Release prepared by Ted Vittas, PDG
US Representative Scott Garrett (R) of NJ was inducted into the Order of AHEPA, the largest Greek-American organization in the world. Congressman Garrett was sworn in today in a ceremony held at his eastern district office in Glen Rock, NJ. The ceremony was performed by the President of the Ramapo Chapter #453 Jim Giokas and Chapter Treasurer George Mellides. A total of 11 Ahepans were present at to witness the event.
Earlier this year, Congressman Scott Garrett was sworn in to his fourth term in the United States House of Representatives, representing New Jersey’s Fifth Congressional District. He was first elected to Congress in 2002. Garrett serves on the House Financial Services and Budget Committees. He is a member of the Financial Services Subcommittees on Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises; Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit; and Housing and Community Opportunity. For more information on the Congressman visit http://garrett.house.gov.
The Congressman spent over thirty minutes with Supreme Governor Louis Arvanitis, Lieutenant Governor of District 5 Phil Vogis and the members present to discuss issues of importance to the Order. These issues included public works projects such as the formation of charter schools and the building of senior citizens housing projects. Also discussed were public policy issues regarding the republics of Greece and Cyprus. The discussion on policy was lead by Savas Tsivicos, a member of the AHEPA Cyprus & Hellenic Affairs Committee and is also the AHEPA District 5 Treasurer.
Congressman Garrett is no stranger to AHEPA. He has met with the chapter before and had vowed to the chapter’s VP of Civic Affairs Chuck Humblias to join AHEPA at a later time. That time is now.
In 2008, the Congressman was given a upper tier, 87% rating on Greek-American issues in AHEPA’s Congressional Scorecard. The Congressman is also listed as a member of the Hellenic Caucus. A link to the score card can be found on AHEPA’s Public Policy page, www.ahepa.org/policy.
The Congressman will be joining the Ramapo Chapter #453, New Jersey’s largest AHEPA chapter, boasting 135 members. It is chartered in Wyckoff and serves the communities of north-western Bergen County. In 2007, the chapter was voted the Most Outstanding Chapter in AHEPA’s 5th District. That year the chapter started an adult Greek language school that is now entering its 3rd year.
The mission of the AHEPA family is to promote the ancient Greek ideals of education, philanthropy, civic responsibility, family and individual excellence through community service and volunteerism. For more information about the AHEPA family, please contact AHEPA Headquarters at (202) 232-6300 or visit www.ahepa.org . For more information about the Ramapo Chapter, visit their web site at www.ahepa453.org.
AHEPA History
The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association was founded in Georgia in 1922 as a response to KKK attacks on the Catholic population. The organization grew quickly, and by 1928 when President Calivin Coolidge received representatives at the White House there were 160 chapters throughout the country. Today the primary goal of this global organization is to provide a platform for charitable works, promote education, and preserve the Hellenic identity of the Greek Americans.
They have also formed the AHEPA Cooley’s Anemia Foundation which for decades has raised funds for screenings, publish educational material, and help support research to cure this a fatal genetic blood disorder. Also known as Thalassemia, Cooley’s Anemia of leading hematologists and geneticists in the country. It is estimated that there may be over two million people in the United States who are carriers and not aware. There is great hope that a cure is in sight for this disease that requires victims to suffer blood transfusions every two weeks and receive painful drug injections every night of their lives.
AHEPA is also well known for their many scholarship programs promoting education, but great efforts in senior housing is alos part of the charitable legacy. The organization can boast over $600 million in senior housing projects; presently, the organization has 86 projects in 22 states totaling 4,604 apartment units, of which 71 projects are in operation which total 3,877 units. The AHEPA Family consists of four organizations, the AHEPA (men), Daughters of Penelope (women), Sons of Pericles (young men) and Maids of Athena (young women). AHEPA publishes The AHEPAN, which is the second largest circulation Greek American publication.
