I hope this message finds you well. Since this year’s National Convention, the Supreme Lodge has been working diligently to maintain the momentum established from years past and prepare for the upcoming year. With your help, we will continue to make great strides in the success of our organization.
Our first Supreme Lodge meeting will be held on November 3rd 2018, in Toronto, Canada. As always, we welcome all to attend, and will keep you updated on the information discussed.
Website
As I’m sure many of you have already discovered, there have been some significant changes to the Pan-Icarian Brotherhood’s website https://Pan-Icarian.com. Thanks to the help of our new webmaster, the Supreme Lodge, and your feedback, we have incorporated a series of new features to make the website more interactive and functional. You are now able to find Brotherhood news/events, donate to fundraising efforts, pay your annual membership dues, and much more directly through our website!
Thank you again to our new webmaster Joanna Pantages for her hard work and dedication to this project! I encourage Chapters to submit pictures at [email protected], promote their upcoming events by sending to [email protected], or contact at [email protected].
Ikarian Alzheimer’s Project
Earlier this year the Pan-Icarian Brotherhood partnered with Maria Shriver and NBC to work on an Alzheimer’s project together. We want to thank all of you who responded to our data call and shared your family’s information and personal stories.
On Friday, November 2nd 2018, a special will air on the 8:00 am hour of the Today Show which will discuss the study. The special will feature one of our very own Icarian families from Cleveland, Ohio along with other incredible information about Ikaria. Please tune in, you won’t want to miss it!
Wildfire Relief Campaign
In response to the devastating fires in Athens this past summer, the Brotherhood initiated a “Wildfire Relief” campaign to raise funds to assist in the recovery efforts. I’d like to thank everyone who has generously donated to this worthy cause, and encourage others to support the campaign. The campaign will be ending on December 31, 2018; so please be sure to submit any donation before the campaign deadline. Donations can be made directly through our website (https://pan-icarian.comproduct/donate/), or by mailing checks to the following address:
Pan-Icarian Foundation
PO Box 79037
Pittsburgh, PA 15216-0037
(Checks should be made payable to: Pan-Icarian Foundation and make a note on the check that this is for the “Wildfire Relief Campaign”. Your donations ARE tax deductible.)
Archives
The scanning of our historical archives continues, and we are pleased with the progress made to date. This effort will not only help preserve our strong Icarian heritage for generations to come but will also allow us to further utilize these documents and share them with fellow Icarians around the world. Keep visiting our website for updates on the archives and the items we highlight for your enjoyment!
The Brotherhood still needs your Icarian memorabilia, photographs, letters, and other items so that we can preserve them for generations to come. If you have any items that you’d like to add to our archives, please mail or e-mail scanned copies directly to me and we will include them within our Archives Center, which is located in Pittsburgh, PA.
In the spirit of Halloween, I’d like to end this message by encouraging everyone to learn more about the island of Ikaria. While well known for its beautiful landscapes, longevity, and warm Ikarian hospitality; there are stories of great mystery and legend that surround the island as well. While growing up, I vividly remember these stories being told by my father and uncle and I hope you too will inquire or share the history and folklore that Ikaria has to offer!
Fraternally Yours,
Damianos T. Skaros
Supreme President
Pan-Icarian Brotherhood of America