JULY-AUGUST 2013 • Vol. 78 • No. 1287
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Ionian Village Opens Newly Renovated Pool VARTHOLOMIO, Greece – The Ionian Village Summer Camping Ministry of the Archdiocese opened and dedicated in late June the newly renovated camp pool, funded by FAITH: An Endowment for Orthodoxy and Hellenism. Fr. Evagoras Constantinides, the Ionian Village director, along with camp clergy, officiated at the inauguration service of the blessing of the waters (Agiasmos) and together with the campers and staff of this year’s first session, expressed their gratitude to the FAITH Endowment for its dedication, love and support of Ionian Village. Following the ceremony, the pool was opened for the first official free-swim period, an Ionian Village tradition. The renovation project began last summer with the initial design, and construction began in early December. It was all made possible through a generous $250,000 grant from the FAITH Endowment. In addition to this pool renovation grant, since 2008, FAITH has worked with Ionian Village to provide annual scholarships allowing campers to experience this life changing ministry for those who could not otherwise financially afford to go. “The FAITH Endowment, and their love and dedication to Ionian Village ministry is very present here at camp. Each year I hear from campers that without the
Campers gather around the newly completed swimming pool on the grounds of Ionian Village.
FAITH Scholarship, they would not be able to come to camp,” said Fr. Evagoras. “Now, with this grant, this breathtaking pool, the FAITH Endowment will leave a lasting impression on each and every one of our campers. Our campers never forget their experience at Ionian Village, and now, they will never forget the generosity of the FAITH Endowment as well. On behalf of all our campers and staff, both present and
future, we thank the FAITH Endowment from the bottom of our hearts,” he said. The new Ionian Village pool is a modern, safe, self-maintaining system that will provide respite from the hot Grecian sun for the next generations of Ionian Village campers. It is fully outfitted with non-slip turquoise and blue ceramic tiles across the entire interior, a white marble lip around the exterior with an overflow basin, and
Ionian Village photo
an expanded and fully finished deck. The new pool rests within the footprint of the original pool, maintaining the traditional Olympic-size and shape. The outer edge of the pool measures 1 meter deep (approx. 3.3 feet) and in the center reaches 1.5 meters (approx. 5 feet). This allows the entire length of the pool to be used for the annual Water Olympics and creates a much more usable pool space.
St. Michael’s Home Announces Expansion Plans, Purchases 11–Acre Site for Multi–Service Facility
Dimitrios Panagos photos
Future location of St. Michael’s Home in Uniondale, Long Island, N.Y.
YONKERS, N.Y. – Trustees of St. Michael’s Home have announced the kick-off of a $20 million Capital Fundraising Campaign to facilitate the purchase and rehabilitation of an 11-acre property located in Uniondale (Hempstead), NY., as the Home’s new location. The site contains a 90,000-square-foot building that will include independent and assisted living apartments, and dementia and nursing care facilities. Bishop Andonios, St. Michael’s Home director, said that “With the purchase of this property, we enter the most exciting chapter in the history of this wonderful Archdiocesan institution. The need to expand our facilities and services and help even more of our elderly is a sacred mission. This is an enormous undertaking, but with blessings from above and the generous support of the community, we will achieve our vision.” The property was purchased at a cost of $7 million and the complex will include 27 one-bedroom independent living apartments, more than 50 private assisted-living bedrooms with private baths, and a unit serving clients with dementia as well as a section with nursing care beds. The Capital Fundraising Campaign will raise funds to pay off the purchase price
of the property, and completely renovate the building on the site. “For well over a decade, the Board of Trustees has been aggressively searching for an appropriate site to expand our mission and serve more elderly at higher levels of care. We are especially indebted to a longtime friend of the Greek Orthodox community, His Excellency Bishop Murphy of the Rockville Diocese, for his great assistance in making this purchase possible,” stated Haeda Mihaltses, board president. The Rockville Centre Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church was the prior owner of the site. Opened in May 1958, St. Michael’s is the only Greek Orthodox facility of its type in the United States and has been a home away from home for countless Greek Orthodox elderly. Self–sufficient since its inception, the Home sustains its ministry with the boarding fees residents are able to offer and on the generous support of the Greek American community. The facility is licensed by the New York State Department of Health. For more information regarding the expansion of St. Michael’s Home, contact Bishop Andonios Paropoulos, (212) 7740282 or board President Haeda Mihaltses, (212) 788-2162.