CHELMSFORD, MA – The Pan-Laconian Federation of USA and Canada held its 70th Annual Convention at Radisson Hotel in Chelmsford, MA on June 9, hosted by the local society Leonidas and Sparta of Lowell, whose president is George Zaharoolis.
That morning, the issue of Laconian museum at the Center of Hellenic Studies “Paideia” at the state University of Connecticut was discussed. The Federation held elections for a new board, comprised of Theodoros Pavlakos, President Fotios Kokkotos Vice President for USA, Ekaterini Iatropoulos, Vice President for Canada, John Goranitis, Treasurer, and Anna Plagianis, Secretary.
The Federation announced eleven scholarships to the following students:
Melina Manos, Katerina Dorian, Christos Roulidis, Evan Tassis, Maria Arianas, Goulielmos Glannoulis, Panagiota Parkakas, Theano Goranitis, Spyridoula Zolatos, Katerine Spetseris, and Alexis Leonard.
Prominent Greek-American businessman and philanthropist George Behrakis was the keynote speaker at the banquet. He spoke emotionally of his Greek immigrant parents. He said “many of you know I grew up in Lowell, in the Greek section called the Acre. Son of immigrant parents, my father Drakoulis Behrakis was born in Triantaphylia, Mani and my mother Stavroula Zaroulis was born in Oitylio, also Mani near the gulf of Messinia.
“One thing our parents did was to instill in our minds the importance of education. Fortunately we all received an education. We were taught to work, love and respect our neighbors. At the time of my era Lowell Greeks lived where they came from in Greece. We were taught that regardless where we came from Laconia, Acadia, Macedonia, Thessaly, Crete, the Islands we were all Greeks and we must work together for our Greek community, our Greek Orthodox Church and our families. We must never forget our heritage our religion one of the oldest, our customs, and our Greek language.”
Behrakis urged the parents to educate their children about Hellenism. He said “we must educate teach our children grandchildren about the glories of Greece. What other country have what Greece had? Brilliant minds, historians, philosophers, scientists, politicians who created democracy, the arts. Classical Greek art was influential in shaping Roma and later Byzantine art. Our children should have knowledge of our Greek heritage and its contribution to the world.”
Greek-American Lowell Mayor William Samaras and City Councilor Rita Mercier presented Behrakis with a key to the city of Lowell. Also Mayor Samaras presented Behrakis’ wife, Margo, with a citation for her philanthropic work. Samaras pointed out that “behind every successful man is a very successful woman.”
The Foundation of the Pan-Laconian presented Behrakis with a small statue of Leonidas of Sparta.
Federation of the Hellenic American Societies of New England President Vasilios Kafkas praised the work of the Pan-Laconian Federations and its local chapter of Lowell.
The dance group of the Metropolis of Boston presented Greek dances from various parts of Greece under the direction of Dr. John Pappas.
Former Massachusetts State Senator Steve Panagiotakos served as Emcee.
Read more at thenationalherald.com
RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
