SPECIALevents Donations to Victims of the 12th Annual Golden Wreath Awards Talent Show Summer Conflagrations Will Seremetis, Student September 9, 2007 On September 8, 2007, a group of 22 parents and students from ACS traveled to the Peloponnese in order to deliver donated provisions to the victims of the fires in that area of Greece. This collaborative effort was initiated and organized by Kelly and Bobby Mitropoulos, ACS parents. At 10:30 am, the bus left Politia Square with the group and a plethora of items, including food, water, clothes, linens, and toys. The five-hour drive through many mountainous regions affected by the fires was, at times, depressing. Most of the trees, which had once created the scenery full of beautiful shades of green, were now lifeless yellow and black skeletons. The group’s first stop was Nea Figalia, a town in the Zaharo region of the Ilias Province. While there, we met the mayor. He was grateful for the assistance, although he informed us of another village that had a greater need for the particular items that were brought (their most pressing need is for food for their animals). Therefore, the request was made to go further into the Zaharo Region, higher into the mountains to the village of Tripiti, not far from Ancient Olympia. As the bus approached Tripiti, the landscape was even more ominous, as if something had sucked the life out of the world. When the group reached its destination, it was met by the priest, Father Odyseus Liris, who services several villages in the area. Many people remember him from initial news reports on television while he and the townspeople were fighting the fires that were closing in on them. He was begging for help from the government. He confirmed to the group that his people were in immediate need of everything. After the provisions were unloaded, it was unbelievable to see just how much had come off the bus! The few people remaining in the village came out to see what all the activity was about. They were extremely surprised and grateful. We were humbled by this, realizing the only difference between them and us is their terrible fate of bad luck. Certainly a lesson learned here is that so much time is spent on thinking about what we don’t have, instead of being thankful for what we do have. The village of Tripiti had 200 people, but about 100 have been either killed or displaced by the fires. Those that lost their homes are now dispersed throughout the region, some of them living in tents. The people of Tripiti made their living from their production of olive oil. Now, with the olive groves burnt, they will have no money with which to buy food and other necessities of life. As winter approaches, their situation will become even more serious. They, and all the citizens of these mountain villages, are in great need of non-perishable food items. As the immediate aid from Greek citizens and others worldwide slows down, these people cannot be forgotten. What this small group (and others from the school who donated goods) was able to accomplish in one day can be a lesson in how easy it is to make a difference in the lives of those in need.
Marca A. Daley, Academy Activities Coordinator The 12th Annual Golden Wreath Awards Talent Show came early this year! Academy students pulled the performance together in a record ten days (!) to accommodate the Alumni Reunion and provide entertainment for the visiting alums prior to their big dinner on Monday, October 8th. Although the Monday afternoon performance at first seemed a liability (when do we have the dress rehearsal if the show’s at 4 o’clock?!?), students soon turned this disadvantage into a new performance, inviting all Academy students and teachers to join them in their ‘dress rehearsal’ – in essence, their first show! Mistress and Masters of Ceremonies Maria Alafouzos,Will Seremetis and Kostas Zafiriadis provided the audience with wit, charm and quick thinking while introducing the fourteen acts which included vocals, dance, piano, instrumental, juggling and drumming! Congratulations to the winners:
3rd place: Peter Hovenier, drum solo 2nd place: Angelique Coulouris, vocal solo 1st place: Anna Maria Dimitratos, dance solo
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