MINEOLA, NY – Nassau County honors 203 years of Greek Independence with a free event Thursday, March 28, beginning with the flag-raising ceremony at 11 AM by the AHEPA Family Chapters of Long Island and a reception at 6 PM, celebrating Hellenic-American Heritage Day/Night at the Nassau County Executive Building, 1550 Franklin Avenue in Mineola, with County Executive Bruce Blakeman.

AHEPA District 6 Governor Petros Ragoussis, Daughters of Penelope District 6 Governor Lainie Damaskos-Christou, and Sons of Pericles Supreme Governor George Kalyvas are scheduled to attend. The American and Greek National Anthems will be sung by Maids of Athena District 6 Governor Christina Fileas.

The celebration continues in the evening at 6 PM inside the Nassau County legislative building with the Greek Orthodox Churches of Nassau County honoring one individual from each of the parishes for their service. The Keynote speaker will be Dr. Maria Athanasopoulou, Professor of Greek Studies at Queens College. Clergy from the Nassau County churches are also scheduled to attend and give the invocation at the event.

The 2024 honorees are Nikolas Malafis of St. Markella, Wantagh; Dr. Demetria Papadopoulos of Panaghia, Island Park; Andreas and Georgia Pavlou of St. Demetrios, Merrick; Mary Vlogianitis of St. Paul Cathedral, Hempstead; Chris Neocleous of Archangel Michael Church, Port Washington; Anne Pourakis Alexandrou of Holy Resurrection Church, Brookville; and Zacharias Spanos of Holy Trinity, Hicksville.

The reception takes place in the Legislative Chambers of the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building, 1550 Franklin Avenue in Mineola.