S O C V ΓΡΑΦΕΙ ΤΗΝ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ Bringing the news W ΤΟΥ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ to generations of E ΑΠΟ ΤΟ 1915 The National Herald Greek Americans N c v A wEEkly GrEEk AmEriCAN PuBliCATiON www.thenationalherald.com VOL. 14, ISSUE 728 September 24-30, 2011 $1.50 Tradition & Innovation More Draconian Measures For The Greeks At AHEPA – Interview Analysts Point To Possible Default Of With Grossomanides The Country By Constantine S. Sirigos the largest organization in the ATHENS – Even as a ratings TNH Staff Writer Greek American Community agency and economic analysts during a visit to the headquar - predicted imminent default for NEW YORK – Early lessons are ters of The National Herald ac - Greece, Prime Minister George the most important. Chance companied by the Order’s Exec - Papandreou unveiled a new set matters also. Dr. John Grosso - utive Director, Basil Mossaides. of Draconian austerity measures manides, Jr. is the new Supreme Supplementing the Order’s demanded by international in - President of the Order of new message that they will re - vestors as a condition of getting AHEPA. He learned a lot from cruit and promote younger an $11 billion loan installment his father, John Sr. about com - members, he looks forward to in October to prevent the coun - munity service and leadership, working with the Sons of Peri - try from going broke and being but most importantly, when the cles – one of the AHEPA family’s unable to pay its workers and new Supreme President decided two youth organizations along pensioners. The harsh new tac - to become more active in the or - with the Maids of Athena - the tics came after the government ganization after finishing col - Order’s “farm system”, to help repeatedly denied them, or lege, he picked Norwich Chapter them continue their outstanding prospects of a default that could 110 – The Rose of New England recent success. Grossomanides send shock waves through the – and found that, unlike many told TNH that in the past 12-18 Eurozone, the 17 countries that Greek American community or - months the Sons have tripled use the euro as a currency. ganizations that are now strug - their membership, but he is also For Greeks who’ve been tak - gling to appeal to the commu - excited about the community ing to the streets in protests and nity’s youth, his youthful energy service projects the Sons have riots over the last 18 months to and ideas were not only wel - undertaken, which furthers fight the first round of austerity come, they were rewarded. AHEPA’s goal of giving back to measures, the news was even “I came from a chapter that the community, and deepens grimmer: Papandreou said there really embraced young people the commitment of its youth. would be new tax hikes, pension and wanted them to get in - In addition to the permanent AP PHOTO/PETrOS GiANNAkOuriS cuts, the laying off and possible volved.” He said he was about philanthropic ventures for Protesters from a communist-backed union chant slogans in an anti-austerity protest in central eventual firing of at least 30,000 24 when he was chapter secre - which the APEPA is renowned – Athens, with several thousand people outside the Greek Parliament, Wednesday, Sept. 21. Greece workers and as many as tary and the president was 27. raising money for the treatment will suspend more civil servants than originally planned and impose new pension cuts as part of 100,000 over the next four He said Chapter 110 continues and cure of Cooleys Anemia and more austerity measures, the government said Wednesday, as it tried to persuade international years. But after an emergency that approach to this day, for the scholarships awarded by creditors to continue bailout payments needed to avoid a chaotic default. session with his Cabinet, there adding “it’s good that we con - the AHEPA Education Founda - were sparse details on other as - tinue to try to promote them in - tion, the Supreme Presidents pects of a plan to right Greece, stead of trying to stifle them,” undertake initiatives that last and no mention of why the gov - an attitude he brings to the na - for about a year, encouraging ernment has failed to go after tional level, following in the suc - chapters to collect donations for Mary Dimakis, 108, Trusts in God major tax evaders costing the cessful footsteps of his immedi - other important causes such as country nearly $40 billion a ate predecessors such as Team USA, which is dedicated year. Papandreou faces staunch Nicholas Karacostas. to giving scholarships to chil - By Theo Karantsalis Dimakis has caught the at - Jesus was baptized," says Di - opposition from labor unions, More and more of the others dren of people serving the Special to The National Herald tention of UCLA gerontologist makis, who moved from Turkey workers, pensioners and even organization have taken note armed forces, and its current Dr. Steven Coles, who tracks to New York and then Miami within his party as well as the that AHEPA has rejuvenated it - one, a special program for the MIAMI- Mary Dimakis, of Mi - "super-centenarians.” more than 90 years ago. prospect of new demonstrations self and are impressed with the children of armed forces mem - ami, Fla., will be 108 in Sep - "We normally start tracking Dimakis was a Miami resi - and riots while a series of strikes new AHEPA model of reaching bers through the USO. tember. She is the second oldest people at 110 years old,” said dent before many of its biggest has already cut into public ser - out to and promoting its youth. Such charitable and commu - living Greek resident in the Coles, who verifies age claims landmarks were built, including vices. The spotlight this year, is also nity activities are facilitated by United States and one of the and is working with Dimakis’ the world-renowned Biltmore Global markets were care - on the Order’s impressive past, the new social media such as oldest in the world. family to obtain original birth Hotel, and Freedom Tower. She fully watching to see if Greece the celebration its 90th anniver - Facebooks, Twitter, which also Back in 1903, when Dimakis records and documents. also lived through the biggest would comply with the orders sary next July 26 at their make it easier to support social was born: Only one Greek in the U.S. hurricane in the city’s history, in of the so-called Troika of the Eu - Supreme Convention in Las Ve - the groups’ events, but with in - - the Wright Brothers flew meets super-centenarian status: 1926. ropean Union-International gas, one of the few times the novations like Linked-in, which the first plane Mersene Zohos, 111, of "Aunt Mary still pushes her Monetary Fund-European Cen - gathering coincides with the or - is popular among younger mem - - Henry Ford rolled out the Pocatello, Idaho. own cart at Publix," says her tral Bank which is lending ganization’s founding date. bers of AHEPA just out of college Model A "Right after I was born, my “young” nephew, Gus Efthimiou Greece $152 billion in a rescue Grossomanides shared his - Teddy Roosevelt was presi - parents took me to the Jordan experiences, and his vision for Continued on page 4 dent. River to be baptized right where Continued on page 3 Continued on page 7 Naked Is the Best Disguise: Greek Schools Bloom in the Garden State The Performance Art of By Demetrios Tsakas TNH Staff Writer Katherine Chronis NEW YORK - On Monday Sep - tember 19 the St. George Greek Orthodox parish in Trenton New By Steve Frangos volves her appearing naked in Jersey celebrated the establish - TNH Staff Writer public throughout America and ment of its bilingual pre-kinder - documenting these appearances garten school. It is hoped that it CHICAGO - Katherine Chronis with a series of photographs,” will develop into the first Greek is most often described as an and I might add video, now, as daytime elementary school in “American performance artist well. I know what Chronis does, New Jersey. Metropolitan Evan - who initiated ‘The Get Naked I’m just not sure its art in any gelos of New Jersey officiated Project’ in August 2000. This in - sense of the term. But it cannot at the Blessing of the Water Ser - be denied that what Chronis vice in the school building, does challenges everyday no - which was followed by a tour tions of propriety and lifts the of the facilities and reception in veil on a whole array of socially the school’s gymnasium. Cyprus Drills accepted conventions. Whether Efforts for the creation of the Katherine Chronis is an artist or school began last year and on something else we don’t really September 9 New Jersey state For Gas/Oil, have a name for yet may be her authorities granted the autho - lasting contribution to the world rization for its operation. Classes at large. In any consideration of started last week and ten pupils Turks Rail the full spectrum of Greek or have been enrolled thus far. Greek American artists we must The corridors have been dec - take into evaluation everyone orated with replicas of the TNH Staff Writer engaged in such an enterprise, Parthenon and images of an - not simply those praised by the cient Greek philosophers and NEW YORK - The Republic of elite art world or the contem - scenes from Greek Mythology. TNH/COSTAS BEJ Cyprus started to drill for oil and porary media outlets. The facilities are clean and With Fr. Vassilios Gikas at his side and Metropolitan Evangelos present, Dr. Spyros Spyreas, gas in its Exclusive Economic So, how did a ‘good Greek president of the parish council, called all those who held establish the bilingual pre-kindergarten Zone (EEZ) on Sunday, Septem - girl’ from Chicago end up walk - Continued on page 3 school of St .