WHITESTONE, NY – Members of the Andreas T. Stamboulidis Parthenon AHEPA Chapter 495 presented a check for $5000 to AHEPA Supreme President Savas Tsivicos for the AHEPA Disaster Relief Fund, following the Divine Liturgy at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church in Whitestone, NY on March 17.

The Chapter had hosted a fundraiser on November 4, 2023 for the victims of the fires and floods in Greece and AHEPA Past Supreme Governor Ted Stamas presented the check to Supreme President Tsivicos who thanked the chapter and Fr. Nicolaos Paros, presiding priest of the Holy Cross community.

“The two pillars of our community are the Church and this great organization we call AHEPA, both of them founded at the same time, back in 1922 when our community, our ancestors were really persecuted… we have come a long way, but we shouldn’t forget our past and we shouldn’t forget that we are here to help others,” said Tsivicos, noting the response of AHEPA to the terrible wildfires in Greece and the flooding in Thessaly, “so far we have sent over well over half a million dollars, we have restored schools, we have restored senior centers, we have bought furniture, we have had brothers there from day one, providing food and water and supplies to the local hospitals that were affected by the disasters.”

“I thank you very much for your donation and Father, you should know and you already mentioned it, you can always count on AHEPA… the brothers here are doing a wonderful job,” Tsivios said, noting the efforts of Chapter President Dimitris Skartsiaris and the members and adding that the donation will be sent along with other donations to help restore a few more schools that need furniture.

“We are here to help those brothers and sisters in need,” Tsivicos said. “At this time we are repairing the Intensive Care Unit at AHEPA University Hospital in Thessaloniki with 300,000+ euros, we are establishing a burn unit at Evangelismos Hospital in Athens 200,000 euros, and we have bought two incubators for the hospital in Corfu (Kerkyra). Every time you make a donation to AHEPA, I want you to know that it goes a long way and it really makes a difference.”

Among those present were AHEPA New York State District 6 Governor Peter Ragoussis and Past District 6 Governor Dean Moskos as well as Holy Cross Parish Council President and Ahepan brother Nick Livaditis.

The chapter also sponsored the coffee hour in the community’s hall.