OTTAWA, ONTARIO – Following the Divine Liturgy on April 9, the Ottawa Daughters of Penelope (DOP) Euphrosyne Chapter #292 hosted its annual Palm Sunday Lunch (PSL) for the Hellenic Community of Ottawa (HCO) at the Hellenic Event Center. The chapter’s signature annual fundraiser for the HCO and guests benefitting the scholarship fund was celebrated with the auspicious return to a formal, sit-down luncheon after a three-year online order and curbside pick-up only format due to the pandemic.

The successful sold-out PSL hosted 275 guests including His Eminence Archbishop Sotirios (Athanassoulas), Rev. Fr. Alex Michalopulos, Fr. Avacum Bucalae, Ambassador of Greece to Canada Konstantina Athanassiadou, High Commissioner of the Republic Cyprus to Canada Georgios Ioannides, HCO President Tony Vanikiotis, DOP Grand Governor Zone V Sister Nicki Douklias, and AHEPA Ottawa President Bill Sioulas.

Three $1,000 scholarships were awarded to current university students Alexia Pantieras, Ariana Kokkinakis, and Marysa Naufal. Canadian Order of AHEPA Challenge Coins were also awarded with the scholarships.

Guests enjoyed the PSL menu which featured filet of sole and pasta meals prepared by John Karadakis and John Vranas, Gisele Reklitis’ famous halva dessert and bar service at tables covered with spring-colored tablecloths. Also featured were 26 fantastic raffle prizes, including paintings by Katerina Mertikas and by Chrysoula Mouroukas, Easter baked goods and lambades for sale by the Greek Ladies Philoptochos Society of Ottawa and the popular Celebrating Pascha pamphlet.

Special this year was Soti Grafanaki and her Rogers TV team recording the event for the Hellenic Kaleidoscope program to showcase PSL and DOP. The program is uploaded and will also air again live this Saturday, April 29, 9:30 AM (Rogers channel 22) or live online at rogerstv.com.

The link for the April show is https://bit.ly/3LoNqHw.

Organizers of the PSL were co-chairs Cathy Makris and Irene Aimoniotis and the PSL committee members Jenny Papadopoulos, Cathy Pantieras, Sophia Mitsopoulos, Maggy Mitilineos, Georgina Vranas, Victoria Asikis, Martha Charinos, and Olga Loly.

The chapter was happy to celebrate this special day with the HCO families and said, via e-mail “Χριστός Ανέστη! We greatly appreciate all the guests, sponsors, donors, co-chairs, MCs, committee members and volunteers for their generous support for our signature annual event for the HCO and scholarship program for our youth. Looking forward to seeing everyone again next year.”