This Sunday, AHEPA held a testimonial gala honoring its immediate past Supreme President Savas Tsivicos at The Graycliff in Bergen County, New Jersey. The evening program was a benefit to endow AHEPA’s Journey to Greece program.
Members of the AHEPA family, including its global leadership as well as leadership of the Daughters of Penelope, Maids of Athena and Sons of Pericles, attended the event alongside many members of other Hellenic organizations, well-wishers, donors to the Journey to Greece Program and former student attendees of the program itself.
During his tenure (2023-25), the past president made it a priority to ultimately raise over one million dollars to endow the program for future generations. The program is for students earning college credit while in Greece through AHEPA’s affiliation with Webster University.
The number of students in this program continues to rise, and AHEPA continues to provide the cost of housing and tuition. Savas’ assistance to Journey to Greece came in the form of soliciting donations from many families, friends and institutions, and notable contributors such as AHEPA Housing and Tassos Efstratiades, Esq., truly transformed the program.
The program began as His Grace Bishop Athenagoras started a long line of well-wishers, offering the congratulations of the Greek Orthodox Church. Then, the hosting Asbury Park chapter offered heartfelt remarks through its president, Dimitris Geneas. Many others came to the podium to express their appreciation of Tsivicos’ efforts, including Nick Larigakis of AHI, Panos Stavrianides of the NJ Hellenic Federation, and Kyriakos Papastylianou of the Federation of Cypriot American Organizations. John Chrysoulakis, Greece’s former Secretary General for Greeks Abroad, also gave a moving tribute to the honoree in a special appearance. AHEPA was also honored to have at the evening gala Petros Dorizes, Consul from the Consulate General of Greece in New York and Kyriakos Pogiatzis, Consul General of the Republic of Cyprus in New York as speakers. They both spoke eloquently on the past president’s service to Hellenism and AHEPA throughout his life.
Just thereafter, the Sons of Pericles and the Maids of Athena came to the podium in the form of Sons Supreme Vice President George T. Horiates and Past Maids Grand President Mariana Pantelous. Noting the upcoming Centennial celebration of the Sons of Pericles, the Sons vice president brought the past president forward and presented him with a special commemorative 100-year anniversary Sons of Pericles pin, noting that many members of the Junior Orders have attended the Journey to Greece program.
They were followed by a tribute from Past Supreme Governor Phil Vogis and former AHEPA Board member Vassos Chrysanthou. Past Grand President of the Daughters of Penelope Margaret Dritsas and Past AHEPA Canadian President Emmanuel Constas were brought forward. They traveled often with the Supreme President during his tenure and shared stories of brothers and sisters working together for Hellenism.
AHEPA Supreme President Chris Kaitson was the keynote speaker. He told the audience of Tsivicos’ dedication to Hellenism from the perspective of having served as his vice president. He noted AHEPA’s appreciation as the Journey to Greece fundraising continued after Tsivicos’ term, stating the importance of continuing the dedication to Hellenism that is the hallmark of the honoree. Then he called up the honoree along with his Supreme Lodge: Vice President Zenon Christodoulou, Treasurer Themis Frangos and Supreme Governor Dean Moskos, as well as Past Supreme Presidents, former Board Chair Nicholas Karacostas, and current Vice Chair George G. Horiates, who also served as Master of Ceremonies. AHEPA Supreme President Chris Kaitson presented its immediate past president with AHEPA’s Defender of Hellenism Award to rousing applause.
Maria Tsivicos, the wife of the honoree, spoke and introduced their son, Evangelos Tsivicos, to introduce the past supreme president in a heartfelt tribute. He offered gracious remarks on the responsibility of all of us in passing the flame of Hellenism to future generations and thanked the well-wishers, attendees and long list of various contributors, noting each from the evening program. Various donors presented checks, and Journey to Greece participants also expressed appreciation as they came forward to the microphone on a brilliant night for AHEPA.
At the conclusion of the evening, and as the result of the kindness of so many, the Journey to Greece endowment, through PSP Tsivicos’ efforts, successfully reached the one million dollar mark.