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6 THE SHEPHERD • MAY 2023 • SAINT SPYRIDON GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO Dear Community Members, The Hellenic Cultural Society would like to find a copy of the 50th Anniversary Album published in 1977 to keep in our library. If any of you would like to donate one to the Society library, please contact HCS President Alexia Koulaxes Anas at 858-449- 2627 or email alexiaanas@yahoo.com. Our heartfelt thanks to our devoted volun- teers under the direction of Niki Dougenis and Vicky Mellos who so lovingly prepared and baked 2,000 Koulourakia Cookies and more than 150 loaves of Tsoureki Bread for our Annual Pascha Bake Sale and Home- bound Baskets. Thank you to the St. Spyr- idon community for supporting our fund- raising effort benefitting our chapter minis- tries and those in need. Our Anthousa Chapter partnered with our St. Spyridon Youth Ministries to kick off the 2023 Blessing Bag project on Holy Friday, April 14th. Many thanks to Melanie Anas- topulos, Julie Dennis, and Kelly Samouris for overseeing this important project. It was heartwarming to see our youth fill Bless- ing Bags with toothbrushes, water bottles, hand sanitizers, granola bars and more… during their Holy Friday retreat. The bags will be distributed to the homeless commu- nity through our partnership with FOCUS (Fellowship of Orthodox Christians United to Serve). Our project is aligned with the National Philoptochos Feeding the Hungry campaign. Anthousa Chapter Elections will be held on Sunday, May 21st following Divine Liturgy in the Lounge. To vote in this election, you must be a member in good standing in ac- cordance with the Bylaws of Philoptochos as follows: ELIGIBILITY TO VOTE: Full members who have fulfilled financial commitment to the chapter for the current year are eligible to vote. New members may vote if enrolled at least three (3) months prior to the election meeting. All candidates seeking election to the Chap- ter Board must qualify in accordance with the Philoptochos Bylaws as follows: In order to be a candidate for election to the Chapter Board, a full member must have been a member in good standing with the parish and chapter for a period of at least one full year prior to the date of election to the Chapter Board and must have attended a minimum of four (4) meetings/ activities held in the previous year. • All candidates must be present at the election meeting unless reasonable cause for such absence is provided. • A member is qualified to serve on the Board of Directors of one chapter only. Sunday Fellowship: Please consider spon- soring a Sunday Fellowship Hour with your friends and family by providing sim- ple refreshments (donuts or bagels, fruit and juice). You can honor family mem- bers or celebrate special occasions. To sign up, please contact Christina Frangos at christinafrangos1@gmail.com . Agape Meals: Philoptochos provides meals to St. Spyridon community members in need following hospitalizations, the death of a family member, or the birth of a child. Please reach out to Marian Dougenis (619) 520- 3660 if you or someone you know is in need. College Connection: Do you have a col- lege-aged student in your family? Our St. Spyridon Anthousa keeps your child con- nected with their faith and home church. Please send their contact information to Bill Navrides at Bill.Navrides@sharp.com. Membership: We invite you to join our An- thousa Philoptochos Chapter. We welcome all – ladies and gentlemen – to help us make a difference in the lives of many. If you can- not actively participate, your membership pledge helps to enable us to continue to sup- port many charitable endeavors within our parish as well as local, national, and inter- national communities. To join, please visit www.anthousa.org and click donate. (The National and Metropolis Philoptochos trea- suries each receive $15 of every membership donation; any amount over $30 remains in our local chapter’s treasury). Please contact Melanie Anastopulos at melanieanastopu- los@gmail.com or Kalliopi Samouris at nyc- kelly@cox.net with any questions. May the grace of our Risen Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the commu- nion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Christos Anesti! Sofia Samouris, Anthousa Chapter President PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS May 21 is AHEPA Sunday AHEPA Chapter 223 San Diego will be host- ing fellowship after Divine Liturgy on May 21. Afterwards our chapter will hold a meet- ing in the Lower Education Building (Board Room) and hold elections. I ask all members to attend and participate. Our chapter’s mission is to promote the an- cient Hellenic ideals of education, philan- thropy, civic responsibility, family and indi- vidual excellence through community ser- vice and volunteerism in San Diego. We have raised thousands of dollars for the Greek School and awarded college scholarships every year. Help us continue this important mission. John A Frangos President, AHEPA Chapter #223 A.H.E.P.A. Our youth putting together Blessing Bags for the Homeless during Holy Friday retreat Hope and Joy Youth Group baking Koulourakia with Philoptochos