CHICAGO – The delegates of the Supreme Convention of the Daughters of Penelope (DOP) elected Celia Kachmarski, Grand President for the 2019-2020 administrative year. Elections were held July 5, at the 97th Annual AHEPA Supreme Convention, Chicago.

Grand President Celia Kachmarski, a 51-year Member of the Order, is a Calgary native and the first Canadian elected to lead the organization.

Membership: Initiated into Telemachus Chapter #69, Saskatoon, Sask. Transferred to Erato Chapter #295, Calgary, Alberta

Chapter Offices: Chapter President, 3 years Chapter VP, 3 years

Chapter Secretary, 10 years Chapter Marshall, 3 year

Committees Chaired: Entertainment, Convention, AHEPA Ball, Education, Bazaar, Chapter 50th Anniversary Celebration, and Penelope of the Year

District Offices:

District Governor, 4 years
Lt. Governor, 2 years
District Secretary-Treasurer, 10 years District Marshall, 2 year
District Advisor, Maids of Athena, 3 years District Advisor to the DOP, 4 years

Convention Offices: Convention Chairman 12 years, Vice-Chairman, Secretary

Committees Chaired: Scholarship, Budget, Penelope of the Year, Maids of Athena, and Legislation

Grand Lodge:

Grand Vice-President Canada 1984-88, 1993-94 Grand Governor Zone V 2016-17
Grand Secretary 2017-18
Grand Vice President 2018-19

Maids of Athena Advisory Board, 5 years

Supreme Convention: Convention Secretary 2014 Convention Vice-Chair 2015

Convention Chairman 2016 National Penelope of the Year 2016

Committees: Chairman of Canadian Affairs, Grievance, Penelope of the Year and Projects (2 years), Member of Legislation, Budget and Finance, Maids of Athena, Credentials, and Scholarship

DOP Foundation Inc. President (4 years) and Secretary (5 years)

AHEPA Family Charitable Foundation of Canada Secretary (13 years)

Other: Folk Arts Council
Puppets for Peace Board of Directors
Elections Committee, Hellenic Community of Calgary

Family: Married to Ron Kachmarski
One son, Sean, married and living in England with his family

2019-2020 Daughters of Penelope Grand Lodge

In addition to Grand President Kachmarski, the following individuals were elected to the Daughters of Penelope Grand Lodge:

Grand Vice President Kathy Bizoukas of Munster, IN;
Grand Secretary Georgette Boulegeris of Bedminster, NJ;
Grand Treasurer Marianthi Treppiedi of Spokane, WA;
Grand Governor Zone I Kathy Matrakas of Silver Spring, MD;

Grand Governor Zone II Charrie Regopoulos of Springsboro, OH;

Grand Governor Zone III Gretchen Holtsinger of Houston, TX ;

Grand Governor Zone IV Beverly Rose Kennedy of Modesto, CA;

Grand Governor Zone V Margaret Dritsas of Ottawa, Canada;

and Grand Advisor to the Maids of Athena Kathy Leles of Tracy, CA.

Congratulations also to AHEPA Supreme President George Horiates, Sons of Pericles Supreme President Paul Pavlakos, and Maids of Athena Grand President Theodora Ronstadt.

AHEPA Family Supreme Convention 2020

The 2020 Supreme Convention will convene the week of July 20 at Disney’s Coronado Springs Hotel in Orlando, FL.

Founded in San Francisco in 1929, the Daughters of Penelope is the first women’s organization of its kind established in the United States. It is an affiliate organization of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA).

The mission of the DOP is to promote the ancient Greek ideals of Hellenism, Education, Philanthropy, Civic Responsibility, and Family and Individual Excellence.

For more information about the DOP, or any of its programs or projects, please visit www.daughtersofpenelope.org.