CRETE Magazines Oct. 2014 | Page 7

Γ ΡΑ Μ Μ ΑΤΑ Dear Mr. George Paterakis and PAA, Dear Mrs. Boutzoukas, and whomever else this may concern, I want to express my most sincere thanks to you for granting me the $1,000 scholarship established in memory of Michael Vlastos. It was an outstanding honor for me to have been recognized by the PAA as worthy of such a gift. The scholarship will be of extremely great use at the University of Pittsburgh, where I am attending school. I am so grateful for the opportunities that the PAA offers students like me to help pay for our educations. I am certain that the PAA has touched many, many lives in an invaluable way, and will continue to do so for years to come. I cannot thank any of you enough for the great honor of receiving this scholarship. I most sincerely appreciate it. Many, many thanks, Ms. Rio Eleni Maropis > I am truly honored and thankful to be a recipient of the Pancretan Association of America Venizelion Scholarship. I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to those families who continue to support the goals of the Pancretan Association of America and particularly to the Varouh family in memory of Hedwig B. Varouh and George, Sophia and Catherine Patchoros for their financial gift to pursue my college education. I have started my freshman year at the University of Akron to pursue a bachelor’s degree in > Dear PAA Scholarship Committee, mechanical engineering and this generous award has been instrumental for a good start to accomplish my college education. Thank you again for this generous award, it is my intention that someday I can help other individuals in my Cretan community to achieve their goals and dreams. Sincerely, Yiannis M. Detorakis LETTERS I would like to offer my deepest gratitude for the honor of being chosen as a recipient for the scholarship in the memory of Nicolas and Mary Paterakis. With this wonderful opportunity I am one step closer to fulfilling my dream of becoming a physician. I am extremely humbled by your generosity and am excited to begin this new path in my educational journey. I have always felt an immense pride in my Cretan heritage, which has been magnified by the wonderful educational and cultural programs I have been able to participate in through my local chapter as well as the national PAA. Every time I get to attend a dance or lecture I feel more connected to my heritage and love teaching others about our incredible history. As a young girl I would spend my whole summers in Greece and I would marvel at the beauty of Crete. I always dreamed of following in my Cretan Papou’s footsteps to become an incredible doctor like him. He has inspired me to follow his lead and pursue medicine to help those in need. I am very grateful to have been able to achieve so much already and look forward to all that I will be able to accomplish as I continue with my education at Albany Medical College. I aspire to always represent the Cretan spirit and community well and continue my involvement as I go through my life. Thank you again for this generous gift. Words cannot express what this means to me. Once again I would like to offer my thanks and best wishes to the Paterakis family. My hope is to make them proud. I will never forget what they have done for me. May the memory of Nicolas and Mary Paterakis be eternal. Sincerely, Urania Dagalakis To the Pancretan Association of America Venizelion Scholarship Committee: Thank you so much for honoring me with a 2014 Pancretan Venizelion Scholarship in the memory of Michael A. Svourakis. The pride I have from being of Cretan ancestry, reinforced with my visits to Crete, memories with my parents and grandparents, reading the history, and experiencing traditions, have given me a positive perspective that will be part of my life. I will share with our local association my progress and knowledge, and will certainly pass on my experience. I am studying graphic des