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Two Years We Can All Be Proud Of
CONVENTION REPORT FROM THE BOARD
7
ear Fellow Cretans, This year, the PAA National Convention is that I would like to thank everyone that attended the much more special as we celebrate the 100 Year An43rd Biennial Convention of the Pancretan Association niversary of Crete’s Union with Greece. The Periferiof America! arxi of Crete, Stavros Arnaoutakis, in one of our many I would like to thank the Cretan Association of Akron meetings and conversations, asked us to celebrate this Chapter for all of their hard work, the Akron Convention event with our homeland. I reached out and asked our Committee Chair, Mrs. Noula chapters to celebrate and Kountis, and their Chapter have as a theme this 100th President, Mr. Demetri KounAnniversary all year long. tis, for not only organizing and For this reason we created working hard to coordinate the official “U.S. Postal Stamps” 43rd PAA National Convention with the PAA Logo and the but also for volunteering to take 1913-2013 dates on them. it on with the shorter than norOver the last two years, mal notice. We traced the first my wife and I visited many Cretans of Akron back to 1913. Cretans around the world, They formed their chapter in including Montreal, Toron1931 and immediately became to, and even a few families a part of the PAA. In 1938, they in China! I also had an ophosted a well-attended and very portunity to visit and meet successful PAA National Conwith an amazing group of vention at the Mayflower Hotel. Cretans in Australia. They, The term of my presidency too, rolled out the red carcomes to a close in Akron. These pet for Elena and myself last two years will remain in my and shared their challenges memory as the best ones of my and accomplishments. I life. This is because I have had am happy that Mr. Antonis the honor to serve our organizaTsourdalakis, the president tion and, hopefully, contribute and my friend of the World Former PAA President John Manos Photo Courtesy Jay Wise Photography to its stability and progress. I am Council of Cretans and forgrateful to all of you for allowing me the privilege of repre- mer president of the Cretan Federation of Australia, senting all the Cretans of America. flew here to be with us this week along with his wife, During these two years, we convened board meetings Christine. We strive to work together with the PSK in Pittsburgh, Springfield, New York, Las Vegas, Sacra- to keep promoting our common goals to our Cretan mento and Miami. Thank you to all the chapters for host- families and friends all around the world. ing us and showing us the KPHTIKH filoxenia we’ve come I wish to express my most sincere appreciation to expect. We also thank those chapters who welcomed to all of the PAA Board members for your support, us when we conducted our leadership conferences. They advice and sacrifices. Were it not for you, this orinclude: Salt Lake City, the chapters of the 4th District, ganization and these accomplishments would not Amalthea, Cretan Youth, and my hometown chapter, the have been possible. Cretan Fraternity of Chicago. Wherever we travelled, my I am proud to look back and see the progress this wife, Elena, and I were always received with respect and administration has made in achieving the goals of traditional Cretan hospitality. Our thanks and gratitude our organization. Let me take just a few moments goes to everyone for providing us with pleasant memo- to recount our achievements, along with those who ries that we will cherish for years to come. made them possible.
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