝ ΑΡΙΣΤΕΥΕΙN Perpetuation of our Hellenic Heritage and Culture. In appreciation of the language in which all the books of the New Testament have been written, the language in which the Theology, Dogmas, and Canons of our Christian Church have been expressed, the language of our immigrant parents and grandparents we proudly are committed to perpetuate and promote through the Greek School, lectures, celebrations, and other appropriate ways.

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