Ross Gallabrese REACHING A MILESTONE — Members of Hancock Chapter 103 of the Order of AHEPA gathered on the steps in front of All Saints Greek Orthodox Church in Weirton Tuesday evening before a dinner was held to celebrate its 100th anniversary.

WEIRTON — For Jim Antoniou, Tuesday’s banquet celebrating the 100th anniversary of Hancock Chapter 103 of the Order of AHEPA carried extra special meaning.

Antoniou, president of the local chapter, explained before the dinner began in the social hall of All Saints Greek Orthodox Church that his father had been president when the organization marked another milestone anniversary.

“When we celebrated the 50-year anniversary, my father was the president, and here it is 50 years later, and I’m the president,” Antoniou remembered. “This is a great group of guys, and we have a great mission.”

Founded on May 9, 1926, with 15 members, the local chapter of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association came along just four years after the national organization was founded in Atlanta. Its roster today stands at 105 active members.

“In order to make this happen, it is not magic,” said Nick Tranto, who helped organize the dinner and served as master of ceremonies. “What it takes is dedicated leadership. Leadership, whether it is in the church, whether it is in your business, whether it is in your AHEPA, it takes dedicated leaders, women and men who are willing to sacrifice their time over their convenience, because the legacy of their parents, their grandparents and their heritage matters.

“It is a matter of putting your values ahead of your personal comfort. AHEPA and the Weirton chapter of the Daughters of Penelope and the surrounding All Saints community has done that very well,” added Tranto, who is a 53-year life member of the organization.

E. Chris Kaitson, supreme president of the national organization, delivered the keynote address, saying that while a lot has changed during the past 100 years, the basic mission of the organization remains.

“AHEPA is 104 years old, and this chapter is 100 years old. We haven’t changed a bit,” Kaitson said. “If you look back at who we were 100 years ago, 104 years ago, we were a group of men and an organization that helped people. We continue to help people. Back then, they needed help with food, housing, finances, jobs and language. This chapter still helps with food.”

For example, the local chapter joins with the Weirton Ministerial Association and the Weirton Heights Rotary Club to provide 500 meals at Thanksgiving, and AHEPA members also feed about 200 children at the Weirton Christian Center.

“This chapter has been a good steward of service,” Kaitson said. “They have been blessed with requests to help with meals and projects and backpacks and cooking for the needy. Why? Because they know you do it, and you do it with kindness, with heart and with respect.

“We respect each other,” he added. “It doesn’t matter who we are — we all have things we have to deal with in life. It doesn’t matter — we are here to help other people. When we know folks need help, we step up to do that. That is who we are — that’s who we should be.”

Nationally, Kaitson said, the organization still helps with housing, operating 95 senior living apartments in complexes spread across 19 states. Education remains important, he said, adding that this year AHEPA plans to give out $3 million in scholarships.

Victims of floods and fires also are helped through AHEPA, Kaitson continued. Last year, when devastating flooding killed children at a camp near San Antonio, he said, AHEPA delivered a $10,000 check that paid for the lunches of first responders for 30 days.

A relief fund, he added, helps people who are affected by fires, whether it is in the United States, Greece, Cyprus or in other parts of the world.

The national organization also has stepped up to help build the first burn triage unit in Greece.

“The important part is that we just didn’t send the money to Greece or the hospital and say build it,” Kaitson said. “We didn’t go to our AHEPA chapters in Greece and say build it, either. We are good stewards of that money, and we are taking care to do it ourselves.

“Your chapter does the same thing — they cook the meals when the food is necessary. They want it to be a representation of who we are,” he added.

Getting the word out about the organization and how it steps up to help is important, Kaitson said.

“This chapter makes sure everybody knows what AHEPA is. Their name is out there through the projects they do. They do things because they want people to respect what AHEPA is. We have to make sure we are doing positive things for the community, for AHEPA, for the church and for the future. We need folks to know what AHEPA is, just like you do in the community,” Kaitson said.

The evening included the presentation of proclamations from West Virginia state government, which were delivered by state Sen. Ryan Weld, R-Brooke, and state Del. Mark Zatezalo, R-Hancock, and from the city, which were delivered by Mayor Dean Harris and City Manager Mike Adams.

Harris and Adams both spoke about the importance of the church to the community.

“A lot of the things that happen here are centered around this church,” Harris said.

“The people of this church are the driving force of the community,” Adams added.

Dean G. Makricostas was named the local AHEPA Man of the Year.