- The Daughters of Penelope & Our Mission
- D.O.P Emblem
- District 23 Lodge 2023-2024
- Grand Lodge 2022-2023
- Instagram Snapshots
- Archives
- District 23 - MAY 2021 AHEPA Family Virtual Convention
- District 23 - OCTOBER 2021 Virtual Leadership Conference
- "Lessons from Greece" Melissa, Mrs. Vasilia Mavrou & District 23 Project
- To Market! To Market!
The Daughters of Penelope is an International Women’s Organization and affiliate organization of the AHEPA Family (American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association). The Order of Daughters of Penelope was founded by a remarkable woman, Alexandra Apostolides Sonenfeld on November 16th, 1929 in San Francisco, California. With her perseverance and encouragement of her husband Dr. Emanuel Apostolides, a devoted Ahepan, she created a Greek Women’s Organization and established the first Chapter of the Daughters of Penelope, Eos Chapter #1 with 25 charter members, whose husbands were AHEPA members. She was elected the first Grand President of the organization in 1931. Today, the Daughters of Penelope is proud to claim more than 400 Chapters in the United States, Canada, Greece, the Bahamas, Germany, Cyprus, Belgium, England and sister Chapters in Australia.
The Mission of the Daughters of Penelope is to promote the ancient Hellenic ideals and traditions of education, philanthropy, civic responsibility, integrity, and family and individual excellence through community service and volunteerism.
The Daughters of Penelope promote the social, ethical and intellectual interests of the members; cultivate good citizenship and patriotism for the countries in which they live; promote the spirit of cooperation and work closely and in harmony with the whole AHEPA Family. The betterment of humanity is a unifying theme of the Daughters, and members are encouraged to participate in worthwhile projects both nationally and in their respective countries.
Over its history, the Daughters of Penelope has achieved remarkable accomplishments. It has strengthen the status of women in society, sheltered the elderly and abused, educated the youth, promoted Hellenic heritage, raised funds for medical research and many others.
The Order is identified by a symbol portraying the HEAD OF PENELOPE in ancient headdress, which symbolizes FRIENDSHIP and WOMANHOOD, and is significant as the very foundation of LIFE, HOME and COUNTRY. Encircling the head of Penelope is the OLIVE WREATH, the only prize awarded to victors in the ancient Olympic Games. The CROSS is a symbol of our Christian Faith and a NATIONAL SYMBOL in the GREEK FLAG, and the CROSSED SABERS are from the SHIELD of GREECE. The EAGLE symbolizes the UNITED STATES. The letters ΘΠ (THETA PI) stand for ‘ΘΥΓΑΤΕΡΕΣ ΤΗΣ ΠΗΝΕΛΟΠΗΣ’, which translated in English means ‘The Daughters of Penelope’.
DISTRICT LODGE (2023-2024)
DISTRICT GOVERNOR
Roula Maginas Koumoutsidis
Liaison Chapter: Mycenae, Toronto
19 Toohey Ln., London, ON, N6G-4Y2
Tel: (519) 433-1285
roulakoumis@rogers.com
DISTRICT LT. GOVERNOR & MARSHAL
Georgia Tridimas
Liaison Chapter: Meandros, Montreal & Filomela, Hamilton
5777 Wilderton Ave., Montreal, QC, H3S-2K8
Tel: (514) 775-2315
georgia.tridimas@gmail.com
DISTRICT SECRETARY & SOCIAL MEDIA
Fotini Caragiannis
Liaison Chapter: Euphrosyne, Ottawa
1575 Barre Street, St-Laurent, QC, H4L-4M5
Tel: (514) 778-8966
f.caragiannis@gmail.com
DISTRICT TREASURER
Eleni Agas
Liaison Chapter: Orpheus, London
773 Indian Road, Toronto, ON, M6P-2E4
Tel: (416) 820-2793
eleniagas@hotmail.com
DISTRICT ADVISOR to the MOA
Cathy Pantieras
Liaison: Maids of Athena District Lodge
2109 Appleleaf Way, Ottawa, ON, K1W-1J7
Tel: (613) 799-1231
cpantieras@gmail.com
DISTRICT ADVISOR to the DOP
Annie Valkanas
602-730 Wonderland Rd N, London, ON, N6H-4Y9
Tel: (519) 200-9769
vasilissa1967@gmail.com
Photo: (L to R) Eleni Agas, Roula Koumoutsidis, Georgia Tridimas, Fotini Caragiannis, Cathy Pantieras, Annie Valkanas, with PDG Angela Mouriopoulos.
GRAND LODGE (2022-2023) GRAND PRESIDENT Georgette Boulegeris 18 Heatherwood Lane Bedminster, NJ 07921 Cell: (908) 342-4433 Email: grandpresidentdop@gmail.com Liaison to Australia, Greece, and Europe GRAND VICE PRESIDENT Marianthi Treppiedi 5008 W Navaho Spokane, WA 99208 Cell: (509) 879-7415 Email: mtreppiedi@comcast.net Liaison to all Districts- Membership/Growth & Expansion GRAND SECRETARY Margaret Dritsas 303-429 Somerset Street West Ottawa, ON, K2P-2P5, Canada Cell: (613) 297-2401 Email: margaret.dritsas@gmail.com Liaison to Districts 6, 13, 16 GRAND TREASURER Antoinette Marousis-Bush ... ... Cell: Email: Liaison to Districts 7, 8, 9 GRAND GOVERNOR ZONE V Nicki Douklias 403-10 Hill Grove Point Winnipeg, MB, R3Y-0V6, Canada Cell: (204) 889-6400 Email: nicki.douklias@hotmail.com Liaison to Districts 23, 24, 26 GRAND ADVISOR TO THE MAIDS OF ATHENA Effie Kirkiles ... ... Cell: Email: Liaison to all Maids of Athena Chapters
Coming soon!
“Lessons from Greece: Thessaloniki’s Melissa Orphanage” webinar on YouTube
Daughters of Penelope District 23 Webinar Series: Lessons from Greece
Webinar #2: Sunday, January 24, 2021
Vasilia Mavrou, Executive Director, Melissa Girls Orphanage, Thessaloniki, Greece
Melissa was created in 1921 and celebrates 100 years of service this year. After this moving, educational presentation I thought some notes that could be shared with your membership and friends, may be helpful.
- Melissa’s name comes from the Greek word “bee” as bees work continuously, nonstop, ongoing
- Melissa offers a home and protection for girl’s who need it the most
- Melissa orphanage is an important piece of Thessaloniki’s history
- It was started by some Thessalonian ladies with means, who saw a need
- It’s first location was a large stately home in Thessaloniki; in 1980 this changed to their current location which is a building and land donated by the government
- Melissa saved 80 children from the burning Smyrna and the children were brought to Thessaloniki through the kindness of the US Navy, something that the ladies never forgot
- Girls range between the ages of 4 – 18 years old and are placed here by government services once they are removed from homes of sexual, physical and mental abuse
- The home is organized as a family – meeting the social and educational needs of the child and offering clothing, food, shelter, safety and love
- Melissa acts as a guardian for girls and has an Independent Living Center, which houses 6 girls over the age of 18
- Before 1940, boys were also housed in Melissa but now there is a boys orphanage called Papafio, that is overseen by the Metropolis
- Due to the recession and now pandemic there is a financial crisis, with donations having dropped from 2017 by 80%
- Vasilia stated that many girls who come don’t feel worthy (δεν νοιώθουν άξιες); Melissa offers them a second chance to live, to dream, to make their dreams reality
- 2018, D23 AHEPA and DOP (district and chapters together) sponsored Dioni, an 18 year old Melissa girl, who now is completing her education as an Educational Assistant and is also engaged to be married, a testament to Melissa encouraging girls to dream and making their dreams reality
- FYI: Greece now has an online platform for fostering and adopting children, called www.anynet.gr
- The prime minister stressed, “H Ελλάδα διαθέτει πλέον ένα σύγχρονο και διαφανές σύστημα αναδοχής και υιοθεσίας, που μπορεί να συνδέσει γρήγορα παιδιά με γονείς που θέλουν να τους προσφέρουν τη θαλπωρή του οικογενειακού περιβάλλοντος.” He further stated that this will “set aside the bureaucratic hurdles of the past,” and be able to “quickly connect children with parents who want to offer them the warmth of a family environment,” via the online adoption and fostering database at anynet.gr, a system active since July 6.
- Mavrou stated that she is hesitant about this program but time will tell whether this system will work
- WAYS we can all help:
- Spread the word – share this information
- Melissa offers a good solution to removing and saving abused girls
- encourage friends/family to sponsor a child or send a yearly donation
Many of us were moved by Vasilia Mavrou’s presentation, let’s keep the momentum going and spread the word, even if we touch a few others, we will help in making a difference and hopefully saving one more life.
District 23, Daughters of Penelope.
These are some of the beautiful items our chapters are selling in order to raise additional funds for their causes.
—> District 23 Lodge is proud to present our History book.
DELEGATES AT THE 88th ANNUAL DISTRICT 23 CONVENTION, MAY 27, 2023, MONTREAL, QC.
DELEGATES AT THE VIRTUAL DISTRICT 23 LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE, OCT 15, 2022
