Dear Sisters and Brothers,
I pray that you and your family are having a safe and blessed Easter. While the outbreak of COVID-19 has impacted our lives and traditional customs this festive season, my hope is that you all remain safe and take time on this special day to reach out to family and friends in order to offer support and love.
Though this is a stressful time for us all, I wanted to provide you with some information and updates from the Brotherhood, to help us all stay aware of recent Brotherhood news.
Community Food Bank Relief
As we watch the outbreak of the virus unfold, I know we all have wondered how else we can help our community during this time of crisis. Though staying home and practicing social distancing is the best way for individuals to help reduce the spread, we can still work together to assist in other ways.
With unemployment rising at historic rates, many families are being forced to turn to food banks in order to survive. Each week, demand at these community resources rises exponentially while food donations have fallen sharply. As a result, the Brotherhood is asking Chapters to support their local food bank or food pantry by raising funds or collecting food donations. As an added incentive, for Chapters that raise $500 (or more) towards this effort, the Pan-Icarian Brotherhood’s Foundation will contribute an additional $500!
Please help support this worthy cause!
2020 Scholarship Applications
Applications for the 2020 Pan-Ikarian Scholarship program are now available on our website, and must be submitted by July 1, 2020. This is a valuable program which invests in our youth and I encourage all eligible students who are continuing their education at a university or trade school to apply.
Applications are now submitted electronically and can be found on our website. Questions on the application process can be submitted to our Scholarship Chairman George Livanos (scholarships@pan icarian.com).
Ikarian Cultural Enrichment Program
The Ikarian Cultural Enrichment Program was an idea first established to help celebrate and preserve our strong heritage, and I am pleased to announce that the Brotherhood has re-opened the deadline for applications for the program once again.
To help preserve our Ikarian culture, up to $3,000 has been budgeted by the Pan-Icarian Foundation to fund one or several mini grants relating to the Ikarian diaspora or the island of Ikaria (i.e. the culture, history, art etc.). Additional information will be available on our website , and applications should be completed and returned by July 1, 2020 to Foundation Director Terry Platis at terryplatis@hotmail.com.
In closing, I’d like to once again wish you and your family a very happy and safe Easter. While our celebrations this year are very different than years past, we should use this time to bond with family in whichever way we can.
One mechanism to do this and help preserve our rich history is the Yiayia & Papou series. This effort is a creative and innovative way for us to interview our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents, and preserve their stories and memories for future generations. You can now watch submissions from members throughout the Brotherhood, and submit your own content easily. More information and viewing material is available on our website
Fraternally Yours,
Damianos T. Skaros
President
Pan-Icarian Brotherhood of America “Icaros”
