MOONACHIE, NJ – The Hellenic Federation of New Jersey Annual Gala took place on June 7, as Hellenic Federation President Peter Stavrianidis, PhD, and the Board of Directors honored Pan Gregorian Enterprises, Inc. and the P.G.E.I. of America Charitable Foundation, Inc. with the Alexander the Great Community Service Award and
George A. Tsougarakis, Esq. with the Alexander the Great Lifetime Achievement Award.
The event was held at the Graycliff Manor in Moonachie, NJ.
Awards and scholarships were also given to the students, Rafaella Foteni Lambrinos, Zoe Stella Mylonakis, Alyson Michaels, and Valentina Francesca Malo.
His Eminence Metropolitan Apostolos of New Jersey, in his welcoming remarks, congratulated the honorees for their great social work and praised the students, whom he described as worthy representatives of Hellenism in the world.
He added that “since its establishment until today, the Federation and its members have worked wholeheartedly to spread the Greek Orthodox faith, encourage communication, and strengthen relations between the Greek communities of the state and promote the culture of the homeland.”
Federation President Dr. Peter Stavrianidis referred to the work being done and congratulated the honorees, recalling that the Federation has established the awards in order to recognize and honor the diverse contributions of Greeks from abroad and philhellenes.
He said: “This evening is not only a celebration of achievements, but also an affirmation of our shared mission to preserve, promote, and strengthen Hellenism, our Orthodox faith, language, culture and the values that have guided our people for generations.”
“The Federation functions as an umbrella organization by encouraging and funding educational programs and activities related to Greek culture for the Greek-American community in New Jersey, the greater New York area and beyond,” Dr. Stavrianidis noted. “In addition, we have organized a scholarship program for young people and this year four excellent students will be awarded. Thank you for standing by us, for believing in our work and for helping us keep the flame of Hellenism alive.”
Honorees Chris Karamanos and Michael Zavolas with Metropolitan Apostolos of New Jersey and the Board of Directors of Pan Gregorian and the Hellenic Federation of NJ. Photo: TNH/Michael Kakias
The honoree, George Tsougarakis, warmly thanked the Federation for the award, noting that “this recognition is particularly important to me and my family and is a driving force to continue my efforts.”
“I consider it a great honor to serve as General Counsel of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, where I advise the Archbishop, the Holy Eparchial Synod and parishes on matters of law and governance,” Tsougarakis said. “The church has always been the foundation of my family life. I grew up in an environment with deep roots and strong values. Everything revolved around everything Greek. Faith was and will forever be an integral part of my life.”
“This deep connection to roots, tradition and church is what my wife Eva and I are trying to pass on to our children today,” he noted. “Thank you all again for the honor and I hope that the New Jersey Federation will continue to pioneer, inspire, and contribute for many more years to come.”
Consul of Greece in New York Petros Dorizas congratulated the honorees and the Federation for their efforts to preserve and protect Greek culture, history, and language.
Consul General of Cyprus in New York Kyriakos Pogiatzis, in turn, congratulated the honorees and praised the work and contribution of the Federation of New Jersey, emphasizing that it is a connecting link between the Greek diaspora and Greece and Cyprus.
P.G.E.I. of America Charitable Foundation President Chris Karamanos and Pan Gregorian of New Jersey President Michael Zavolas accepted the awards on behalf of their respective organizations and warmly thanked the Federation for the exceptional honor and encouraged everyone to participate in civic affairs, in parishes, in the church. Federation Scholarship Committee Chair Dr. Elias Iliadis noted that “through the dedicated efforts of our scholarship committee over the past six years, we have awarded more than $50,000 in scholarships, reinforcing our commitment to cultivating future leaders. Your support is vital, and together we can lay the foundation for their future success.”
Federation Honorary President and Founder Andreas Comodromos gave an account of the history of the Federation’s efforts, noting that “it was founded on February 13, 2009 with the purpose of uniting the diverse and vibrant network of Greek-American organizations throughout New Jersey.”
“For decades, the state has been home to dozens of fraternal, cultural, educational, charitable, professional, and religious institutions of Greek-Americans – each contributing to the preservation of Greek culture and identity in its own way,” he continued. “Recognizing the need for a unified voice capable of collectively supporting these efforts, a group of visionary community leaders came together to form a federation to represent them.”
“Today, the Federation continues to honor the vision of its founders by promoting Hellenism, supporting its member organizations, and enriching the political and cultural life of New Jersey,” Comodromos said.
