 Dear Brothers and Sisters,Earlier this month the Supreme Lodge and Foundation board members traveled to Northwest Indiana for a joint meeting and to visit the local chapter – N’Ikara. I’d like to thank chapter president Argyro Tripodis for her hard work in coordinating this event, and her fellow chapter members for their warm Ikarian hospitality. Our meeting was a success and provided valuable discussion topics and updates on the Brotherhood’s affairs, some of which I wanted to share with you in this latest correspondence. Ikarian Fire Fighters Drive As we steadily approach the summer months, the Supreme Lodge intends to close the Ikarian Fire Fighters Assistance drive on June 9th . Support for this effort has been strong and I’d like to thank the Chapters and individual members who have donated to this worthy cause. We have already begun the process of coordinating with the Ikarian fire brigade to ensure the equipment is purchased and obtained quickly. Donations can be made through June 9, 2019, by mailing checks to Supreme Treasurer Evangelos Fragos or through our website at: https://pan-icarian.com/product/donate/ 2019 Membership Drive Results I’m happy to announce that the winner of the 2019 Membership Drive is Chapter Foutrides – Chicago, IL; who have already seen a 21% increase in their chapter’s membership numbers this year. I’d like to thank the chapter members and officers who worked hard on this project. Chapter Foutrides will receive two complimentary tickets to the grand banquet at this year’s National Convention, along with special recognition. A strong membership base is key for continuing the success of our great organization. Last year we achieved the highest membership total in over five years. Let’s set a new goal to increase our numbers once again and continue the momentum we have established. Memberships can now be paid online through our website at: https://pan-icarian.com/membership/ Ikarian Scholarships Applications for the 2019 Pan-Ikarian Scholarship Program must be submitted by July 1, 2019. This is a valuable program which invests in our youth and I encourage all eligible students who are continuing their education at a university or trade school to apply. Applications are now submitted electronically and can be found on our website at: https://pan-icarian.com/scholarships/. Questions on the application process can be submitted to our Scholarship Chairman George Livanos ( [email protected] icarian.com ). June Service Project June is the month that we promote service projects among our members and encourage each Chapter to organize or participate in an event which gives back to their local community. Philanthropy has been a cornerstone of our organization, and this effort allows us to give back once again while also raising awareness for the Pan-Icarian Brotherhood. The types of service projects will vary based on the chapter and communities we live in: Clothing drives, food bank/soup kitchen services, and environmental clean-ups, are a few of the ideas that have been performed in the past. Please share your chapter’s service project with us so we can highlight them on our website, social media accounts, and in the next edition of Ikaria Magazine. In closing, as I’m sure many of you have already heard, a CT scanner was recently provided to the hospital of Ikaria in Agios Kirykos. This medical instrument will provide residents and visitors to the island with immediate access to valuable and lifesaving medical services. While the scanner was provided by the Greek government, the Pan-Icarian Brotherhood of America, Foundation, and numerous individual members played an active role in raising awareness for its need on the Island and is a prime example of how important it is for our organization to remain strong and unified. Our voice is strong because we share a common passion and love for the Island of Ikaria. Please continue to stay actively involved in the Pan-Icarian Brotherhood of America, and help us achieve even greater feats. Fraternally Yours, Damianos T. Skaros Supreme President Pan-Icarian Brotherhood of America “Icaros” |
- Since 1903