April 2010
Volume 1, Issue 4

2010 EASTERN REGIONAL BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT IN WYCKOFF, NJ ANNOUNCEMENT

IT'S FINALLY HERE! The 5th Annual Sons of Pericles Eastern Regional Basketball Tournament to be held in Wyckoff, NJ on the weekend of April 24-25, 2010.

Player Package: $25 (Basketball Games, Saturday Night & T-Shirt)
Under-21 Player Package: $15 (Basketball Games & T-Shirt)
2010 Souvenier Tournament T-Shirt: $10

Saturday Night: Party Central in Astoria, 11pm (www.centrallounge.com)
Basketball Games: Saturday 8am - 7pm & Sunday 12pm - 6pm
Sunday Church Service: St. Nicholas in Wyckoff, NJ at 10am

Hotel: Ramada Inn 375 West Passaic Street Rochelle Park, NJ 07662 201.845.3400

Group: Sons Basketball Tournament Deadline: April 9, 2010 Group Rate: Sons Basketball Tournament

Gym: St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church 467 Grandview Avenue Wyckoff, NJ 07481

Basketball Teams: Fees: $250 per Team (before 4/9/10) & $300 per Team (after 4/9/10) New Sons must pay $40 Sons of Pericles 2010 Dues & current Sons members must pay $20 Sons of Pericles 2010 Dues.

Make checks payable to: Sons of Pericles Patrida #317
Mail to: Dean Tselepis 211 Thompson Street, Apt PHF, New York, NY 10012
Proceeds to benefit our dual National Projects: ALS Association (in honor of Brother George Catsulis) & The Cyprus Children's Fund.

RUN IN THE 2010 ATHENS MARATHON!

Be a part of the AHEPA team that runs in the Athens Marathon on the 2500th Anniversary of the Battle at Marathon on October 31, 2010. Only 300 Runner Team Slots are available and are set aside for the AHEPA Charitable Foundation. AHEPA will pay for successful fundraisers and their tour package for a six day/five night trip to Athens. The fundraising goal is $5100, in addition to the non-refundable $200 deposit and the sponsor's donation is tax deductible. All runners/walkers are welcome. Everyone benefits and you help a good cause!

Visit AHEPA's Athens Marathon website for more informtion.

GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE IN NYC ON APRIL 18, 2010

The Supreme Secretary of the Sons of Pericles, Manolis Sfinarolakis, attended a Tri-District meeting between the District Lodges of District 5, 6, & 7 on Thursday, January 21st to discuss the logistics behind the Greek Independence Day March to be held on Sunday, April 18th, 2010.

Last year, the Sons of Pericles had a strong showing in the parade with representatives from each district marching, including the Flushing Titans New York Chapter, the Wykoff New Jersey Chapter, the Paramus New Jersey Chapter, and the Waterbury Connecticut Chapter. This year, we hope to have additional members march in the parade to continue to show our strength and support for the AHEPA Family. It was also decided that each district pick a young lady as their District representative to ride on the AHEPA float during the parade. It was suggested and accepted that a Maid of Athena from each district be the individual to represent the Districts on the float.

For more information on the Greek Independence Day Parade on April 18th, 2010 in NYC, please contact Manolis Sfinarolakis, Supreme Secretary of the Sons of Pericles, at 203-232-2462 or by email at m.sfinarolakis@sonsofpericles.com.

SONS OF PERICLES HISTORY RESURFACES TO REMIND EVERYONE OF OUR HELLENIC HISTORY

The town of Messolonghi (Greece) had come under the control of the Turks in 1770. Messolonghi revolted against the Turks on May 20, 1821 and was a major stronghold of the Greek rebels in the Greek War of Independence. Another siege on Messolonghi occured on April 25, 1825 and after a year of enemy attacks and facing starvation, the people of Messolonghi decided to leave the seiged city in the "Exodus of its Guards" (The Sortie) on the night of April 10, 1826.

Due to the heroic stance of the population and the subsequent massacre of its inhabitants by the Turkish-Egyptian forces, the town of Messolonghi received the honorary title of Hiera Polis (the Sacred City), unique among other Greek cities.

Every year the Memorial Day for the Exodus is celebrated on Palm Sunday in the Garden of Heroes in Messolonghi. The Greek State is represented by high-ranking officials and foreign countries by their ambassadors. In that garden, stands this statue, which was erected in 1939 by The Order of the Sons of Pericles in honor of those that had fallen during the heroic Exodus of Messolonghi.

A Brother AHEPAN, who was recently visiting the "Garden of Heroes" in Messolonghi, Greece sent this photo (Click to Enlarge) to the SOP Supreme Lodge. The engravings on the statue are roughly translated as: (top) "The Sons of Pericles - The Organization of AHEPA" and (bottom) "In the memory of the American Heroes who fought for the freedom of Greeks in 1826. Erected in 1939." The statue is another reminder of how the Sons of Pericles strive to promote Hellenism and remember the past of the great culture we belong to.

The Sons of Pericles would like to thank AHEPAN Brother Panos Liatsos for sending us this photo and reminding the Sons of Pericles what our past brothers have done for this Order.

REDONDO BEACH HOCKEY NIGHT

On March 17th, the Redondo Beach Sons of Pericles attended a Kings-Blackhawks hockey game at the Staples Center, and were accompanied by the Anaheim Maids of Athena. Over 30 attended the evening's activities!

The chapter would like to thank the Sons Benefactor, Mr. George Stratos, for his donation of the annual "Sons of Pericles Hockey Night" in a VIP Suite along with food, soft drinks, and dessert. It was a great time for everyone attending!

AHEPA BIENNIAL IN PORTLAND, OR

The great Northwest was proud to be a sponsor of the AHEPA Biennial Regional Banquet in March of 2010. Hosted in the Rose City; Portland, OR, this event was met with great success and not too mention massive fun. Attended by numerous cities and states of Northwestern America, the festivities lasted well into the night.

Additionally, the next day AHEPA's Supreme President, Nick Karacostas, and AHEPA Executive Director, Basil Mosaidies, made an additional trip North to Seattle, WA were a dinner event was organized to meet the Ahepans of the region. This event was attended not only by the fellow Ahepans, but also by an outstanding presence of Sons (roughly 50% of the attendees) meeting and talking with the Supreme President. It was an honor for the whole chapter as well as a privileged event that is not to be forgotten.

EXPLORE HELLENISM: MEANING OF THE RED EGG

Xristos Anesti! It is one of the most entertaining traditions in the Greek Easter. Annually at Easter we get a red egg and compete with others by say "Xristos Anesti - Alithos Anesti" ("Christ has Risen - Truly He has Risen") and battle it out with whose egg shall survive the "pound" and go on to the next side and other challengers. Nevertheless behind this tradition there is meaning and message.

For all Orthodox Christians, the Easter egg is much more than a celebration of the ending of the fast, it is a declaration of the Resurrection of Jesus. Traditionally, eggs are dyed red to represent the blood of Christ, shed on the Cross, and the hard shell of the egg symbolized the sealed stone of the tomb — the cracking of which symbolized his resurrection from the dead.

Not only in the Greek Orthodox but other Eastern Catholic Churches, Easter eggs are blessed by the priest at the end of the Paschal Vigil, and distributed to the faithful. Each household also brings an Easter basket to church, filled not only with Easter eggs but also with other Paschal foods such as Paskha, Tsoureki, or Easter breads and these are blessed by the priest as well.

Events
Supreme Lodge
Photos
Annual Convention
Contact Us

NYC Greek Independence Day Parade
New York, NY
Districts 5, 6, & 7
April 18, 2010

2010 Eastern Regional Basketball Tournament
Wyckoff, NJ
Chapter #317
April 24-25, 2010

88th Annual AHEPA Family Supreme Convention
Montreal, QC-Canada
July 11-18, 2010

Have your information in The Periclean!

We encourage all of the AHEPA family to submit their EVENTS and NEWS information to be posted on the SOP website and in The Periclean.

Send your information to news@sonsofpericles.com!