Daughters of Penelope

Penelope’s Pen – January, 2025

Happy New Year to all from the Sisters of Antiklea chapter! Let’s hope that this New Year will find us all healthier, happier, and more prosperous. Several of our sisters (see photo) celebrated the Christmas season by having a mini tea party at the Southern Serenity Tea Room. None of us had been there before and we enjoyed the beautiful holiday decorations, tea selections, the traditional snacks, and the great service. Definitely worth another visit with more of our sisters.

We thank everyone who supported our annual Vasilopita sale this year. It is a major fundraiser for our chapter, supporting various activities including our annual scholarship. Congratulations to all those who found the lucky coin in their slice! Stay tuned for our Easter tsourekia and koulourakia sale.

On February 19 at 6 p.m., we will be sponsoring, along with GOYA, an educational event and spaghetti dinner. College consultant Paula Brown will be the speaker. In addition to her other talents, she is a college consultant who has successfully guided students for 22 years in the college admissions process. She will provide an overview and introduction to the process, explain what colleges seek in applicants and how students can develop appealing academic profiles. There will be no charge for this event. However, we must have RSVPs from all who wish to attend so we can plan for food. Be on the lookout for a Sign-up Genius for this event, which will become available after the basketball tournament. Please mark your calendars with the date if you have a prospective college student who could benefit from Ms. Brown’s information.

Due to the weather conditions we have been experiencing this winter, we will be having our next Book Club meeting in March. Our selection is Pike’s Path by local author Bland Weaver. Details will be forthcoming. Looking further ahead, in May we will be reading The Women.

 Sisters, our next regular meeting will be on Sunday, February 9, 2025, after church. See you then!

DOP is sponsoring a special Author event with local writer/Financial Advisor/Kiwanis club President, and long-time Greek festival volunteer, Bland Weaver, on Sunday, March 16th at 11:45 am. His book, “Pike’s Path” may be ordered from Amazon. He will be signing copies before/after the event. Light refreshments will be served. Click for details.

 

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Installation of Antiklea Chapter #68 2023-2024 officers by District Governor, Helen Dennie

 

Chapter Officers for 2022-2023

Stephanie Theofanos, President

Jackie Harmon, Vice President

Zoe Mouris,

Kathy Bazianos, Treasurer

To Be Announced, Recording Secretary

Board of Governors: Sondra Sealine, Chairman; Loretta Kirk, and Niki Karion

Daughters of Penelope

The Daughters of Penelope (DOP) was the realization of Alexandra Apostolides' dream.  Her desire was to create a woman's organization and because of her perseverance and the encouragement of her husband Dr. Emanuel Apostolides, a devoted AHEPAN, she formed EOS Chapter #1 with 25 charter members on November 16,1929 in San Francisco, California. The objectives of the Daughters of Penelope are to promote Hellenism, Education, Philanthropy, Civic Responsibility, and Family and Individual Excellence.     


Who is Penelope?

In ancient Greek legend, Penelope was the wife of Odysseus, King of Ithaca. Odysseus left her and their son, Telemachus when he went to the Trojan War. When the war ended, many mishaps and weary wanderings kept him from returning home. As time went on and he did not return, many suitors claimed her hand and her kingdom. For a long while she put them off with a plea that she must finish weaving a robe for Laertes, her father-in-law. However, every night she unraveled what she had woven by day, thus remaining faithful to the memory 0f Odysseus and steadfast to the sanctity of her home.

Finally, Odysseus appeared after an absence of twenty years to reclaim his wife, his throne, and his home. In the name of our Order, the Daughters of Penelope, the word Penelope symbolizes all the noble virtues, of kindness, tolerance, unselfishness, truth, goodness, beauty, self-improvement, purity, loyalty, and patience, which were evident in the character of Penelope. As her Daughters, we strive to exemplify and uphold these same values in today's world.

Antiklea Projects and Events:

Red Tent Project for Homeless Women

Koulourakia Baking

Holy Land Crafts Booth

Tsourekia, Koulourakia, and Psalms CD Sale

New Year’s Vasilopita Sale


Charities that DOP Supports: 

Daughters of Penelope Foundation, Inc. Scholarships
Penelope House-Domestic Family Violence Center: Mobile, AL
Penelope House-Domestic Family Violence Center: Brockton, MA
Penelopean Foundation Day Care Center: Athens, Greece
University of Miami, Sylvester Cancer Research Center
Saint Basil Academy-Home for young children