KPHTH Magazine Oct. 2014

KPHTHOFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE PANCRETAN ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAOctober 2014 www.PANCRETAN.org From Samaria Gorge to Psiloritis Mountain Cretans Make a Stand for a CauseΑπό το φαράγγι της Σαμαριάς στόν ΨηλορείτηΟι Κρητικοί δειχνουν το παρόν σε κάθε ανάγκη KPHTH | WWW.PANCRETAN.ORG 1

2014 Holiday Journal Dedicated to the New Cretan Renaissance in America KPHTH OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE PANCRETAN ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA To place an ad, contact your respective District Governor, email [email protected], or visit KPHTH.org. INSTRUCTIONS: For special pricing, ads must be in no later than October 31, 2014. To place an ad, no later than November 30, 2014, kindly email this form to [email protected], contact your respective District Governors, or visit KPHTH.org Holiday Journal Edition Chair Katherine Katsounakis (413) 822-1570 District 1: Kostas Pitaridis (413) 433-4444 • District 2: Maria Stratoudakis (718) 357-6616 District 3: Maria Vamvakis (330) 750-1706 • District 4: Mike Manoukarakis (847) 758-1207 District 5: George Liodakis (801) 597-6204 • District 6: Roxanne Koston (650) 368-7891 District 7: James Boutzoukas (727) 786-8879 • 2ND Vice President Stavros Antonakakis (609) 929-6000SPONSOR’S INFORMATION Chapter Name:First Name: Last Name:Address:City: State: Zip:Telephone: Fax:Email: Check Number: Please type or print your message and submit a photo. Photos should be at least 4”x6”, at least 300 dpi and in JPEG format. Email photos along with sponsor’s information to [email protected]. We prefer information be sent via email. When not possible, photos, forms and checks may be mailed to Katherine Katsounakis at the address below.The Pancretan Association of America, Inc. (PAA) is a 501(c)8 non-profit fraternal organization Your donation to the 2014 PAA KPHTH Holiday issue supports the continual mission and programsof the organization. Your donation may be tax-deductible to the extent allowed by the IRS. Seek the guidance of your accountant or a professional financial advisor regarding tax questions.HOLIDAY EDITION DONATION PLEASE SELECT ONE PAYMENT INFORMATIONPlease select one of the following and OF THE FOLLOWING: Make Check Payable To:note payment information and instructions [ ] PAA Board or Chapteralong the bottom of the page. PANCRETAN ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA [ ] Individual or Family Mail check and/or form to:[ ] $300 Full Page* [ ] Business or Professional Katherine Katsounakis[ ] $200 ½ Page 155 Old Lyman Road[ ] $150 ¼ Page Chicopee, MA 01020[ ] $1500 Outside Cover[ ] $1000 Inside Cover *$250 if paid in full by Oct. 31; $300 if payment is received after Nov. 1[ ] $250 Full Page Ad byOctober31,2014 No Ads will be accepted after November 30, 2014. Consider this ad your invoice. Once filled out please make sure to send in payment. Thank you!2 KPHTH | OCTOBER 2014

ΣΥΝΤΕΛΕΣΤΈΣ 12 PANCRETAN ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA CONTRIBUTORS 34 HEADQUARTERS: 32-33 31St Street, Astoria, NY 111061. LYNN (ELENI) LOTKOWICTZ OFFICERS OF THE PAALynn (nee Eleni Paitakes) is the director of advertis- NATIONAL PRESIDENT: JOHN S. SARGETIS Tel. (916) 966-6137 • [email protected] at Florida Trend Magazine, a monthly statewide FIRST VICE PRESIDENT: JOHN G. VOMVOLAKIS Tel. (203) 344-1586 • [email protected] publication. Her father was born in Vafe, SECOND VICE PRESIDENT: STAVROS ANTONAKAKIS Tel. (609) 929-6000 • [email protected], and her mother’s family is from Kefala, Crete. THIRD VICE PRESIDENT: NIKOLAOS VERIKAKIS Tel. (419) 474-4287 • [email protected] greatest joy comes from spending time with her GENERAL SECRETARY: ERASMIA C. NOVOTNY Tel. (248) 303-5879 • [email protected], meaningful travel experiences and health andfitness endeavors. She resides in Redington Beach, SEND PANCRETAN ASSOCIATION RELATED CORRESPONDENCE TO: 8530 Sharon Drive, White Lake, MI 48386Florida, with her husband Bill, an entertainer. TREASURER: GEORGE STILIANUDAKIS Tel. (718) 215-4030 • [email protected] WOMEN’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: ZAHAROULA MARMATAKIS Tel. (732) 777-0104 • [email protected]. DEMETRIUS MAZACOUFA, ESQ. GENERAL SUPERVISOR: ELEFTHERIOS DRAMITINOS Tel. (714) 606-5051 • [email protected] LEGAL ADVISOR: MARINA CONDAS GIANOULIS Tel. (801) 571-2824 • [email protected] is the current president of the Samaria AUDITOR GENERAL: JERRY MAKRIS CPA Tel. (727) 446-0000 • [email protected] (No. 711) of the PAA and a former trust- PYA PRESIDENT: KATERINA MAKRIDAKIS Tel. (330) 554-6340 • [email protected] of the Pancretan Endowment Fund (PEF). This YOUTH SUPERVISOR EAST COAST: TERRY STRATOUDAKIS Tel. (347) 228-7379 • [email protected] summer he spearheaded the “Walk the Gorge” YOUTH SUPERVISOR WEST COAST: XANTHIPPI GELASAKIS Tel. (916) 207-1850 • [email protected] in Crete. He is an attorney in Atlanta, PAA DISTRICT GOVERNORSGeorgia, who claims his Cretan lineage through his District 1: KOSTAS PITARIDIS Tel. (413) 433-4444 • [email protected] Aryiro (nee Tsourounakis) who was born in District 2: MARIA STRATOUDAKIS Tel. (718) 357-6616 • [email protected] village of Kalleryianna, near Kastelli, Kissamou. District 3: MARIA VAMVAKIS Tel. (330) 750-1706 • [email protected] District 4: MIKE MANOUKARAKIS Tel. (847) 758-1207 • [email protected]. MARY PAPADAKIS District 5: GEORGE LIODAKIS Tel. (801) 597-6204 • [email protected] District 6: ROXANNE KOSTON Tel. (650) 368-7891 • [email protected] is serving her second term as president of the District 7: JAMES BOUTZOUKAS Tel. (727) 786-8879 • [email protected] youth chapter in Salt Lake City and is the PAA CHAIRScurrent PYA secretary. She has been teaching Cretan PAA FOUNDATION, INC: EMMANUEL E. VELIVASAKIS Tel. (914) 725-5033 • [email protected] in Salt Lake City for six years. Previously, she CULTURE & EDUCATION: HARALAMBOS (BOB) MARKAKIS • [email protected] on the PYA board. She wrote this month’s ar- INVESTMENTS BOARD: JOHN RUSSON Tel. (314) 542-0306 • [email protected] on District 5 dance troupes and musicians. SCHOLARSHIP FUND: MIA BOUTZOUKAS Tel. (727) 786-8879 • [email protected] INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: GEORGE E. VOMVOLAKIS Tel. (404) 731-3045• [email protected]. EMMANUEL VELIVASAKIS PANCRETAN ENDOWMENT FUND: DR. GEORGE PAPADANTONAKIS Tel. (312) 932-0086 • [email protected] PHILANTHROPIC FUND: EVANGELIA ALPOGIANIS Tel. (773) 878-8901 • [email protected] is the current Pancretan Foundation STRATEGIC PLANNING: KOSTAS TRAVAYIAKIS Tel. (781) 639-0233 • [email protected]. He was recently elected president of the World CRETAN ALUMNI NETWORK (CAN): DIANE KOUNALAKIS Tel. (650) 343-6214 • [email protected] of Cretans. Previously he has served in mul- PAA CRETE REPRESENTATIVE: IPPOKRATIS BELADAKIS Tel. 011 (30) 697 700 7675 • [email protected] capacities for the PAA, including two terms aspresident of the national organization. He has been Monthly submissions should be sent no later than the 5th of each month.married to his wife Orsa for 39 years. They have two For advertising opportunities, magazine policies and procedures visitsons Lefteris and George, a daughter-in-law Sophia www.pancretan.org or call Stavros Antonakakis (609) 929-6000.and a brand new granddaughter Melina-Katherine. Send chapter news, photos, stories, letters or advertising submissions to:A special thank you to Alexandra M. Lord, Ph.D.,founder of the online website, www.ultimatehistory- [email protected], for permission to publish their article onOXI Day. The author, Victoria M. Lord, is a scholar and KPHTH MAGAZINE | DEDICATED TO THE CRETAN LIFEfounding editor of the online website www.ultimate-historyproject.com. EDITORIAL STAFF ALEXA GANOS AMALIA DELIGIANNIS TERRY NTOVAS-ROTH JOSEPH “SIFIS” ANTONAKAKIS EXECUTIVE EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR DESIGN EDITOR KRI KRI EDITOR [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] EDITORIAL BOARD & ADVISORY COMMITTEE ZAHAROULA MARMATAKIS HELEN RANNEY NIKOS KAPELONIS TINA KATSOUNAKIS HELENE SEMANDERES SOPHIA LASZLO KPHTH (CRETE) | USPS 298-020 is published by the Pancretan Association of America (PAA) Inc., ten times a year. The annual rate is $20 member / $50 non-member / $80 international. Call 609-929-6000 to subscribe. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: SCAN BARCODE Erasmia C. Novotny, 8530 Sharon Drive, White Lake, MI 48386. TO VISIT OUR SITE Periodical Postage Paid at Waterford, MI and additonal mailing offices. YEAR 85th - NO. 850 October 2014 KPHTH | WWW.PANCRETAN.ORG 3

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE PAA Donates Medical Supplies to Hospitals and Medical Facilities in Crete DearMembers, are distributed to area hospitals according The Philanthropic Committee of the to their need. In a recent newspaper article PAA, chaired by Evangeline Alpogianis, along Alexandros Sakellariou, a sociologist at Pan- with the PSK (World Council of Cretans), teion University in Athens, stated: “The most whose new president is our very own Em- serious problem is not the doctors, who are manuel Velivasakis, have agreed to donate the highly qualified, but the lack of funding for $20,000 cost of shipping a container of medi- materials that hospitals and doctors need.” cal supplies badly needed by the hospitals in Crete. The supplies come from the extensive Certainly we have philanthropic needs inventory held by the IOCC, the International here in the United States and the commit-John Sargetis Orthodox Christian Charities, an arm of the tee has worked diligently to fulfill them.PAA President However the need in Crete is [email protected] Greek Orthodox Church. The value of the sup- and real. Let’s help our brothers, sisters and plies is well over a half million dollars. friends there. From everything I have heard Before my strong recommendation to the they honestly appreciate and are thankful committee to support this donation I careful- for the container sent to them during the ly investigated whether there was a real need. John Manos administration and will be I had questions and doubts because it’s hard grateful for what we are sending now. As for me to believe that in 2014, the state of the PAA members we can feel proud to be able medical system in Greece has so deteriorated to help in this way. K to the point that patients have to bring their own supplies to the hospital—if they can even Fraternally, get in the hospital in the first place to be ex- John S. Sargetis amined and treated. It’s not my place or that President of the PAA to say who is at fault for the crisis. If there is a real need the PAA is here to help, regardless how the situation was created. A major reason why the PAA was formed 85 years ago, as stated in our Constitution, was to provide philanthropic aid. The PAA has a separate IRS tax exempt trust specifically for philanthropic aid. I can also assure you the medical supplies placed in the container are first class, in date and actually needed by the hospitals. The IOCC has contacts in all the hospitals in Crete who provide them with a list of the needed medical supplies. The container is delivered to a center depository in Crete from where they4 KPHTH | OCTOBER 2014

ΜΉΝΥΜΑ ΠΡΟΈΔΡΟΥΗ Παγκρητική Ένωση Αμερικής (PAA) στέλνειδωρεά Φαρμακευτικών Υλικών στα Νοσοκομείακαι σε Ιατρικά Ιδρύματα στην ΚρήτηΑγαπητά μέλη, ποιότητος σε ημερομηνία και πραγματικά χρειαζόμενα Η Φιλανθρωπική Επιτροπή της Παγκρητικής από τα νοσοκομεία. Η IOCC έχει επαφές με όλα τα(PAA) με πρόεδρο την Ευαγγελία Αλπογιάννη, μαζί νοσοκομεία στην Κρήτη τα οποία τους παρείχαν έναμε το Παγκόσμιο Συμβούλιο Κρητών (PSK), του κατάλογο με τα χρειαζόμενα φαρμακευτικά υλικά. Τοοποίου ο νεοεκλεγής πρόεδρος είναι ο πολύ δικός κοντέηνερ παρεδώθηκε σε κεντρική αποθήκη στηνμας Εμμανουήλ Βελιβασάκης, συμφώνησαν όπως να Κρήτη και από κει θα διανεμηθούν στα νοσοκομεία τηςαποσταλεί κοντέηνερ παροχής φαρμακευτικού υλικού περιοχής σύμφωνα με τις ανάγκες τους. Σε πρόσφατούψους $20.000 δολλαρίων που τα νοσοκομεία της δημοσίευμα εφημερίδος ο Αλέξανδρος Σακελλαρίου,Κρήτης έχουν απόλυτη ανάγκη. Η παροχή προήλθε κοινωνιολόγος στο Πάντειο Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών,από εκτενή καταμέτρηση που έγινε από την IOCC, δήλωσε: «Το σοβαρότερο πρόβλημα δεν είναι οιτις Διεθνείς Χριστιανικές Ορθόδοξες Φιλανθρωπικές γιατροί, που έχουν αρκετά προσόντα, αλλά η έλλειψηΟργανώσεις, βραχίονας της Ελληνικής Ορθοδόξου οικονομικής κάλυψης για υλικά που τα νοσοκομεία καιΕκκλησίας. Η αξία της παροχής υλικών είναι πολύ πάνω οι γιατροί χρειάζονται.»από μισό εκατομμύριο δολλάρια. Φυσικά έχουμε φιλανθρωπικές ανάγκες εδώ στις Πριν από την επίμονή μου εισήγηση προς Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες και οι επιτροπές έχουν εργαστείτην επιτροπή για την υποστήριξη της παρούσης δραστήρια να ανταποκριθούν σε αυτές. Εν τούτοιςδωρεάς, προσεκτικά διερεύνησα εάν όντως υπήρχε η ανάγκη στην Κρήτη είναι άμεση και πραγματική.πραγματική ανάγκη. Είχα ερωτήσεις και αμφιβολλίες Ας βοηθήσουμε τους αδελφούς, αδελφές καιεπειδή είναι δύσκολο για μένα να πιστεύψω ότι το φίλους μας. Από όλα όσα έχω ακούσει πραγματικά2014, το σύστημα κρατικής ιατρικής περίθαλψης εκτιμούν και είναι ευγνώμωνες για το κοντέηνερστην Ελλάδα έχει τόσο υποστεί φθορά στο σημείο που εστάλη σ’ αυτούς στο διάστημα της προεδρείαςπου οι ασθενείς πρέπει να προσκομίζουν τα δικά του Ιωάννη Μάνου και θα είναι ευγνώμωνες για ό,τιτους υλικά στο νοσοκομείο – εάν μπορούν πρώτα τους στέλνουμε τώρα. Ως μέλη της Παγκρητικήςαπό όλα να κάνουν εισαγωγή στο νοσοκομείο αισθανόμαστε υπερήφανοι που μπορέσαμε ναγια εξετάσεις και θεραπεία. Δεν είναι φυσικά η βοηθήσουμε με αυτόν τον τρόπο. Kθέση μου και ούτε της Παγκρητικής για να πούμεποιος ευθύνεται για την κρίση. Εάν υπάρχει μία Αδελφικά,πραγματική ανάγκη η Παγκρητική είναι παρούσα να Ιωάννης Σ. Σαργέτηςβοηθήσει, ανεξάρτητα από το πώς δημιουργήθηκεη κατάσταση. Ένας σημαντικός λόγος που ηΠαγκρητική Ένωση ιδρύθηκε πριν από 85 χρόνια,όπως δηλώθηκε στο Καταστατικό μας, ήταν ναδιαθέτει φιλανθρωπική βοήθεια. Η Παγκρητική έχειένα ξεχωριστό λογαριασμό απαλλαγής φόρου (IRS)ειδικά για φιλανθρωπική βοήθεια. Μπορώ επίσης να σας διαβεβαίωσω ότι η παροχήφαρμακευτικού υλικού στο κοντέηνερ είναι πρώτης KPHTH | WWW.PANCRETAN.ORG 5

ΠΕΡΙΕΧΟΜΕΝΑCONTENTS KPHTH KPHTH OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE PANCRETAN ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA October 2014 www.PANCRETAN.org OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE PANCRETAN ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA OCTOBER 2014 www.PANCRETAN.org President’s Message | Μήνυμα Προέδρου From Samaria Gorge to Psiloritis Mountain 4 PAA Donates Medical Supplies to Hospitals and Cretans Make a Stand for a Cause Medical Facilities in Crete 5 Η Παγκρητική Ένωση Αμερικής (PAA) στέλνει δωρεά Φαρμακευτικών Υλικών στα Νοσοκομεία και σε Ιατρικά Ιδρύματα στην Κρήτη7 Letters | Γράμματα Message | Mήνυμα Από το φαράγγι της Σαμαριάς 8 Μήνμα τού πρώην πρόεδρου τού Παγκοσμίου Συμβουλίου στόν Ψηλορείτη Κρητών κ. Αντώνη Τσουρδαλάκη Οι Κρητικοί δειχνουν το παρόν σε κάθε ανάγκη 9 Μύνημα του νέου προέδρου τού Παγκοσμίου Συμβουλίου Cover Comps.indd 1 10/27/14 9:15 AM Κρητών Μανώλη Βεληβασάκη Appeal | Ικεσία Keep Up to Date with KPHTH Magazine!10 Restoration Help Update | Ενημέρωση11 New Editorial Board Member Cover Story | Εξώφυλλο Where ever I dwell where ever I am, about Crete I am glad,16 “Walk the Gorge” A Personal Story for her sake I always smile, Special Reports | Ρεπορτάζ with tears or being sad!12 OXI DAY: The Day of NO! Όπου σταθώ κι όπου βρεθώ για σένα Κρήτη λέω13 Η Ημέρα του ΟΧΙ! για χάρη σου ‘γώ θα γελώ20 Onto the Peak of Psiloritis ακόμα κι όταν κλαίω!22 My Volunteer Vacation24 DonorsI | Δωρητές25 KRI KRI | ΚΡΙ ΚΡΙ Music & Dance | Μουσική & Χορός30 Cretan Culture in America Photographs | Φωτογραφίες Cretan Alumni Network—Get Connected, Stay Connected.32 Annual Picnic33 Calendar | Ημερολόγιο34 Chapter News | Νέα Συλλόγων Give the Gift of KPHTH Magazine Call 2nd Vice President Stavros Antonakakis at (609) 929-6000 for more information.6 KPHTH | OCTOBER 2014

Γ ΡΑ Μ Μ ΑΤΑ> mechanical engineering and this generous award LETTERS has been instrumental for a good start to accom- Dear Mr. George Paterakis and PAA, plish my college education. Thank you again for this generous award, it is I would like to offer my deepest gratitude for my intention that someday I can help other indi- the honor of being chosen as a recipient for the viduals in my Cretan community to achieve their scholarship in the memory of Nicolas and Mary goals and dreams. Paterakis. With this wonderful opportunity I am Sincerely, one step closer to fulfilling my dream of becom- Yiannis M. Detorakis ing a physician. I am extremely humbled by your generosity and am excited to begin this new path > in my educational journey. I have always felt an immense pride in my Dear Mrs. Boutzoukas, and whomever else Cretan heritage, which has been magnified by this may concern, the wonderful educational and cultural programs I have been able to participate in through my lo- I want to express my most sincere thanks to you cal chapter as well as the national PAA. Every for granting me the $1,000 scholarship estab- time I get to attend a dance or lecture I feel more lished in memory of Michael Vlastos. It was an connected to my heritage and love teaching oth- outstanding honor for me to have been recog- ers about our incredible history. As a young girl nized by the PAA as worthy of such a gift. I would spend my whole summers in Greece and The scholarship will be of extremely great use I would marvel at the beauty of Crete. I always at the University of Pittsburgh, where I am at- dreamed of following in my Cretan Papou’s foot- tending school. I am so grateful for the oppor- steps to become an incredible doctor like him. tunities that the PAA offers students like me to He has inspired me to follow his lead and pursue help pay for our educations. I am certain that the medicine to help those in need. I am very grate- PAA has touched many, many lives in an invalu- ful to have been able to achieve so much already able way, and will continue to do so for years to and look forward to all that I will be able to ac- come. I cannot thank any of you enough for the complish as I continue with my education at Al- great honor of receiving this scholarship. I most bany Medical College. sincerely appreciate it. I aspire to always represent the Cretan spirit Many, many thanks, and community well and continue my involve- Ms. Rio Eleni Maropis ment as I go through my life. Thank you again for this generous gift. Words cannot express what > this means to me. Once again I would like to offer my thanks and best wishes to the Paterakis family. To the Pancretan Association of America My hope is to make them proud. I will never for- Venizelion Scholarship Committee: get what they have done for me. May the memory of Nicolas and Mary Paterakis be eternal. Thank you so much for honoring me with a 2014 Pancretan Venizelion Scholarship in the memory of Sincerely, Michael A. Svourakis. The pride I have from being Urania Dagalakis of Cretan ancestry, reinforced with my visits to Crete, memories with my parents and grandparents, reading> the history, and experiencing traditions, have given me a positive perspective that will be part of my life. Dear PAA Scholarship Committee, I will share with our local association my progress and knowledge, and will certainly pass on my experi- I am truly honored and thankful to be a recipient ence. of the Pancretan Association of America Venize- I am studying graphic design at the University of lion Scholarship. I would like to express my sin- Maryland in Baltimore. It is an honor for me to repre- cerest gratitude to those families who continue sent my background, as I continue the pursuit of my to support the goals of the Pancretan Association studies. of America and particularly to the Varouh family Sincerely, in memory of Hedwig B. Varouh and George, So- Yiannis Mikalis (Spanomichalakis) phia and Catherine Patchoros for their financial gift to pursue my college education. Kazantzakis Chapter, Cretan Association of I have started my freshman year at the Uni- Greater Washington versity of Akron to pursue a bachelor’s degree in KPHTH | WWW.PANCRETAN.ORG 7

Μήνυμα τού πρώην πρόεδρου τού Παγκοσμίου Συμβουλίου Κρητών κ. Αντώνη Τσουρδαλάκη Αγαπητοί Κρήτες, τα πρωτοβάθμια Σωματεία και από την Σας καλωσορίζω και πάλι στην ιστορική πολιτική ηγεσία και από τους Κρήτες αυτή Μονή του Αρκαδίου και χαίρομαι που που ζουν στην Κρήτη. Το Π.Σ.Κ. απόκτησε μεγαλύτερο κύρος, είχε έντονη φωνή, και ο θεός μας έχει όλους καλά να σμίγουμε σήμερα έχει και ταυτότητα, ιστορία, αλλά προπάντων κέρδισε τον Σεβασμό των κάθε χρόνο και να συνεδριάζουμε και να Αρχών της Κρήτης. Καθως κλείνει μια θητεία αλλά αρχίζει δρούμε από κοινού για το καλό της Κρήτης η επόμενη, η οποία είμαι σίγουρος ότι θα συνεχίσει το έργο του Παγκοσμίου και των Κρητικών. Συμβουλίου Κρητών για την επόμενη τριετία με αρκετό ζήλο και μεγάλο Καθώς η θητεία μου στην θέση του μεράκι. Θα ήθελα να συγχαρώ τον κ. Μανώλη Βεληβασάκη από την Αμερική Προέδρου του ΠΣΚ έφτασε στο τέλος της, για την εκλογή του, και όλα τα νέα μέληAntonis Tsourdalakis θα ήθελα εξ-ονόματος όλων των μελών του Διοικητικού του Συμβουλίου καιFormer PSK President τους εύχομαι κάθε επιτυχία στο έργοtony.tsourdalakis@ του Δ.Σ. του ΠΣΚ και εμένα προσωπικά να τους. Θα είμαι αρωγός σε όλες τους τιςbigpond.com ευχαριστήσω όλους και όλες εκείνους από προσπάθειες. όλα τα μέρη του κόσμου με τους οποίους Τελειώνοντας θέλω να ευχαριστήσω το Διοικητικό μου Συμβούλιο του Π.Σ.Κ., συνεργαστήκαμε στην προσπάθεια να τους εθελοντές φίλους του ΠΣΚ στην Κρήτη, τους Προέδρους και τα Διοικητικά κάνουμε το Παγκόσμιο Συμβούλιο Κρητών Συμβούλια των Ομοσπονδιών, τους Πρώην Προέδρους του ΠΣΚ, την Παγκρήτια Ένωση ευρύτερα γνωστό και να πάει ένα βήμα πιο Μελβούρνης που με πρότεινε για την θέση αυτή, αλλά και όλους αυτούς που μπροστά. με κάποιο τρόπο με στήριξαν κατά την θητεία μου. Η προσπάθεια ήταν συλλογική. Ο Ήταν μεγάλη τιμή για μένα ένα Αυστραλογεννημένο Κρητικόπουλο, παιδί καθένας από την πλευρά του έβαλε τον των μεταναστών να υπηρετήσω το Π.Σ.Κ. και να κάνω ότι μπορούσα να προβάλουμε καλύτερο του εαυτό για να επιτευχθεί αυτό. την Κρήτη και τους Κρητικούς Όπου Γης. Σας αφήνω στην κρίση την δική σας να Γνωρίζοντας λοιπόν oτί το Παγκόσμιο μας κρίνετε για το έργο μας. Σας ευχαριστώ θερμά. K Συμβούλιο Κρητών είχε κάνει άλματα Αντώνης Τσουρδαλάκης προόδου, χάρη στις επίμονες προσπάθειες Τέως Πρόεδρος Παγκοσμίου Συμβουλίου Κρητών των προηγούμενων διοικητικών συμβουλίων συνεχίσαμε την προώθηση του Παγκοσμίου Συμβουλίου Κρητών σε όλα τα μήκη και πλάτη της Γης προσθέτοντας και εμείς ένα λιθαράκι στην παγκοσμία οικογένεια των Κρητικών Όπου Γης. Είχαμε πει όταν παραλάβαμε την Προεδρεία από την Ομοσπονδία της Ευρώπης τον Αύγουστο του 2011, ότι παραλάβαμε ένα λεωφορείο που κυλούσε σε αργούς ρυθμούς στο οποίο οι άξιοι προκάτοχοι μας το είχαν μάθει να περπατά. Δικός μας στόχος ήταν να το κάνουμε δίπατο το λεωφορείο και να τρέχει σε γοργούς ρυθμούς και είμαστε υπερήφανοι που επί της Προεδρίας μας το Π.Σ.Κ. μπόρεσε να τα καταφέρει. Κατά τη διάρκεια της θητείας μας, το Π.Σ.Κ. έγινε αναγνωρίσιμο, και από τους Κρητικούς της διασποράς, και ειδικά από8 KPHTH | OCTOBER 2014

ΜΉΝΥΜΑ Μύνημα του νέου προέδρου τού MESSAGE Παγκοσμίου Συμβουλίου Κρητών Μανώλη Βεληβασάκη Αγαπητοί φίλες και φίλοι, συμπατριώτες και γενικά το Ελληνικό Πνεύμα. Χρειάζεται και συμπατριώτισσες, όμως αγώνας για να διαφυλαχθεί αυτός ο Είναι προνόμιο να κατάγεσαι από το θησαυρός. Ένα θησαυρό που δεν μπορούν να μας υποθηκεύσουν, η να κουρέψουν οι μοναδικό σε ομορφιά τόπο σαν την Κρήτη, Τροικανοί και τα μνημόνια τους! Χρειάζεται όμως μεγάλος αγώνας που οι Θεοί τοποθέτησαν σε κρυστάλλινα για να διαφυλαχθεί το Ελληνικό πνεύμα. Είναι μεγάλη ευθύνη να είσαι Έλληνας και γαλαζοπράσινα νερά, ανάμεσα σε τρεις ιδιαίτερα Κρητικός. Ιδιαίτερα σε τούτους τους χαλεπούς καιρούς που ζούμε, που ηπείρους, για να αποτελέσει από τα βάθη κινδυνεύουν να καταρρεύσουν ολόκληρα οικονομικά συστήματα, που σίγουρα μας των αιώνων σταυροδρόμι πολιτισμών. οδηγούν σε αδιέξοδο, έχουμε υποχρέωση να κρατήσουμε το Ελληνικό «πνεύμα»Emmanuel E. Η Κρήτη είναι, ένα κομμάτι ακριβό ζωντανό, με το να διαφυλάξουμε την Ελληνική μας ταυτότητα και με τηνVelivasakis ατόφιας Ελλάδας, ένας τόπος μονάκριβος, προβολή των αξιών της φυλής μας.PSK President Ευθύνη ακόμη μεγαλύτερη τώρα που ηPAA Foundation Chair όπου ανακαλύπτεις τους κώδικες και τις ανθρωπότητα και η κοινωνία δείχνει να[email protected] πολιτιστικές αξίες που κουβαλάει από τα έχει πάρει λάθος στροφή. Είμαστε έτοιμοι βάθη των αιώνων. Ένας τόπος λουσμένος άραγε να την δεχτούμε; Εγώ νομίζω ναι, στο φως του ήλιου, με ανθρώπους και θέλω να πιστεύω πως συμφωνείτε μαζί μου. καλόκαρδους και υπερήφανους, που Για μένα είναι μεγάλη τιμή, αλλά και σπουδαία πρόκληση, σαν νέος πρόεδρος έχουν γευτεί απλόχερα τη δόξα και το του Παγκοσμίου Συμβουλίου Κρητών να αντιπροσωπεύω την Κρήτη μας και τους θάνατο. Είναι το άρωμα και η γεύση της ανά τον κόσμο Κρήτες, και θα καταβάλω όλες μου τις δυνάμεις να ανταποκριθώ τσικουδιάς, ο ήχος της λύρας, η λεβεντιά στο μεγάλο αυτό εγχείρημα και να φανώ αντάξιος τις τιμής αυτής. K του Κρητικού, και η περηφάνια της Κρήτης. Με κρητικούς χαιρετισμούς, Η Κρήτη είναι η πηγή που μας ξεδιψά Μανώλης Βεληβασάκης με το νερό του πολιτισμού της, με την ρακή της ανθρωπιάς της, είναι η μάνα που μας δίνει μέτρο και χρόνο για να συγχρονίσουμε τον τρόπο της ζωής μας στις χώρες που ζούμε. Από την Κρήτη αντλούμε τις δυνάμεις μας, τις μουσικές νότες, τις σκέψεις μας και την υπομονή μας. Η Κρήτη μας, όπως εμείς την ξέρουμε, όπως την θυμόμαστε, μας έχει γίνει βίωμα. Ένα βίωμα που πρέπει να μεταδίδουμε στα παιδιά και εγγόνια μας ατόφιο και ολόκληρο. Και αυτή η παντέρμη Κρήτη, όσο μεγαλώνουμε σε ηλικία τόσο μεγαλώνει κι αυτή και θεριεύει μέσα μας, σ’ όλους εμάς που ζούμε μακριά της. Ίσως γιατί, έχουμε καταλάβει πια πως καλύτερος τόπος δεν υπάρχει, κι όσο και να τον ψάχνουμε ποτέ δεν θα τον βρούμε. Κουβαλώντας μια βαριά παράδοση, είναι ΥΠΟΧΡΕΩΣΗ ΜΑΣ, να προβάλλουμε τον τόπο μας, τον πολιτισμό, και την ιστορία του KPHTH | WWW.PANCRETAN.ORG 9

ΙΚΕΣΙΑAPPEAL Restoration Help Dear Fellow Cretans, dent Manoli Peratsakis, we received two quotes It was early August this last summer and I for cleanup and sanitation at the leshi. had just returned from my vacation in Crete. I had Cleanup took about one week and now we the feeling we all have when returning from sum- have started to evaluate our options for recon- mer vacation in Crete—that nothing could bring struction. Everything that was on the floor me down. Nothing could disrupt this feeling that was thrown away, including couches, cabinets, the whole world had slowed down. refrigerators and some dance cos- Fast forward to August 11. tumes that hung too low. Even There were reports of storms some of the mechanicals had to be coming through Metro Detroit; replaced, including the hot water however, the only storms we ever heater. The walls were cut in half to worry about are those that the be sanitized and to make sure any winter brings, and even those only mold that may have been present occasionally cause severe prob- in the drywall was remediated. lems. That is life in the Midwest, I worked closely with Vice where you have a chance to enjoy President Manoli Peratsakis all four seasons without the dan- throughout the process and really gers Mother Nature brings to the appreciate the time he has put coasts. into this. This time it was different. The We evaluated options for the reports started coming in. There city to pay, potential assistance was massive flooding in the metro- from FEMA, and reviewed our in- politan Detroit area and the hard- surance policy with an attorney: est hit suburbs were Royal Oak, all of the options were dead ends. Warren and Madison Heights, the At this point, the total cost of hometown of our syllogo. re-construction, including new Late in the evening of August flooring, walls, equipment, cos- 12, Matina Legakis, one of our tumes, and more is estimated to dance instructors, entered the leshi be at $45,000. to pick up costumes for our dancers The costs of the storm will put who were performing at a festival Flood damage at the a substantial amount of stress on and discovered the damage. Pseloretes’ Leshi. our chapter’s finances. To help The sewers had backed up and our toilets recover some of our costs, we are hosting a were overflowing. I saw the damage on August dance on November 15. We are also producing 16 for the first time and it was incredible. The a donor book to honor donors that make con- water was 12 inches deep at its peak. tributions of support in any of the following On August 13, I contacted our insurance denominations: $25, $50, $100 and $200. company and requested they send an adjuster. Please see the ad for our dance and book in On August 15, the adjuster informed me that this issue of KPHTH. We would love to see you he wasn’t going to come out because our policy at our event. If you cannot attend, we welcome did not cover these situations. and appreciate any support you can offer. K At this point, the scramble started to find someone to begin the cleanup. It seemed like ev- Regards, ery company we called had a two-week wait to John Marakis get a crew on site. After many phone calls and a Pseloretes Cretan Association President couple of favors called in by me and Vice Presi- Detroit, Michigan10 KPHTH | OCTOBER 2014

ΕΝΗΜΕΡΩΣΗNew Editorial Board Member U P D AT E KPHTH Magazine would like to proceeded to teach Greek in the Continuing Educa- welcome its newest editorial tion Department at the University of South Alabama. board member Sophia Metzakis Later, she continued teaching in the Department of Laszlo. She will be assisting with Foreign Languages and in the international studies editing and translating articles in Department. She taught courses on Greek language Greek for the magazine. and culture to students working on a minor in thisSophia Metzakis Sophia was born in Sitia, but lived field. One International Studies course was taught inLaszlo Greece during the summer term. She worked a total in Agios Nikolaos, Crete, where she of 15 years in the University of South Alabama.graduated from the local high school. She moved to Ath- In 1993, she started working for the U.S. De-ens, and graduated from the Institute of the American partment of State in Washington, D.C., translationUnion where she ultimately obtained the highest cer- division. Subsequently she became a contractor in-tification for English language and culture studies. She terpreter, escort, and examiner for the translationwas a student at Panteion University where she studied division and also an English officer.Political Science, Public Administration and obtained a Sophia has written bilingual poetry and a text-Ph.D. in administrative law. She was also a student of book in English of customs and traditions of Greece.Goethe Institute for German Language and Culture. She In addition, she belongs to several associations forworked in Civilian Pay, Department of the Air Force, Hellenic professors, including the committee to re-7206th Support Group, Athinai Air Base. turn the Acropolis marbles back to Athens and the She met her husband Richard in the accounting Nikos Kazantzakis Association, based in Geneva,and finance office where they worked together, and Switzerland. She is also a member of the PAA chap-they were married in the “Metamorphosis” Ortho- ter and a trustee of the Foundation SAMARIA in At-dox Church in Kallithea, Athens. They moved to the lanta, Georgia.United States and lived for a few months in Dear- Sophia has been married to Richard for 44 years, andborn, Michigan, to look for work in the area. Their they have one son named Joseph, who lives in Atlanta,job searches led them to Mobile, Alabama, where Georgia, with his wife Laura and their three children. KSophia first worked as a substitute teacher and then

OXI DAY: The Day of NO!VICTORIA M. LORDAt 3 a.m. on the morning of October 28, 1940, Eman- Mussolini would be humiliated; and the Germans would uele Grazzi, the Italian ambassador to Greece, deliv- raise the swastika over the Acropolis.ered an ultimatum from Benito Mussolini to Prime Min- Despite Greece’s ultimate fall to Axis powers, Metax-ister Ioannis Metaxas. Il Duce demanded that Metaxas as’ response resulted in a fatal diversion and delay for theallow the Italian army free passage to enter and occupy Axis powers in general and the German army specifically.strategic sites in Greece unopposed. British military historian Sir John Keegan describes the Faced with this demand, Metaxas delivered an un- Battle of Greece as “decisive in determining the futureequivocal response in French, the diplomatic language of course of the Second World War.”the day, “Alors, c’est la guerre.” This brief phrase, “Then, For decades prior to the invasion, Greco-Italian re-it is war,” was quickly transmuted into the laconic “Oxi,” lations had been difficult and complex: historically, boththe Greek for no, by the citizens of Athens. Italy and Greece could lay claim to some of the same ter- At 5:30 a.m., before the ultimatum had even expired, ritory. At various times the two nations tussled over thethe Italian army poured over the Greek-Albanian border Dodecanese Islands as well as the island of Corfu in theinto the mountainous Pindos region of Northern Greece. Ionian Sea. However, in 1928, then Prime Minister Veni-There they met fierce and unexpected resistance. zelos had signed a Friendship Agreement with Italy, nor- Within six months, Ioannis Metaxas would be dead; malizing relations.his successor Alexandros Koryzis would commit suicide; In 1939, the Italian invasion of Albania threatened this fragile accord. Albania collapsed under the ItalianAll Photos Courtesy WikiCommons via the German Federal ArchiveArchive onslaught: Italian troops attacked on April 7, almost immediately gaining control of all ports. King Zog and his family fled south to Greece that same day, aban- doning their people. On April 12, the Albanian parliament voted to unite with Italy, deposing Zog, and accepting the Italian King, Victor Emmanuel III, in his stead. The presence of Italian troops in Albania, just over the border from Northern Greece generated enor- mous tension between the two countries. Both Brit- ain and France gave Greece a guarantee of “territo- rial integrity.” Nonetheless, Italian forces committed numerous acts of aggression against Greece, includ- ing overflights of Greek territory and attacks against Greek naval vessels. Metaxas began to prepare for war. In a great irony, Italy’s actions drove Metaxas, who had cultivated friendly trade relations with Nazi Germany, into the arms of Britain. While Metaxas initially favored Germany, King George II was a con- firmed anglophile. Italy’s intervention provided the excuse for the king to push his Prime Minister to- ward closer relations with Britain. Ioannis Metaxas had begun his career in the GreekThe Nazi flag is raised overthe Acropolis, 1941. It would betaken down by Manolis Glezos army, eventually entering politics as a staunch royal-and Apostolos Santas in one of ist. By 1936 he held the post of Minister of War. Thatthe first acts of resistance. same year, a deadlocked election led King George II to Story continues on page 1412 KPHTH | OCTOBER 2014

Ρ Ε Π Ο Ρ ΤΑ ΖΗ Ημέρα του ΟΧΙ! SPECIAL REPORTVICTORIA M. LORD Sign in German and 7 Απριλίου, σχεδόν αμέσως κερδίζοντας τον έλεγχο όλων Greek erected at the των λιμένων.Ο Βασιλεύς Zog και η οικογένειά του διέφυγε village of Kandanos στην Νότια Ελλάδα την ίδια μέρα, εγκαταλείποντας τον in Crete, which was λαό τους.Στις 12 Απριλίου η Αλβανική Βουλή ψήφισε υπέρ wholly destroyed by the της ένωσης με την Ιταλία, εκθρονίζοντας τον Βασιλιά Zog Germans as reprisal και αποδέχοντας τον Ιταλό Βασιλιά Βίκτωρα Εμμανουήλ for a partisan attack. In ΙΙΙ στην θέση του. retaliation to the brutal ΗπαρουσίατωνΙταλικώνστρατευμάτωνστηνΑλβανία, murder of paratroopers πάνω στα Σύνορα της Β. Ελλάδας, προξένησε τρομερή and combat engineers ένταση μεταξύ των δύο χωρών. Η Βρετανία και η Γαλλία in an ambush by armed εγγυήθηκαν την «εδαφική ακεραιότητα». Παρόλα αυτά, οι men and women, Kan- Ιταλικές δυνάμεις έπραξαν σωρία εχθροπραξιών κατά της danos was destroyed. Ελλάδας, συμπεριλαμβανομένων παραβιάσεων εναερίου χώρου και επιθέσεις κατά του Ελληνικού Ναυτικού. ΟΙταλός Πρέσβης στην Ελλάδα, ο Εμμανουέλε Γκάτζι Ήταν ειρωνία που οι πράξεις της Ιταλίας οδήγησαν τον παρέδωσε τελεσίγραφο από τον Μπενίτο Μουσολίνι Μεταξά που έτρεφε φιλικές διαθέσεις προς τον Γερμανικόστον Πρωθυπουργό της Ελλάδας Ιωάννη Μεταξά στις Ναζισμό, να ταχθεί υπέρ της Βρετανίας. 3.00 π.μ. την 28η Οκτωβρίου, 1940! Στο τελεσίγραφο ο Ο Βασιλιάς Γεώργιος ΙΙ είχε επιβεβαιωθεί ωςΝτούτσε ΙΙ απαιτούσε από τον Μεταξά να επιτρέψει στα Αγγλόφιλος και η επέμβαση της Ιταλίας απέβη η αιτίαΙταλικά στρατεύματα να περάσουν αμαχητί στην Ελλάδα για τον Βασιλιά να πιέσει τον Πρωθυπουργό προςκαι να καταλάβουν στρατηγικές θεσεις. στενότερες σχέσεις με την Βρετανία. Ο Ιωάννης Μεταξάς Ο Μεταξάς παρέδωσε την απάντησή του στα ήταν στρατιωτικός και εν συνεχεία μπήκε στην πολιτικήΓαλλικά που ήταν και η διπλωματική γλώσσα της ως ένθερμος βασιλικός. Από το 1936 διετέλεσε Υπουργόςεποχής και που εν συντομία σήμαινε: « Τότε έχουμε Πολέμου. Τον ίδιο χρόνο, οι προβληματικές εκλογέςπόλεμο», που σύντομα μετατράπηκε από τον λαό των οδήγησαν τον Βασιλιά Γεώργιο ΙΙ να διορίσει τον ΜεταξάΑθηνών στο λακωνικό «Όχι». στην θέση του Πρωθυπουργού. Στις 5.30 π.μ. πριν ακόμα λήξει το τελεσίγραφο, ο Ο Μεταξάς εντός τεσσάρων μηνών κήρυξε τηνΙταλικός στρατός μαζεύτηκε στα Ελληνο-Αλβανικά χώρα σε Κατάσταση Έκτακτης Ανάγκης και έθεσε σεσύνορα, στην ορεινή Πίνδου της Βορείου Ελλάδας. Εκεί διαθεσιμότητα την Βουλή. Στην υπόλοιπη ζωή τουαντιμετώπισαν βιαία και απρόβλεπτη αντίσταση. κυβέρνησε ως Δικτάτορας.Ήταν μια μεγάλη αμφιλεγόμενη Παρά την ήττα της Ελλάδας, η απάντηση του Μεταξά φυσιογνωμία στην Ελληνική Ιστορία και που οι ενέργειέςείχε ως αποτέλεσμα την μοιραία εκτροπή και καθυστέρηση του την 28η Οκτωβρίου συνετέλεσαν στην τελική νίκητων δυνάμεων του Άξονα και ο Γερμανικός Στρατός των συμμαχικών δυνάμεων.ιδιαίτερα, όπως αναφέρει ο Βρετανός Ιστορικός Sir Οι σύμβουλοι του Μουσσολίνι τον είχανJohn Keegan, περιγράφει την Μάχη στην Ελλάδα ως επιβεβαιώσει ότι η εισβολή κατά της Ελλάδας δεν θα«αποφασιστική στην μελλοντική έκβαση του Δευτέρου έπαιρνε πάνω από δυο εβδομάδες. Η Ιταλική εμπειρίαΠαγκοσμίου Πολέμου». στην Αλβανία το έκανε να φαίνεται αληθοφανές. Η Πριν από την εισβολή οι δυο χώρες από χρόνια Ελλάδα ήταν μια μικρή χώρα όπως και η Αλβανία πουείχαν δυσκολίες στις σχέσεις τους, διότι διεκδικούσαν διέθετε αντίστοιχα μικρό στρατό. Η διαφορά υπήρξετα ίδια εδάφη. Σε διαφορετικούς χρόνους, οι δύο χώρες στο έδαφος. Οι Ιταλικές δυνάμεις εισήλθαν στηνδιεκδικούσαν τα Δωδεκάνησα, όπως και τα Νησιά Ελλάδα μέσω της απόκριμνης οροσειράς της Πίνδου.του Ιονίου Πελάγους. Το 1928, ο τότε Πρωθυπουργός Τραχύ και άγριο τοπίο που το έκανε ακόμα χειρότερο ηΒενιζέλος, είχε υπογράψει μία Σύμβαση Φιλίας με την έναρξη του Χειμώνα. Καθώς οι Ιταλοί κινήθηκαν νότιαΙταλία, ομαλοποιώντας την κατάσταση. προς τα Ιωάννινα, ο Ελληνικός στρατός πήρε τα υψηλά Το 1939, η Ιταλική εισβολή στην Αλβανία απείλησε την σημεία βομβαρδίζοντας τους Ιταλούς από ψηλά.εύθραυστη συμφωνία. Η Αλβανία κατέρρευσε υπό την Story continues on page 15Ιταλική επίθεση και οι Ιταλικές δυνάμεις επιτέθηκαν στις KPHTH | WWW.PANCRETAN.ORG 13

Story continued from page 12 ynx that led to a toxic infection. Alexandros Koryzis, theappoint Metaxas to the position of Prime Minister. Governor of the Bank of Greece, succeeded him in office. Within four months, Metaxas had declared a State of In March of 1941 Mussolini personally supervisedEmergency and suspended Parliament. For the remainder a ferocious counterattack designed to drive the Greeksof his life, he ruled as a dictator. He is a deeply controversial from Southern Albania. Despite his leadership, the at-figure in Greek history but his actions on October 28th con- tack failed, further humiliating the Italian leader.tributed to the ultimate victory of the allied forces. By April, the small Greek army had been fighting for Mussolini’s advisors had assured him that the inva- six months. Exhausted, they now faced a new threat. Bul-sion of Greece would take no more than two weeks. The garia had joined the Axis powers and the German armyItalian experience in Albania must have made this seem advanced toward the Greek-Bulgarian border. Here, thevery plausible: like Albania, Greece was a small country Greeks had been well prepared for an invasion: Metaxaswith a correspondingly small army. had built fortifications all along this border. The difference lay in the territory: Italian forces en- Unfortunately, the Germans also poured over thetered Greece through the steep Pindos Mountains. This undefended border with Yugoslavia. Initially repulsedwas rough, wild terrain made worse by the onset of win- at the Metaxas line, the Germans quickly overcame theter. As Italian troops moved southward towards the city Greeks. On April 18, Prime Minister Koryzis chose toof Ioanina, Greek troops took to shoot himself rather than face the German entry into Athens.the heights, bombarding the Ital- Just nine days later, Germanians from above. The rough roads and deep snow motorcycle troops entered Athens, driving straight to the Acropolis.made it difficult to supply the troops, There, they tore down the Greek flagwhile bad weather and continuouscloud cover prohibited the Italians and replaced it with a Swastika. Despite their ultimate defeat,from using their superior air power. the Greeks had fought long and hard.Meanwhile, the women of the localvillages, accustomed to the territory, For six months they occupied the Italian army, preventing them fromcarried supplies and munitions on German artillery shelling the Metaxas Line. advancing. In the end, the Germanstheir backs to the Greek troops. Argiris Balatsos recorded his encounter with several were forced to delay the invasion of Russia in order to sub-of these women in his diary: “7 November 1940. ... I due the Greeks when the Italians failed in their efforts.met women who were carrying ammunition. One was 88 This delay proved fatal for the Germans, extending theiryears old. Another one told me that she had locked the campaign against the USSR into the brutal winter.kid in the shed, so that she could come to help the army. Hitler’s Chief of Staff, Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel ad-During the night, I saw an old woman taking care of the mitted during the Nuremberg Trials: “…the unbelievablytwo kids, while their mother was baking bread for the strong resistance of the Greeks delayed by two or morearmy under the candle light.” vital months the German attack against Russia; if we did The British, who had promised to aid Greece, were not have this long delay, the outcome of the war would havehard pressed themselves. By the autumn of 1940, they been different in the Eastern Front and the war in general.”stood alone against the Germans and had no troops to Churchill paid homage to the Greek resistance by claim-spare for the defense of Greece. ing, “Hence we will not say that Greeks fight like heroes, but However, British troops had occupied Crete on October that heroes fight like Greeks!”3, 1940, with the full permission of the Greek government. Perhaps the Greeks were inspired by their own heroicThis freed Cretan troops, among the fiercest of Greek sol- past to wage a fierce fight against all odds. On October 28,diers, to fight on the mainland in the Pindos Mountains. after rejecting Mussolini’s demands, Metaxas addressed Within three weeks, Greece was completely free of the the Greek people, ending with this line from Aeschylus’invading forces and began a counterattack, driving deep play The Persians: “The struggle now is for everything!”into Italian-held Albania. With these few words, he evoked the great Greek victo- Mussolini was humiliated and enraged. Hitler was also ry of Salamis over the invading Persian forces. Once more,furious at what he viewed as Mussolini’s blunder. the Greeks were called to defend their country. On January 29, 1941, Prime Minister Metaxas died sud- Every October 28, Greeks at home and abroad honordenly and unexpectedly from an inflammation of the phar- the past by celebrating Oxi Day. K14 KPHTH | OCTOBER 2014

Ρ Ε Π Ο Ρ ΤΑ ΖStory continued from page 13 κατά μήκος των συνόρων. Δυστυχώς, οι Γερμανοί εισέβαλαν Οι άφτιαχτοι δρόμοι και το παχύ χιόνι δυσχέραιναν από τα ανοχύρωτα σύνορα με την Γιουγκοσλαβία. Αρχικά SPECIAL REPORTτον ανεφοδιασμό του στρατού, ενώ οι άσχημες καιρικές απώθησαν στην γραμμή Μεταξά,αλλά οι Γερμανοί γρήγορασυνθήκες και η συννεφιά εμπόδιζαν τους Ιταλούς να υπερίσχυσαν.χρησιμοποιήσουν την υπερισχύζουσα αεροπορική τους Ακριβώς εννέα μέρες μετά, οι Γερμανοί μοτοσυκλετιστέςδύναμη. έμπαιναν στην Αθήνα και κατευθύνθηκαν προς την Οι γυναίκες στα χωριά της περιοχής, συνηθισμένες στο Ακρόπολη. Εκεί, κατέβασαν την Ελληνική σημαία καιέδαφος,μετέφεραν στον Ελληνικό στρατό πολεμοφόδια και ύψωσαν την Σβάστικα.άλλα εφόδια φορτωμένα στις πλάτες τους. Παρά την τελική ήττα, οι Έλληνες είχαν πολεμήσει πολύ Ο Αργύρης Μπαλάτσος στο ημερολόγιό του,καταγράφει και σκληρά. Για έξι μήνες κρατούσαν τον Ιταλικό στρατό,τις εμπειρίες του με μερικές από αυτές τις γυναίκες. εμποδίζοντας την προέλασή του. Στο τέλος, οι Γερμανοί «7 Νοεμβρίου 1940.....Συνάντησα γυναίκες που αναγκάστηκαν να καθυστερήσουν την εισβολή στην Ρωσίαμετέφεραν πολεμοφόδια. Μία ήταν 88 ετών. Μια άλλη μου για να υποτάξουν τους Έλληνες όταν οι προσπάθειες τωνείπε ότι κλείδωσε το παιδί στην καλύβα, για να μπορέσει Ιταλών απέτυχαν. Αυτή η καθυστέρηση απέβη μοιραία γιανα έλθει να βοηθήσει τον στρατό. Κατά την διάρκεια της τους Γερμανούς, παρατείνοντας την εκστρατεία τους στηννύχτας, είδα μία γριά γυναίκα να φροντίζει δύο παιδιά, όσο Σοβιετική Ένωση σε δριμύ Χειμώνα.η μητέρα τους ζύμωνε ψωμί για τον Ο Αρχηγός Επιτελείου τουστρατό υπό το φως της κανδήλας». Χίτλερ, Στρατάρχης Wilhelm Keit- Η Βρετανία που είχε υποσχεθεί el παραδέχτηκε κατά την διάρκειαβοήθεια στην Ελλάδα πιεζόταν και της Δίκης της Νυρεμβέργης:η ίδια και το Φθινόπωρο του 1940, «....Ηαπίστευτηισχυρήαντίστασηστεκόταν μόνη της κατά των Γερμανών των Ελλήνων καθυστέρησαν για δυοκαι δεν είχε διαθέσιμο στρατό για να ή περισσότερους ζωτικούς μήνεςβοηθήσει την Ελλάδα. τους Γερμανούς να επιτεθούν κατά Εν τούτοις, τα Βρετανικά της Ρωσίας. Εάν δεν είχαμε αυτή τηνστρατεύματα κατέλαβαν την Κρήτη μεγάλη καθυστέρηση, η έκβασηστις 3 Οκτωβρίου, 1940 με την του πολέμου θα ήταν διαφορετικήπλήρη συγκατάθεση της Ελληνικής German soldiers enter Athens in 1941. στο Ανατολικό Μέτωπο και στονΚυβέρνησης. Αυτός ο ελεύθερος Κρητικός στρατός από πόλεμο εν γένει».τους πιο γενναίους των ελληνικών δυνάμεων, πολέμησε Ο Τσώρτσιλ απένειμε φόρο τιμής για την Ελληνικήστα βουνά της Πίνδου. αντίσταση δηλώνοντας, « μέχρι τώρα λέγαμε ότι οι Έλληνες Εντός τριών εβδομάδων, η Ελλάδα ήταν εντελώς πολεμούν σαν ήρωες. Από τώρα και στο εξής θα λέμε ότι οιελεύθερη από την εισβολή και άρχισαν την αντεπίθεση, ήρωες πολεμούν σαν Έλληνες”.στέλνοντάς τους πίσω στην κατεχόμενη από την Ιταλία, Ίσως οι Έλληνες είχαν εμπνευστεί από το δικό τουςΑλβανία. ηρωϊκό παρελθόν και πολέμησαν με σθένος και αυτοθυσία. Στις 29 Ιανουαρίου 1941, ο Πρωθυπουργός Μεταξάς Την 28 Οκτωβρίου,μετά από την απόρριψη των απαιτήσεωνπεθαίνει ξαφνικά από φλεγμονή του φάρυγγος που οδήγησε του Μουσσολίνι, ο Μεταξάς απευθυνόμενος προς τονσε τοξική μόλυνση. Ο Αλέξανδρος Κοζύρης, Διοικητής Ελληνικό λαό, τελείωσε με την φράση από το θεατρικό έργοτης Τραπέζης Ελλάδος τον διαδέχτηκε και ο οποίος του Αισχύλου, Οι Πέρσες: «Νυν υπέρ πάντων ο Αγών»!αυτοπυροβολήθηκε στις 18 Απριλίου, για να μην δει τους Με αυτές τις λίγες λέξεις, επικαλέστηκε την μεγάληΓερμανούς να μπαίνουν στην Αθήνα. Ελληνική νίκη στην Σαλαμίνα κατά της Περσικής εισβολής. Τον Μάρτιο του 1941, ο Μουσσολίνι αυτοπροσώπως Για ακόμα μία φορά, οι Έλληνες κλήθηκαν να υπερασπίσουνεπόπτευσε μία άγρια αντεπίθεση με σκοπό να απωθήσει την χώρα τους με όλες τους τις δυνάμεις.τους Έλληνες από την Νότια Αλβανία. Παρά την αρχηγία, η Κάθε 28η Οκτωβρίου, οι απανταχού Έλληνες τιμούν τηνεπίθεση απέτυχε και ταπείνωσε περαιτέρω τον Ιταλό ηγέτη. Ιστορία τους με τον εορτασμό της Ημέρας του Όχι. K Από τον Απρίλιο, ο μικρός Ελληνικός στρατός έδινεςμάχες για έξι μήνες. Εξουθενωμένος, αντιμετώπισε τότε Μπορείτε να επισκεφθείτε την ιστοσελίδα:https:youtube.μία νέα απειλή. Η Βουλγαρία ενώθηκε με τις δυνάμεις του com/watch?v=YZ2mib4vaYg για να ακούσετε το τελευταίοΆξονα και ο Γερμανικός στρατός προέλασε προς τα Ελληνο- ελεύθερο διάγγελμα από τον Ραδιοφωνικό σταθμό ΑθηνώνΒουλγαρικά σύνορα. Εδώ, οι Έλληνες είχαν προετοιμαστεί την 27η Απριλίου.καλά για την εισβολή. Ο Μεταξάς είχε κατασκευάσει οχυρά KPHTH | WWW.PANCRETAN.ORG 15

“Walk the Gorge”A Personal StoryDEMETRIUS MAZACOUFAWINTER 2013: Walk the Gorge walkers gather at the main Chania bus stationReports coming out of Greece are filled with stories of the for the early morning drive to Samaria Gorge National Park.continued erosion of the economy and the resulting hard-ships visited upon the Greek people. Not long afterwards,I read for the first time about the E4, a 10,000 km (6,200miles) hiking trail that starts in Spain, winds its way throughFrance, Switzerland and Germany, stumbles a bit into theeastern European countries of Romania and Bulgaria, worksdown through mainland Greece, crosses the width of Creteand nearly collapses with exhaustion on Cyprus. Over the next few weeks, I reach out to friends with thesuggestion that they join me in a walk across Crete along theE4. I propose it as a fundraising event to help charities in Crete. To encourage their participation, I show them YouTubeWalk the Gorge walkers gather at the entrance of the Samaria Gorge National Park.16 KPHTH | OCTOBER 2014

ΕΞΩΦΥΛΛΟ Left: Although it was tempting because of the excessive COVER STORY heat that day, no one rode a donkey out. Everyone walked the entire length of the Gorge. Pancretan Association of America in Akron. I prepare a Power Point presentation with images of the E4, the Samaria Gorge and photos of food lines, the homeless, poorly funded medi- cal clinics and all the other traumas inflicted upon Greece by the tough economic policies pressed by international bankers and foreign officials. Seeking the blessings of the PAA, I ask the delegates to endorse this project. I am delighted that they understand what I want to do and pleased that they vote to support “Walk the Gorge.”videos of people who have made the same trek across the FALL 2013spine of Crete. With the help of a colleague, work starts on the website for For some reason, everyone I approach with this idea ei- “Walk the Gorge.” It is not an easy job, but after three monthsther laughs at the proposition or is stunned that I would even of labor www.walkthegorge.com is completed.consider such a thing. Getting the word out and the task of convincing people to As the last days of winter start to warm up with early make the commitment to spend their vacation in Greece assigns of spring, I know I have to adjust my thinking if there part of a fundraising event are the next agenda items.will be any chance to move forward with this idea. WINTER 2014SPRING 2013 By Christmas, several friends decide that going to Crete inPerhaps it is the spartan menu of the Lenten season, which the summer would make for a great vacation. Being a partinspires a reduction to the scope of my vision: just trim a two- of a fundraiser would be an even nicer way to spend time inweek trip (which no one wants to do) down to a one-day hike Greece. Within the first couple of months of the New Year,most can do, but still includes a gesture toward the E4 trail. My five persons register on the website to be walkers. By thethinking is simplistic. end of March, the online donations extend over $4,000. An- The E4 extends across the Omalos Plateau in western ticipating that this project will raise enough funds to be re-Crete and touches the entrance to the Samaria Gorge. The spectable, I contact Evangeline Alpogianis, chair of the PAAresulting plan is to “walk” along the E4 by hiking the Samaria Philanthropic Fund, to learn what charities on Crete it is sup-Gorge—one of the most popular tourist sites on Crete—as a porting. She is very helpful with that information, and I startone-day fundraiser. communicating with these groups to set up appointments I approach the same people who rejected the original E4 when I am in Greece.hike with the idea of walking the Samaria Gorge. “Hmmm.That may work,” summarizes the responses I am starting to SPRING 2014 get. Encouraged, I begin work on the details: how to put to- By Easter, there are 15 persons signed up and donationsgether a trip; how to promote it; who to network with; all sorts keep coming in. In April, the online tabulation is just underof things that must get done to make this a successful event. $10,000. We are even getting a few donations from persons What better place to share the newly named “Walk in other countries. In early June, there is a concerted effortthe Gorge” project than at the National Convention of the by walkers to “shake the sponsorship tree” and online dona- tions break the $20,000 mark. A few more persons register, so that by the time people start leaving for Greece in mid- June the tally of registrants reaches 20 persons represent- ing Georgia, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, New York and the District of Columbia. Of that number, 11 are PAA members, their families or Greek-American friends; the rest are non- KPHTH | WWW.PANCRETAN.ORG 17

Hikers Peter Manos and Demetri Mazacoufa nearing the end of the Samaria Gorge.Greek “Americans” who sign up to experience Greece first- excitement, joy, wonder, challeng-hand with their “Greek” friends. es, adventure and perseverance … and emotion. After a year-and-GORGE WALK WEEK a-half of planning and eventualThe Walk is scheduled for Wednesday, June 25. On Sunday, execution, “Walk the Gorge” endsJune 22, most of the walkers arrive in Chania to join a family up with all the walkers makingof walkers from Ohio already there. Over the next two days, our way through the Samariathe rest of the group shows up. Gorge – 20 American walkers, five Cretan charity volunteers, and 30 On Tuesday, June 24, we visit the orphanage at the St. Angelopoulos Fellows.Nektarios parish in the morning. In the afternoon, we meet The last group event forwith representatives of Orizontas, a charity dedicated to the Gorge walkers is on Friday,helping children diagnosed with cancer. June 27. We accept the invita- tion from the Manousakis family The next day is the Walk. We gather at the bus station to visit to their winery in the village of Vatolakkos. In thein downtown Chania at 6:00 am. At the bus station, we are courtyard, we listen to stories about the history and develop-joined by former PAA President Ted Manousakis, who, at the ment of the winery, as we sip samples of this quality wine andAkron PAA convention, pledged to walk the Gorge with us enjoy the delicious Cretan food prepared for us. As a “thankand makes good on his promise. you” for this display of Cretan hospitality, the group, using The Gorge walk takes the entire day. It is a day filled with their own personal funds, makes a 1000€ ($750) donation to ELEPAP-Chania, a charity offering assistance to the disabled and supported by the Manousakis family. It is a special way to close out the “Walk the Gorge” week. The next day, most of the walkers leave Crete for other parts of Greece. I stay on Crete to spend another week vis- iting various non-profit organizations in order to vet their needs and determine how the Walk the Gorge funds can best be distributed among them. AFTER THE WALK Most walkers return to the United States by mid-July. Even though the Walk itself is over, donations continue to be re- ceived—both via online and checks mailed in from donors acrossDesignated Cretan CharitiesAt a meeting of the Samaria Foundation’s Board in late August, the following charities on Crete were chosen toreceive donations from the proceeds raised by Walk the Gorge:Orizondas (Chania) 5000€/$6700 Girls’ Home of Ayios Nektarios (Chania) 2000€/$2700Provides financial assistance for families with children Parish runs girls’ orphanage and feeds needy at its soup kitchen Fili Atomon Tritis Ilikias (Ayios Nikolaos) 2000€/$2700diagnosed with cancer Multi-purpose charity provides housing, food, health careAndrew and Mary Summer Charities (Heraklion) 4000€/$5400 Filanthropikos Silogos Sitias (Sitia) 2000€/$2700Multi-purpose charity: assists with housing, health care, Charity assisting children and elderly Kalyviani Orphanage (Mires) 1000€/$1350job training Nun-operated orphanage for girlsKefalovrissi Association (Spili) 2500€/$3350 Adelfotis I Osia Xeni Diakonia Filakon (Chania) 500€/$675 Civic non-profit assisting charities in Spili, Rethymnon area Charity pays fines for people jailed for minor offenses(in this case, the area’s public health clinic)18 KPHTH | OCTOBER 2014

ΕΞΩΦΥΛΛΟ The t-shirt worn by all Walk the The Samaria COVER STORY Gorge walkers and coveted Gorge by those who wish they had walked says it all. C arved out of the limestone, dolomite and marble rock of Crete’s White Mountains, the United States. A special gift the Samaria Gorge starts on the Omalos Pla- arrives in late July from Gianna teau at Xyloskalo 4,025 feet (1,227 meters) and Theodore Angelopoulos, who above sea level and continues for approxi- make a generous donation to the mately 9 miles (13.5 km) to its end. There is an-Samaria Foundation in support of the Walk. The final breakdown of the other 2 miles (3.2 km) of flat, open plain frommore than $25,500 raised by “Walk the Gorge” shows the following random the end of the national park before reachingstatistics: the village of Agia Roumeli on the Lybian Sea, which runs along the southern coast of the is-90.2% of the funds come via solicitations by Greek-American walkers land. The total distance from Xyloskalo to the9.8% of the funds come via solicitations by non-Greek walkers village is approximately 11 miles (18 km).23.6% of the total is from donors with a Cretan and/or PAA connection According to Greek mythology, one of the11.9% of the total is from Greek-American donors (non-Cretans) Titans living on Crete slashed the land with35.5% of the total raised comes from the Greek-American community his knife to create the Gorge. According to64.5% of the total raised comes from the non-Greek-American another story from the ancients, Cretan-borncommunity Zeus placed his throne atop Mt. Gygilos, which22.1% of the total received via checks/cash donations guards the entrance of the Gorge and the77.9% of the total received via online donations huge boulders at the foot of the mountain are7.7% of the total raised comes from PAA chapter donations the result of his thunderbolts . . . and, if these stories are to be believed, they are the same A salute must go to the men, rocks that lie along the river bed, which hikers make their way through the Gorge today. women and children who walked This part of Crete is marked with the im- print of the hands of time: natural processes, the Samaria Gorge as participants often violent and extreme such as catastrophic earthquakes, have molded the mountains and in the Walk the Gorge Fundrais- the seas, shaping the land of the Aegean and of Crete. The White Mountains of Crete, just er and whose dedication to the like all the Greek mountain ranges, are just one link in a great chain of mountains created cause raised so much money for millions of years ago along with the alpine orogenesis, the process that built mountains charities on Crete. Here is a list from the Pyrenees to the Himalayas. Today, the Gorge is a protected area within of those who registered: Eliza- the Samaria National Park, which was created in 1962. Since then, people across the globe beth Billis; Shawn Custer; Kim have visited the Gorge for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hike it, marvel at its magnifi- Humphreys; Patria Kunde; Peter cence and explore its ancient geologic forma- tions, rare forests and endangered plants and and Alexandra Manos and their wild animals found nowhere else but in this part of Crete. K daughter Christiana; Demetri KPHTH | WWW.PANCRETAN.ORG 19Former PAA President Manousakis Mazacoufa; Rose Miller; Gloriaentertains Gorge walkers with Moschona; Katina Nicolacakis, herstories about his family and the husband Jim Myers, and their chil-winery. dren Angelique and Victor; Mary-Ann Somers; Ellen Sturgis; Tina Tzanakis; Mike Vlass; and Lynda Weav-er. A well-deserved Άξιος! to each of them. It would be a wonderful testament to the volunteers within the PAA,the PYA and other pan-Cretan organizations if “Walk the Gorge” is em-braced as a way to extend the philanthropic reach of the membership. The structure is there and the precedent has been set. All it takes isa commitment similar to what the original walkers—more than half ofwhom have no Cretan legacy—made in the summer of 2014. KThe full-length version of Demetrius Mazacoufa’s article can be found atwww.pancretan.org.

Photos Courtesy Emmanuel Velivasakis Walkers at the top of Mount Psiloritis, near the church of Timios Stavros. Onto the Peak of Psiloritis MANOLIS VELIVASAKIS 0n Sunday, August 17, at the invitation of a good friend blue carpet extending as far as the eye can see. Turning to and local TV personality, George Vittoros, Kostas Tra- the south, one can view the Amari valley on one side with vayiakis and I had the opportunity to join the annual fes- its beautiful small villages dotting the mountainous land- tivities organized by the “Syllogos of Apantahou Livadio- scape, and of course the Libyan Sea extending far deep ton” at the Mygero plateau of mountain Psiloritis called, onto the shores of Africa. “H STRATA TOU PSILOREITI,” high above the village of The small ruble-stone church of Timios Stavros is situ- Livadia in Milopotamos, Crete. A wonderful gathering of ated at the very top of the peak. That particular morning more than 2000 people from all walks of life make the an- we were blessed with the presence of His Eminence Metro- nual pilgrimage to the top of the ancient mountain. Very politan Evgenios, who together with several local priests, early in the morning, before sunrise, the braver souls take performed the Divine Liturgy and offered communion to the steep uphill path for a three-hour climb to the 2456 the hundreds of climber-pilgrims. And since there cannot meter peak of Timios Stavros. A few lucky souls were be a festival without music, the lyra and laouto musicians spared this treacherous climb, as we were offered a heli- were on hand to play and sing the traditional mountain copter ride from the plateau to the peak. songs of the shepherds and dance the Pentozali. Hats off Once at the peak, one has this exhilarating feeling to all those brave young Cretans who performed their that you are indeed on top of the world. The view is sim- jumps and twists high up in the air, even though the wind ply spectacular! Braving the strong wind gusts, in front of was blowing so strong that it endangered their landing on you stretches the entire Rethymno prefecture to the left the uneven gravelly pavement of the peak. and Heraklio to the right, as well as the Cretan Sea, like a After having soaked in the cool mountain air and an20 KPHTH | OCTOBER 2014

Ρ Ε Π Ο Ρ ΤΑ Ζ 1. The helicopter that transported a lucky few to the top of SPECIAL REPORT Mount Psiloritis. 2. World Council of Cretans Vice President Kostas Travay- iakis and World Council of Cretans President Emmanuel Velivasakis. 3. Walkers descending Mount Psiloritis. experience of a lifetime, I decided to take the downhill path and slowly walk from the peak down to the Mygeros plateau! I need to tell you from first-hand experience that walking downhill is even harder than uphill. Trying to bal- ance oneself on the gravelly path, stepping on slippery stones worn by the footsteps of thousands or perhaps mil- lions of climbers before you, from the Minoans to today, and braving the wind gusts at the same time, is not an1 easy task by any measurable means. After a few falls and bruises, swollen ankles and painful legs, the hundreds of other climbers and I made it down to the base, where vol- unteers waited for us with cold bottles of water and thun- derous applause. Personally, besides the pain and bruises, the satisfaction of having made the ancient journey was more than enough to make it well worth it. At the plateau, literally thousands of people gathered under a huge tent stretching for several acres. The glendi was already in full swing and the local wine, cheese and “Antikristo” roast lambs and goats were plentiful. All in all, this was one day to remember for a lifetime. It was an experience that awakens your very genetic Cretan codes and rejuvenates the mind and spirit! The following are two mandinades given to me by George Vitoros and Metropolitan Evgenios, respectively, apropos to the occasion. K2 Απο’που καιν κατάγεσαι ο νους σου δεν αρνεβει. Αμα δεν έχεις στη κορφή του Ψιλορειτη ανεβει. Στου Ψηλορειτη τη κορφή πετάχτηκα και βγήκα Να προσκυνησω το Σταύρο να φύγει κάθε πίκρα!3 KPHTH | WWW.PANCRETAN.ORG 21

My Volunteer VacationA Visit to My Father’s Homelandof Crete, GreeceLYNN (ELENI PAITAKES) LOTKOWICTZ 1. Lynn Lotkowictz sits with the family that owns and runs Hotel Handakas,where volunteers stay. Lynn says they arewonderful people whotreated her like family. 2. This is the beauti- ful beach two blocksfrom Hotel Handakas. 1 2Agranddaughter of one of my mother’s dearest friends FRIDAY - SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4-5 - reached out to me in early October while doing some HEADING OUTgenealogy research. She was trying to find out more about It was a long two days of travel from Tampa to Newarkfamily and her Greek heritage and sent me some old pho- to Brussels and finally to Heraklion, Crete via Aegeantos that brought back great memories about a culture and Air. The highlight of the flight was lunch on the last legpeople I hadn’t thought about in a long time. It was the of the trip when Aegean Air provided authentic Greekperfect start to my first attempt at a volunteer vacation. yogurt with a side of spanakopita (spinach pie), the best Instead of relaxing on a beach or sightseeing in Ath- in-flight meal ever!ens, I signed up for a two-week stint helping young stu- Global Volunteers’ country leader “Sam” (short fordents learn English in Crete, a program sponsored by Samantha) met me at the Heraklion International Air-Global Volunteers. Since 1984, Global Volunteers (glo- port and we drove to the modest hotel where all vol-balvolunteers.org) has been offering a variety of pro- unteers stay. Later in the evening, Sam invited me tograms in 19 countries, but of course for me the Crete dinner with the two other volunteers participating inprogram had a strong personal appeal. the program, a retired couple from California on their A little background: My father and his family left eighth Global Volunteers trip. (The summer programsCrete in 1917, traveling from Athens on the ship Patris have 20 or more volunteers, but I deliberately choosefor the 10 to 12-week Atlantic crossing to New York’s October for a more personal, authentic experience.).Ellis Island. Like immigrants from across Europe, his SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6 -ORIENTATIONfamily was poor and was seeking a better life in the U.S. After the long day of travel, it was a relief that our pro-My father was seven years old at the time. gram orientation was an informal gathering by the ho- His family settled in New Jersey and he grew up realiz- tel pool. We introduced ourselves, set goals for the twoing the American dream, had four children, an amazing wife weeks and, after lunch, took off in a teammate’s rentaland great success in business with “The Spinning Wheel car to visit some local villages. For me it was an oppor-Diner & Cocktail Lounge” in New Brunswick, New Jersey. tunity to practice my limited Greek on the locals. Dur-My father never forgot his homeland and I feel lucky that I ing our excursion, we were lucky to see a Greek Ortho-have the opportunity to experience the island myself.22 KPHTH | OCTOBER 2014

Ρ Ε Π Ο Ρ ΤΑ Ζdox wedding procession heading towards the church, walk in the afternoon, some reading and Greek pizza SPECIAL REPORTalong with, what looked liked, the entire village. for a quick dinner I was off to our after-school program.MONDAY, OCTOBER 7 - TEACHING BEGIN For the first real evening of teaching, I was workingFor the next two weeks, we spent our evenings, 6:30 to with two boys and one girl, aged 14. We practiced vo-10:30 p.m., at Morfosi School (which means “Knowledge” cabulary and I asked them to complete sentences. Myin Greek), a private school five miles from our hotel in the student, John, had a few struggles but tried hard andneighboring town of Gazi. The school’s director, Matina, is was genuinely interested in learning English. At the enda Greek-American New Yorker who visited Crete 20 years of class he asked me if he could bring in his mandolinago, fell in love, married a local business man and never re- one night to show me how well he played. I was thrilledturned to the U.S. he wanted to share his talent with me. It was a fun and To prepare for the first class, our small group chatted very rewarding night.about how to make the best possible impression and learn WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9 - LOVING CRETEas much as possible about the students and their interests. In the morning I headed back to Heraklion to spendAfter a wonderful seafood dinner, we made our way to the some time at the Historical Museum of Crete, eat theschool and met our students. Each of the three classes had most amazing Greek spinach pies and explore the beau-a half-dozen teens and pre-teens, ages 9 to 14. We intro- tiful port. October weather was gorgeous, and a joyduced ourselves and then they used their limited English to be outdoors with blue sky, mountain backdrop andto ask us the type of questions that teens around the world warm, friendly people.ask Americans. “How much are iPhones in the U.S.?” “What THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10kind of music do you like?” “Are New Yorkers and Ameri- In the evening class I experimented with my iPad minicans friendly?” The students were genuine, inquisitive and and the “Endless Alphabet” app. They were excited to tryenthusiastic. It was a successful first encounter. something new and, of course, like all young people, gotTUESDAY, OCTOBER 8 - the “swipe” down instantly. Bright eyed and clearly havingFEELING LIKE A LOCAL fun, the students asked, “Will you be here next week?”Our days were mostly free and I was craving a Starbucks FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11 - HOSPITALITYso decided to venture to the bigger city, Heraklion. Af- This morning Matina, the school owner, invited me toter a 20-minute bus ride, 20-minute walk and a few Heraklion, an easy 20-minute bus ride from our hotel inwrong turns, I spotted the familiar green umbrella. On Amadoura, to get a quick tour of the best places for out-the way, I passed so many quaint authentic Greek coffee standing Greek cuisine, snacks and sweets. The hospitalityhouses with wonderful aromas of baked local special- and warmth from everyone I encountered was wonderfulties that I changed plans. I skipped Starbucks for a local and heart-warming. They were so appreciative of our timespot, sat outside and enjoyed the morning with Greek and wanted to be sure we also enjoyed ourselves.coffee, spanakopita and people watching. After a short12 31. My student Nefeli who has an interest in design and fashion. 2. First time I pad “swipe” – very exciting! 3. Making friends in thelocal café. KPHTH | WWW.PANCRETAN.ORG 23

Ρ Ε Π Ο Ρ ΤΑ ΖSPECIAL REPORT Our hotel gave us complete use of the lobby, two TUESDAY - FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15-18 computers and WiFi. Breakfast, a hot lunch and tradi- THINKING OF MY FATHER tional Greek dinners were all included. We were treat- The second week of teaching and sightseeing flew by ed like family. and soon it was time to say goodbye. It was a great op- MONDAY, OCTOBER 14 - portunity to live side-by-side with the locals and gain BACK TO TEACHING an understanding of an ancient culture. The people of After a great weekend of fabulous Greek food, an enter- Crete have modern-day economic difficulties, yet they taining evening compliments of Matina and her fam- are warm, welcoming and happy to share personal sto- ily and some new sightseeing experiences, we headed ries with a positive attitude. into week two. The children were more open and com- We learned a lot from each other and so many times fortable working with us. We were told that it’s really during the trip I thought of my father. I know that I’ll helpful for them to hear English from native speak- return. To put it simply, I love Crete. K ers, something they rarely get to do. This particular For more information on Global Volunteers pro- area of Greece gets many tourists from all over Eu- grams, go toglobalvolunteers.org or call 800-487- rope and Russia but few Americans, so listening and 1074. I’m happy to talk to anyone personally. Email having conversations is a great learning experience. me at [email protected]ΔΩΡΗΤΕΣ PAA 300D O N AT I O N S Gus & Evangeline Alpogianis John & Pagona Kokolakis Panagiotis & Julie Rodamis James & Mia Boutzoukas John & Elena Manos John & Vickie Sargetis Cretan Ladies Association, “Amalthia” Theodore & Rema Manousakis Constantine & Ethel Stamis Epimenides & Ariadne League of Cretans John Marakis Emmanuel & Orsa Velivasakis Nikolaos & Despina Verikakis Anna Giannoulias In Memory of Irene Tsourounakis Nikolaos Kapelonis Mazacoufa KPHTH MAGAZINE 100 SPONSORS* PAA MVC-Minoan Village YES Brokers, Inc. Andreas & Maria Vamvakis Nicholaos & Despina Verikakis PSK- World Council of Cretans Velivasakis-Cultural Crete John & Elena Manos Family (Andonis Tsourdalakis-President) Angelakis Families Emanuel & Callie Elliott Pancretan Youth Association John Bobolakis Family Theodore & Rema Manousakis Family Stavros & Helene Semanderes Family PAA District 2 John Blazakis Family Theodore & Erika Spyropoulos Foundation Radamanthus-Ide, Boston, Mass. Yiani Galanos Family Constantine & Ethel Stamis Emanuel & Roula Tsikoudakis Family Arkadi-Maleme, Pittsburgh, Penn. Yiannis Hatzidakis Family George & Margo Tzitzikas Cretan Ladies Association, Amalthia, Chicago, Ill. John & Peggy Kokolakis Emmanuel & Orsa Velivasakis Nick & Maria Stratoudakis and Family Cretans of Greater Philadelphia (Knossos) Athena Sarris Novotny and Ranney Families KPHTH Chapter of Clearwater, Fla. George & Maria Savakis Travayiakis Family John and Zaharoula Marmatakis & Family Syllogos Kreton Minos, Astoria, N.Y. Kostas & Donna Tsiskakis Family Minos-Crete,Ladies Proodos, Varouh Family and Youth Springfield, Mass. Nick & Nancy Vidalakis Family Omonoia, Astoria, N.Y. Nick Delis Family Pseloretes, Detroit, Mich. Stavros & Eleni Antonakakis Family Zeus Cretagenis, Sacramento, Calif. John & Vickie Sargetis Family *Gold level donors of KPHTH Magazine’s annual Christmas issue.24 KPHTH | OCTOBER 2014

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KPI-KPI Special IssuePRESIDENT Dear Fellow Cretans,Katerina Makridakis • (330) 554-6340 This summer, PYA did something that’s never been done by the youth before for a group of [email protected] young Cretans. PYA, the organization we should all be very proud to be a part of, hosted a glendiWEST COAST VICE PRESIDENT for the Παράρτημα Προστασίας Παιδιού & Νέων Χανίων. Please learn about the event in this issueAlex Sargetis • (916) 475-2711 of KriKri, and don’t forget to save January 15-18, 2015 for the PYA Winter Conference in [email protected] I hope to see you all there.EAST COAST VICE PRESIDENT Katerina MakridakisChristos Markakis • (313) 980-5842 PYA [email protected] On August 4, 2014 the PYA Philanthropic Committee hosted the event Εκδηλωση ΑγαπηςManoli Liodakis • (801) 815-8924 in Καμποι, Κεραμειων. The event raised funds to help with Παράρτημα Προστασίας Παιδιού[email protected] & Νέων Χανίων. All the funds are going toward fixing the building that got damaged fromSECRETARY the earthquake and getting supplies for the children. The event was set to begin at 9:00Mary Papadakis • (801) 864-5270 P.M. in which we hoped to accommodate 1000 people. After the festivities started, [email protected] syllogo had to arrange more tables and chairs for more than 1400 people!KRI-KRI EDITOR Words cannot express the feeling I had when our vision for the event became a real-Joseph Antonakakis • (707) 574-8410 ity. The locals chattered about how an event like this has never taken place at [email protected] village and in Chania. We had a full menu of local honey, cheese, paximadia, pilafi,IT CHAIR vrasto, salad, xerino with potatoes, fruit, tsikoudia and wine. We had a variety of tal-Vaggelis El-Ali • (586) 441-8870 ented musicians who donated their performances to provide the entertainment [email protected] our guests. The list of talent included Κακλης Γιαννης, Κορδατζακης Κωστας, ΨαρουδακηςFUNDRAISING CHAIR Γιωργος, Μπακατσακης Μιχαλης, Χαμογιωργακης Μανωλης, Μαρτσακης Αντωνης, ΜαρεντακηςManolis Boutzoukas • (727) 743-0741 Νικολαος, Μανωλαρακης Ανδρεας, and Παντερμακια. The kefi and orexi combined with [email protected] dance group were simply indescribable – a night to remember. We thank you from thePHILANTHROPIC CHAIR bottom of our hearts.Matthaios Daoutis • (708) 989-9012 After a year of organizing and planning this event, thank you greatly to the Πολιτιστικός[email protected] Συλλογος Καμπων Κεραμειων, the PYA Philanthropic Committee was able to host a suc-PUBLIC RELATIONS CO-CHAIRS cessful evening which raised over 14,000 Euros for Παράρτημα Προστασίας Παιδιού & ΝέωνMatina Legakis • (248) 703-2203 Χανίων. A big thank you to their president, Tasos Politakis, for his outstanding [email protected] and dedication to the cause.Stephanie Novotny • (248) 505-5499 Taso and his syllogo helped with the invitations, promotional materials and all the [email protected] tising that led up to the event. This evening truly could not have taken place if it wasn’tCULTURAL CHAIR for their help and for all of those that came from far and near to support this event. INikolaos Markakis • (416) 993-7085 would also like to recognize Matthaios Daoutis, our PYA Philanthropic Chair who [email protected] an integral role in helping organize the fundraiser.WEST COAST YOUTH SUPERVISOR Most importantly, the children from Παράρτημα Προστασίας Παιδιού & Νέων Χανίων had aXanthippi Gelasakis • (916) 207-1850 great time. A special thank you to Mr. and Mrs. Stratoudakis and Mr. and Mrs. Mike [email protected] ton for their help in collecting tickets and donations throughout the night. We appreci-EAST COAST YOUTH SUPERVISOR ate all of you who donated their money and time to make sure the glendi ran smoothly.Terry Stratoudakis • (347) 228-7379 This night made a difference in these kids’ lives and not only did we help them but [email protected] put a smile on their faces. Recognized on the next page are all of those who donated to the cause. My sincere gratitude, Xanthippi Gelasakis PYA West Coast Youth Supervisor26 KPHTH | OCTOBER 2014

PYA Glendi for OrphanageΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΤΙΚΟΣ ΣΥΛΟΓΓΟΣ ΚΑΜΠΙΟΝ Special Thanks Charlie RodarakisSuper Market INKA- ΤΖΙΡΚΑΚΗΣ Ted & Katherine KogianesΟΙΝΟΜΟΙΗΟ ΝΙΚΟΛΙΟΥΔΑΚΗΣ PAA District 6 Cretan Ladies Association Amalthia Zeus Cretagenis Cretans Omonoia of Orange CountyΚΑΜΝΙΣΑΚΗΣ ΜΠΟΥΛΙΤΣΑΚΗΣ Minos Crete Youth Cretan Youth of Chicago & SuburbsGEO graphics - ΓΕΩΡΒΑΣΑΚΗΣ George and Helen Liodakis Pancretan Youth Association ofΕΠΙΓΡΑΦΕΣ IDEA Jim Katsanevas AmericaΦΡΟΥΤΑ και ΛΑΧΑΝΙΚΑ ΣΤΟΥΡΟΜΑΛΗΣ Shawn Trujillo & Angie Katsanevas Pancretan Association of America Stratoudakis Family Minotravos UtahΟΛΟΥΣ ΤΟΥΣ ΣΤΑΦΜΟΥΣ ΧΑΝΙΟΝ Gelasakis Family Psiloriti Youth of Southern California PAA District 2 Daughters of Minos UtahΝΕΑ ΤΗΛΕΟΡΑΣΗ ΚΡΗΤΗΣ Manolis KatsanevassΠΑΠΑΔΟΜΑΝΟΛΑΚΗΣ ΑΓΡΟΕΦΙΔΙΑ - Chrysoula TzortzakiΚΟΝΤΟΠΟΥΛΑΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΤΙΚΟΣ ΣΥΛΛΟΓΟΣ ΚΑΤΑΧΟΡΙΥΠΟΥΡΓΕΙΟ ΕΡΓΑΣΙΑΣ, ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΚΗΣ ΑΣΦΑΛΙΣΗΣ ΚΑΙ ΠΡΟΝΟΙΑΣ KPI-KPIΚΕΝΤΡΟ ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΚΗΣ ΠΡΟΝΟΙΑΣ ΠΕΡΙΦΕΡΕΙΑΣ ΚΡΗΤΗΣΠΑΡΑΡΤΗΜΑ ΠΡΟΣΤΑΣΙΑΣ ΠΑΙΔΙΩΝ & ΝΕΩΝ ΧΑΝΙΩΝΣΥΝΤΟΜΟ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΚΟΤο Παράρτημα Προστασίας Παιδιού & Νέων Χανίων έχει τις ρίζες του στις αρχές του προηγούμενου αιώνα με την ίδρυση τουΕθνικού Ορφανοτροφείου Αρρένων Χανίων που σκοπό είχε την Προστασία και φροντίδα ορφανών αγοριών θυμάτων πολέμου. Το 1974μετονομάστηκε σε Κέντρο Παιδικής Μέριμνας Αρρένων Χανίων. Ακολούθησαν δύο συγχωνεύσεις το 1999 με το Κέντρο ΑποκατάστασηςΑτόμων με Ειδικές Ανάγκες και το 2011 με το Θεραπευτήριο Χρονίων Παθήσεων Χανίων. Το Νοέμβριο του 2013 πήρε τη σημερινή τουονομασία. Το Κτήριο το οποίο στεγάζεται από το 1922 λειτουργούσε ως Τουρκικό Μοναστήρι γνωστό ως Τεκές των Μελβεβήδων. Μετάτο 1922 με την ανταλλαγή των πληθυσμών το κτήριο το οποίο χρονολογείται από το 1840 λειτούργησε ως Ορφανοτροφείο Χανίων.Στο κτήριο αυτό φιλοξενούνται σήμερα είκοσι δύο παιδιά και νέοι που φοιτούν στην Πρωτοβάθμια, Δευτεροβάθμια και ΤριτοβάθμιαΕκπαίδευση.ΣΚΟΠΟΣ ΤΟΥ ΠΑΡΑΡΤΗΜΑΤΟΣ ΠΡΟΣΤΑΣΙΑΣ ΠΑΙΔΙΩΝ & ΝΕΩΝ ΧΑΝΙΩΝΤο Παράρτημα Προστασίας Παιδιών & Νέων Χανίων έχει σκοπό την προστασία, μόρφωση και επαγγελματική εκπαίδευση παιδιώναρρένων που αποδεδειγμένα είναι απροστάτευτα ή στερούνται επαρκούς οικογενειακής φροντίδας ηλικίας 5-24 ετών.ΠΑΡΕΧΟΜΕΝΕΣ ΥΠΗΡΕΣΙΕΣΣτο Παράρτημα εισάγονται αγόρια ηλικίας 5 – 18 ετών με διατρέφονται και συντηρούνται από αυτό, το οποίο είναι υποχρεωμένο ναυποκαταστήσει την οικογένεια σε όλες της τις υποχρεώσεις απέναντι στο παιδί με πρωταρχικό σκοπό την περιφρούρηση της υγείαςκαι της ασφάλειάς του. Τα παιδιά εισάγονται ύστερα από αιτιολογημένη πρόταση της Διεύθυνσης Κοινωνικής Πρόνοιας ή κατόπινεισαγγελικής εντολής. Στο τμήμα εισάγεται κάθε παιδί το οποίο προσωρινά ή μόνιμα διατρέχει κίνδυνο λόγω ελλιπούς ή ανύπαρκτηςοικογενειακής προστασίας. Τα παιδιά που εισάγονται στο τμήμα είναι ψυχικά, πνευματικά και σωματικά υγιή και φοιτούν στα δημόσιασχολεία της πόλης.ΕΙΔΙΚΕΣ ΠΑΡΟΧΕΣΣτα παιδιά δικαιολογείται κάθε δαπάνη που κρίνεται σκόπιμη για την υγιεινή και άνετη διαβίωση τους, την ευπρεπή εμφάνισή τους,την ανάπτυξη των δεξιοτήτων τους και την καλλιέργεια των ταλέντων τους, την ψυχαγωγία τους μέσα και έξω από το Παράρτημα, τησυμμετοχή τους σε αθλητικά σωματεία και δραστηριότητες και γενικά για κάθε τι που κατά τη γνώμη του επιστημονικού προσωπικούθα συμβάλλει στην υγιή ψυχοσωματική τους ανάπτυξη με ιδιαίτερη έμφαση στις δαπάνες που έχουν στόχο την ανάπτυξη τουγνωστικού πεδίου των μαθητών.ΕΘΕΛΟΝΤΙΣΜΟΣΤο Παράρτημα Προστασίας Παιδιών & Νέων Χανίων στηρίζεται σε ένα ευρύτατο και αξιόλογο δίκτυο εθελοντών όλων των ειδικοτήτων:γιατρών, εκπαιδευτικών, δικηγόρων, επιχειρηματιών, απλών πολιτών που προσφέρουν ανιδιοτελώς τις υπηρεσίες τους στα παιδιά.Επιπλέον, σημαντική είναι η συμβολή του Ελληνικού Ερυθρού Σταυρού, του Συλλόγου «ΣΥΝΑΝΘΡΩΠΟΣ», ο οποίος συνέβαλε στηνανακαίνιση του κτηρίου μας και τέλος, ο Σύλλογος Αποφοίτων Κέντρου Παιδικής Μέριμνας. KPHTH | WWW.PANCRETAN.ORG 27

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Cretan Culture in AmericaThe PAA Recognizes District 5 CretanMusicians and Dance TroupesIn this issue of KPHTH magazine we are highlighting the dance troupes of our PAA Chapters in District 5. These include the Minotavros and KriKri dance troupes of SaltLake City, Utah, and the Idomeneas dance troupe of Denver, Colorado. We are alsohighlighting Pavli Papadakis, a talented musician from Salt Lake City, who plays laou-to. You will have the chance to meet them personally next summer at our PAA NationalConvention in Salt Lake City. — Bob Markakis, PAA Culture and Education ChairDISTRICT 5 MUSICIAN PAVLI PAPADAKIS Pavli Papadakis was born dings, baptisms and glendia in Salt Lake City, Denver, in Salt Lake City, Utah, Detroit and Montreal. He then ordered a professional on November 12, 1994, laouto made by Vlastaki in 2013. to Maria and Spiro Papa- His favorite time to play the laouto is “Anytime.” Pavli dakis. His parents were truly has a passion for music, and was recently accepted born in Mouriziana and into Boston’s Berklee College of Music. During his audi- Voukolies, Kissamos, tion, he stuck to his roots, playing and singing a Cretan Chania. Pavli currently melody on the laouto. lives in Salt Lake City. Some of his favorite musicians are Thanassis He picked up his first Skordalos, Kostas Papadakis (Naftis), Psarogiorgis, and instrument, the gui- Nikos Manias. Learning Cretan music led him to discov- tar, at the age of 12, ering music in general and not limiting himself only to but he never really the Creta genre. played much. He thenPavli Papadakis SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH’S DANCE TROUPE The Minotavros Youth Dance Group has certain- picked up the bouzouki at the ly grown since the first group was organized inage of 14. He liked the bouzouki, but he kept telling 1986. The first group was founded with the en-his parents that he wanted a laouto. By the summer of couragement and support of then District 5 Gov-2009, he saved up enough money tobuy a 25-year-old Fragkiadaki laou- ernor Chris Tsoutsounis. There were 11 originalto. His teacher, Xarilaos Vlastakis,from Kastelli, Kissamos, taughthim the basics when Pavli was inCrete. Back in the United States,not a day went by that he did notplay. He would listen to songsand watch Youtube videos andpick up a song right away af-ter only listening to it one ortwo times. He soon was be-ing invited to play at wed-30 KPHTH | OCTOBER 2014

MΟΥΣΙΚΗ ΚΑΙ ΧΟΡΟΣdancers, four boys and seven girls. Today, the Minotav- the early 1990s by the Kounalis sisters, Alex and Alicia. MUSIC & DANCEros Youth Chapter has three dance groups. The young- Ever since then, they have had plenty of youth to main-est dance group includes fourth through sixth graders, tain all three groups.the intermediate group includes seventh through ninth The current instructor and coordinator for all threegraders, and the oldest dance group includes tenth grad- groups is Alexandria (Kounalis) Melisaratos. Other in-ers and up. We have about 50 total dancers who partici- structors include Nico Derr, Katie Saponas, Caterinapate. The dance groups have weekly practices and threemajor performances throughout the year: the annual Denver’s middle school troupe, back row, from left to right:Minos dance, the annual Minotavros Youth dance, and Maria Kyriazi, Alex Ioannides, Anastasia Therianos, Caterinathree days of performances during the Salt Lake City Derr, Lexie Vasilas, Nini Stefanoudakis, Isabella Stefanouda-community’s annual Greek Festival. kis. Front row, from left to right: John Andretsos, Niko Ioan- We have elections for our dance instructors and nides, Chris Andretsos, Evan Andretsos, George Papadeas,have one male and one female for each group. The cur- Nico Derr, Niko Johns..rent instructors are Eleni Saltas, Yanni Sifantonakis,Stauss Paulos, Jeff Chipian, Pete Saltas, and myself, Denver’s senior dance troupe, from left to right:Mary Papadakis. Steven Priddy, Nico Derr, Christy Saponas, Katie Our women’s club, the Daughters of Minos, also Saponas, Caterina Derr, Joseph Priddy.started their own dance group a few years ago, called theKriKri group. They consist of kids in first through third Derr, Maria and Evan Andretsos, Chris Tzortzis, andgrades. The instructors of that group are sisters Geor- Sam Kounalis. All of their dance groups perform an-gia and Zoe Tsoutsounis. All of our current instructors nually at the Greek Orthodox Assumption of the The-started in the youngest dance group. otokos Cathedral’s Greek Festival in June. They also This holds true with our original dance instruc- perform for the Archangel Michael Church in Coloradotors. Cretan dancing is very important to us in Salt Springs and at various venues across the state.Lake City. We take pride in these traditions and Both the Idomeneas and Minotavros dance groupspassing them down to younger generations in hopes often support each other at various events, with theof keeping them alive. We are especially excited to Denver youth travelling to Salt Lake City to performplay a big role in the upcoming PAA national conven- and vice versa. Ktion in the summer of 2015! —A special thanks to Salt Lake City Youth Pres- ident Mary Papadakis, who wrote this article.DENVER, COLORADO’S DANCE TROUPThe Idomeneas Youth Dance group consists of threedifferent groups. The youngest includes membersfrom first through fifth grade, the middle group iscomprised of sixth through eighth graders, andtheir adult group includes ninth graders and up. Theoriginal dance group was created by Katina Tsapa-kis in the late 1970s, early 1980s. Originally, Denverhad a young adults group, which later evolved intoa larger group that encompassed high school andadult youth. The younger dance groups were created inLeft: Salt Lake City’s adult dance group at our Greek Fes-tival. Pictured from left to right, back row: Dimitri Katsane-vas, Steven Katsohirakis, Mikey Saltas, Zoe Tsoutsounis,Maddie Paulos, Nina Paulos, Vasiliki Karahalios, MaryPapadakis, Georgia Tsoutsounis, Artemis Sefandonakis,Jeff Chipian (instructor), Dimitri Dinas, Yanni Sifantonakis,Gregory Sergakis, Michael Giamalakis. Front row, left toright: Tricia Luras, Anna Hatzipolakis, Eleni Saltas, MaryNikols, Katina Tatum, Nichole Gaviotakis. KPHTH | WWW.PANCRETAN.ORG 31

PHOTOGRAPHSΦ Ω Τ Ο Γ ΡΑΦ Ι Ε Σ ANNUAL PICNIC 1 2 The KPHTH Chapter of Clearwater, Flor- 3 ida, held their annual picnic on October 4. A big thank you goes out to our event chairperson Andrew Hacket and all of his co-chairs for a fun-filled day. The food was delicious, as were the homemade pastries. Thank you to the ladies of our chapter for making the desserts. Our youth brought the event to its highlight with an awesome performance from all three dance groups, Drosoulites! Niko Votzakis has done a tremendous job teaching the groups, the chapter appreciates all his hard work and dedication and wishes him Kali Senexia. The dancers looked amazing in their new costumes. A very special thank you to Kosta Zombanakis for taking time out of his busy schedule to make all the new cos- tumes for our dancers, and to his helper Joan Frangedis. 1. Despina Votzakis and Stephanie Liarikos work the youth coffee booth, specializing in Frappe! 2. Anna Nikolo- poulos selling raffle tickets to members. 3. Alex Pappas and Dean Kotakis grill- ing the souvlakia. 4. Kitchen staff from left to right: Gina Makris, Georgene Vot- zakis, James Boutzoukas, Strati Kapara- kis and Dino Zombanakis. 5. Members of the beginning dance group from left to right: Vasili Makryllos, Michalia Makryllos, Illiana Gerakios, Despina Protopapada- kis and Evangelia Chambers. 6. Menia Boutzoukas and Vasso Anton attend to the pastry table. 4 6 532 KPHTH | OCTOBER 2014

ΕΚΔΗΛΏΣΕΙΣ Calendar of Events 2014 EVENTS October 10-12 Dunlap, Calif. 11 Dunlap, Calif. 18 Astoria, N.Y. Annual District 6 Retreat Roxanne Koston PYA Board Meeting at Omonoia’s Annual (650) 368-7891 Saint Nicholas Ranch Dinner Dance hosted by the PYA Panagiotis Rodamis Katerina Makridakis (330) 554-6340 (917) 500-5022 25 Weston, Fla. 31 Arlington Heights, Ill. 85th PAA Anniversary Third Shotgun Tournament 2014 Celebration Cultural Event & Dinner: & Potluck Picnic Music and Video Documentary on the History of the PAA At Markham Park Target Range from 8 a.m to 11 a.m. hosted by the Cretan Fraternity of Chicago and Suburbs hosted by the Cretan Assoication of Miami Antoni Tomadakis (561) 756-5758 and the Ladies of Amalthia chapters at the European Crystal Banquet Hall George Kallergis (847) 989-7663, Chris Stavrou (630) 544-7973, Mike Brillakis (708) 989-2284, Mike Manos (847) 894-7522November 1 Rosemont, Ill. 1 Arlington Heights, Ill. 1 Piscataway, N.J. Annual Cretan PAA Board Meeting at the Dinner Dance at European Annual Pilafi Event at St. George Westin O’Hare Hotel at 9 a.m. Greek Orthodox Church Crystal Banquet Hall, hosted by the Ladies of Amalthia and hosted by the Cretans’ Fraternity, the Cretan Fraternity of Chicago and Suburbs hosted by the Cretan Fraterniy of The White Mountains Chicago & Suburbs and the Cretan Ladies George Kallergis (847) 989-7663, John N. Kalogridis (732) 794-4587, John Manos (630) 212-1644, of Amalthia Chapters George Kallergis (847) 989-7663, Chris Stavrou Takis Psarakis (908) 256-6813 Evangeline Alpogianis (773) 878-8901 (630) 544-7973, Mike Brillakis (708) 989-2284 2 Chicago, Ill. 8 Astoria, N.Y. 15 Canonsburg, Pa. Wendella Boat Tour Minos of New York Arkadi-Maleme Pittsburgh for PAA Board Meeting Guests Annual Dinner Dance Annual Dinner Dance Zaharoula Marmatakis, (908) 705-3222 Emmanuel Anastasakis (516) 236-2543 Commemorating D. Theotokopoulos [email protected] (El Greco) Helene Semanderes (724) 746-2878 15 St. Claire Shores, Mich. 22 Astoria, N.Y. 29 Springfield, Mass. December 5 Palm Harbor, Fla. Annual Christmas Pseloretes Fundraiser Dance Pasiphae’s New York Minos-Crete Annual Dance Party at the Cretanat Assumption Cultural Center Annual Dinner Dance at the Cretan Club Cultural Center to restore clubhouse damaged Maria Solanaki John Kontekakis (413) 204-4877 by floods 6 p.m. (646) 641-2490 hosted by KPHTH www.minoscrete.com of Clearwater John Marakis (586) 707-7279 Mia Boutzoukas [email protected] (727) 786-8879 SAVE THE DATE 44th PAA National Convention June 27-July 2, 2015 Salt Lake City, Utah Check out the YouTube trailer for the 2015 PAA Convention: paaslc2015.org Does your chapter have an event coming up? Let us know!Email your events to [email protected] so we can help promote them. KPHTH | WWW.PANCRETAN.ORG 33

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CRETANS’ ASSOCIATIONLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA CONDOLENCES We are deeply saddened by the officer of the Royal Bank of Montreal and perfected his fluency in French. passing of a long-time member of He married Barbara Jean Akrotirianakis (nee Proulx) in Detroit, Michigan, on March 1, 1968. They our Cretan Association and friend, moved to California in 1968 and have lived in Whittier, Nicholas Joseph Akrotirianakis, California, since 1969. Until his retirement in 2008, he 78, of Whittier, California, who fell worked in the transportation industry as an accountant. Mr. Akrotirianakis returned to his homeland in asleep in the Lord on June 16, 2014. 2006 and completed a pilgrimage to the Church of Panagia Evangelistria on the island of Tinos, fulfilling Mr. Akrotirianakis was born a promise made by his mother while their family shel- tered in the ancient Venetian walls of Chania duringNicholas Joseph June 20, 1935, in Chania, Crete, to the 1941 bombing. Akrotirianakis Sifis (Iosif) Akrotirianakis and He was devout in his Orthodox faith and steadfast Eleni (nee Saridakis). As a child, in his belief in God’s promise of everlasting life in thehe survived the May 1941 bombing of Chania and the Kingdom of Heaven. For more than 35 years, he offered his talents as a chanter and choir member at several subsequent Nazi invasion and occupation (of which Greek Orthodox churches in Southern California. He was a warm, friendly and positive person overhe later wrote in a 2011 memoir), and, as a teenager, the course of his life, and he always saw his glass half full, even throughout his three-year illness.he survived the Greek Civil War. He is survived by Mrs. Akrotirianakis and his sons, Fr. Stavros Nicholas Akrotirianakis, of Riverview, Following the Civil War, he studied English at the Florida, and Joseph Nicholas Akrotirianakis, of Pas- adena, California, his daughters-in-law, Presvytera LisaGreek-American Institute of Athens and law at the Akrotirianakis and Sherese Marie Akrotirianakis, and his grandsons, Nicholas Stavros (7) and NicholasUniversity of Athens. He received his law degree, with Joseph and Michael Joseph (both 21 months). His love of his faith, history, the law and his Cre-honors, in 1960 and passed his bar examinations. tan heritage lives on through his children, as does his philoxenia (hospitality). May his memory be eternal. He proudly served in the Royal Hellenic Air Force —HELEN SKANDALE,from April 1960 to November 1962, as a Second Lieu- CORRESPONDING SECRETARYtenant assigned to the Press and Public Relations Di-rectorate of the General Air Staff. Fluent in Greek andEnglish and conversant in French, he hosted a numberof NATO delegations to Greece and the Swedish dele-gation to the wedding of Juan Carlos I of Spain andPrincess Sofia of Greece and Denmark, who later be-came the King and Queen of Spain. Following his honorable discharge from his militaryservice, he came to the United States on June 29, 1963,through the Fulbright Program, and studied econom-ics at the University of Colorado at Boulder and theState University of New York at Buffalo. Mr. Akrotirianakis lived in Montreal, Quebec, from1964 to February 1968, where he worked as a junior LEFKA OREE, MODESTO, CALIFORNIA STATHOUDAKIS BIRTH John and Megan Stathoudakis are happy to announce the birth of their second child, Arianna Renee Stathoudakis. Arianna was born May 3, weighing 9 lbs, 13 oz. The Stathoudakis’ reside in Modesto, as well as the proud grandparents Mihalis and Arianna Stathoudakis Olympia Stathoudakis, and Renee Pruismann.34 KPHTH | OCTOBER 2014

Ν Ε Α Σ ΥΛ ΛΟ Γ Ω ΝMichael and Eleni Kordazakis, baby KORDAZAKIS BAPTISM CHAPTER NEWSGeorgianna and Sifi Rodarakis. Michael and Eleni Kordazakis are happy to announce the baptism of their first-born daughter, Georgianna, by godfather Sifi Rodarakis. The blessed event took place on April 27, at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Modesto, California. An intimate reception took place in the Rev. Emmanuel Papageorge Cultural Center. The proud grandparents are John and Dimitra Kordazakis of Ceres, California, and Nick and Holly Faklis of Stockton, California. CRETAN MOTHER’S AND FATHER’S DAY PIZZA PARTYOn May 18, the Lefka Oree, Sisterhood Eleftheria and Apogoni Ths Kphths chapters held their annualMother’s and Father’s Day Pizza Party at Joe’s Pomodoro Pizza Café in Stockton, California, which is ownedby Mike, Sifi and Kyriakos Rodarakis. There were around 60 members in attendance. Fellow Cretansgathered together for wonderful food and friendship. It is a great experience to have grandparents, parentsand kids together to celebrate a holiday.  —NICK STAVRIANOUDAKIS Members of the Lefka Oree, Sisterhood Eleftheria and Apogoni Ths Kphths chapters 3 ARKADI-MALEME PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA GRADUATION Rio Eleni Maropis, daughter of Dr. Chris Maropis, of Oakdale, Pennsylvania, gradu- ated from West Allegheny High School, Summa Cum Laude, in June 2014. There, she was active in the marching and jazz bands, jazz and show choirs, and the National Honor Society.Rio Eleni Outside of school, Rio plays in the West Hills Symphonic Band, and has been a member of theMaropis Arkadi-Maleme dance troupe for almost ten years. She has also actively fundraised for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for seven years. In July,Rio was awarded the J.P. Pankas Memorial Scholarship by the Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, AHEPA Chapter 156. Shealso received a PAA Venizelion Scholarship in memory of Michael Vlastos, sponsored by Erasmia Novotny andHelen Ranney, in August. Rio is currently a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh with a major in the socialsciences, and is a member of the university’s varsity marching band. MEMORY ETERNAL John Kouklakis passed away on September 3. He was a member of the All Saints Greek Or- thodox Church in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, and served on its executive committee when the church was being built. He was also a member of the Cretan Association, Arkadi-Maleme of Pitts- burgh for many years. He was born June 21, 1929, to the late Petros and Maria (Stavroulakis) Kouklakis, both from Kefala, Apokorona, Crete. John was a member of AHEPA Chapter #56 as well. Prior to retiring, he was employed as a Pennsylvania building inspector. He served his countryJohn in the US Army and, while in service, visited Crete several times and met his relatives.Kouklakis Surviving John are two brothers, Steve Kouklakis and Petros (Janet) Kouklakis, both from Canonsburg, Pennsylvania; two sisters, Elizabeth Kouklakis of Canonsburg and Stella (John)Tsinetakis from Somerset, New Jersey, who are members of the White Mountains Chapter; sister-in-law Pat

Kouklakis; nieces Maria Pfaff and Lisa Haines; nephew John Tsinetakis and wife Anastasia, who is president ofKnossos Chapter. Deceased, in addition to his parents, are siblings Manuel, George, Katherine and Helen (James) Kairys.In his eulogy, Father George Livanos praised John as a good and honest person who loved his church, family andfriends. May his memory be eternal.DAUGHTERS OF MINOS SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH CONDOLENCESOur condolences to the Proestakis family and our Secretary MaryAnn Proestakis for the loss of her sisterGeorgette Proestakis. O Theos na ten sygxoresei. PAA NATIONAL CONVENTIONWe are hosts of the PAA National Convention in Salt Lake City. We look forward to seeing everyone there! — ROULA SARGETAKIS, PRESIDENTKRITIKO PELAGOS SEATTLE, WASHINGTON EVENT UPDATEOur chapter here in the great Northwest continues to plan for various events that unite us as Cretans. We hopeto arrange a lecture by Dr. George Stamatoyannopoulos on his latest findings, observations and conclu-sions from the DNA research of the early inhabitants of Crete. NEW OFFICERSThe Kritiko Pelagos chapter elected new officers this year. They are: Kostas Kostakis, president; Stilianos Manos,vice president; and Michael Gikas, secretary and treasurer. NEW MEMBER We are happy to announce a new member to our chapter. Eleftheria Anna Manos was born on December 24, 2013, to proud parents Stilianos and Kari Manos. She weighed 7.11 lbs., and was 19 inches long. Congratulations!Eleftheria Anna ManosFrom Left to right: Effie Karapidakis, ANNUAL PICNICNiko Papoutsakis, George Vranakis,Niko Vranakis, BC Cretan Association Our chapter has close ties to the Cretans of Vancouver, British Columbia,President Iraklis Kallergis and Kritiko Canada. Last month, I had the pleasure of attending their annual picnic inPelagos President Kostas Kostakis. scenic North Vancouver, British Columbia. Both our chapters share infor- mation on all events, either in Vancouver or Seattle that may be of inter- est to our members. We also hope to sponsor common events whenever practical. The distance is 140 miles to travel from Seattle to Vancouver, plus international boarder. The BC Cretan Association has close to 200 members, and regularly sponsors cultural events. We have talked about one-day possibly having all Cretans from both the United States and Can- ada under a single central organization.36 KPHTH | OCTOBER 2014

Ν Ε Α Σ ΥΛ ΛΟ Γ Ω Ν CHAPTER NEWS IN MEMORYSadly, it has been over a year since one of our founding members, Rose Kaloris-Saridakis, passed away(1921-2013). Rose was a strong supporter of our chapter. She and her husband Arthur also made significantcontributions to the Holy Cross school and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. May her memory be eternal. VISITING SEATTLELastly, I would like to remind all PAA members and friends that if their travels bring them to Seattle and thegreat Northwest, we can provide details and information for you take the Boeing Aircraft Company manu-facturing facility tours. The facility is still considered the largest manufacturing building by volume in theworld, and is home to the 787 Dreamliner, 747-8 and 777 aircraft. —KOSTAS KOSTAKIS, PRESIDENT PROODOS SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS GRADUATION Congratulations to Kristos Stebbins on his graduation from Ludlow High School. HeKristos Stebbins will be entering college in January. He is the son of Christina and Steven Stebbins. FUNDRAISERThe Cretan Ladies Society PROODOS of Springfield has undertaken a major fund-raising project to providehandicapped access to the syllogo. Several events are planned for the next few years to reach their goal. Wethank the following persons for their donations to kick-start the campaign: In memory of Manuel Sergen-tanis, Katina and George Bouzakis, Eleni and Elias Bouzakis, Costas and Allison Bouzakis, Ted andGail Bouzakis, Sophie Sergentanis, Eva Tillotson and Harry Sergentanis; Mary Kavrakis; MarieSetian. Should any of our PAA brothers and sisters wish to contribute to this worthwhile endeavor, youmay send your much-appreciated donations to Proodos, 35 Carew Street, Springfield, MA 01104. WELCOME NEW MEMBERSWe welcome our new members Maria Glimenakis from New Hampshire and Marie Setian from Long-meadow, Massachusetts.KNOSSOS TORONTO, CANADA DANCE LESSONSWe are pleased to announce that we will be offering adult dance lessons starting September 21. Each of thefour sessions will be one-hour long and will be dedicated to one of our four main Cretan dances. These dancelessons are open to any adult (member or non-member of the Association) who would like to learn how todance the main Cretan dances. Classes will be held at 1110 Birchmount Road, Unit 23, in Scarborough. Please email [email protected] for more information and to register for these lessons. We look forwardto seeing all of you there as we share another successful term at our association promoting our customs,traditions and culture. SEND US YOUR CHAPTER NEWS TO [email protected] REMEMBER: When you send your chapter news, please send high-resolution color images of at least 300 dpi, and 4x6 inches, with a caption that identifies the people in the images. DO NOT embed photos in MS Word files. Contact Second Vice President Stavros Antonakakis at (609) 929-6000 if you have questions or if you would like to adver- tise in KPHTH Magazine. Thank you. KPHTH | WWW.PANCRETAN.ORG 37