Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson hosted her administration’s 2nd Annual Greek Heritage Month celebration in Kingsbridge on Friday, March 24, in conjunction with sponsors, Ponce Bank and the Bronx Terminal Market. There was food, cake, musical and dance performances, as well as the presentation of proclamations to a list of honorees.

 

Held at St. Peter the Apostle Greek Orthodox Church, located at 3245 Kingsbridge Avenue, the event was emceed by mistress of ceremonies, Aravella Simotas, a former New York State assemblywoman who represented parts of Queens and alongside whom Gibson had previously served in the State legislature. The invocation / benediction was given by Father John Paisis, a Greek Orthodox priest.

 

Introducing Gibson, Simotas, who now works in the private sector, was effusive in her praise of her former State assembly colleague, saying,  “As a politician, I’ve been around her my entire life. So trust me when I say this, she’s true to her core. She talks about her faith. She talks about her spirituality and she doesn’t hide it, and I feel that that is something very, very precious in somebody that we elect to serve in our communities.”

For her part, Gibson welcomed all the honored guests and honorees and reciprocated the praise bestowed upon her by Simotas, adding that when she served with the former Queens assemblywoman in the State Assembly, they formed a bond and a sisterhood. “We did a lot of great work together as assembly members representing needy communities,” she said in part. “Despite leaving Albany, one thing that has never changed is my love and admiration and friendship of Arabella.”

 

Greece’s Got Talent contestant, Elaina Poulos, a Fordham University student, kicked off the musical performances when she gave a rousing rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner. Poulos sings both in English and Greek and recently recorded her first song, a Greek ballad, which was set to be released some time in the spring.

 

Meanwhile, the Greek national anthem and other songs and dances, including the Tsakonikos Greek Dance, the Koftos Greek Dance, and the Sirtos Greek Dance, were performed by the Greek American Afternoon School of St. Peter The Apostle, under the direction of Evdoxia Levesanos.

During her remarks, the borough president said her administration wanted to ensure to include the entire Greek American community in their annual celebrations. She also recognized the “young, talented students” of the Greek American Afternoon School of St. Peter The Apostle, referring to them as the borough’s “future leaders.” She also thanked their teachers, including Mrs. Sofia Gergatsoulis Sofillas and Mrs Elefteria Kallimani, the Parish Council of St. Peter the Apostle Greek Orthodox Church and the after school staff.

 

In reference to Greek Heritage Month, Gibson said, “That is the reason why we gather to celebrate our culture, our heritage, our food, our music, our style. What makes our borough so great, is that we are a beautiful mosaic and beacon of different cultures and nationalities, and we all come together in spaces to celebrate who we are, to recognize our diversity, and yes, it is about education.”

 

She continued, “We need all of our elders to make sure that we continue to tell the story of Greek Americans, of the struggle, of the sacrifice of the service of those who came this way, who set their footprints in history, who came before us during insurmountable challenges, during discrimination and hardship and poverty, but yet they survived and thrived and persevered, and show true strength and resilience.”

The borough president paid tribute to the contributions Greek Americans have made to the United States, referencing their entrepreneurial spirit as business owners and more. She said the evening’s honorees represented the best of The Bronx and that each day, she wakes up “on purpose with a purpose,” realizing the assignment she has been given in life. “I want to leave a lasting impact for the next generation,” she said. “I want this work to have significance and make a difference, and have meaning. I want young people to look at me and see themselves, their hopes, their dreams, and all of their aspirations.”

 

The evening’s first honorees were Mike and Konstantinos Tyras, owners of FoodFest and Victory Foods. The Tyras brothers were described by Simotas as sons of George and Sophia who came from a small island located in the southeast of Greece. She said both brothers were born in Rhodes and came to the United States in 1975 for the very first time at a very young age. “The two brothers began their entrepreneurial journey by opening your first restaurant restaurant in 1980,” Simotas said. “Their hard work and dedication soon expanded their business by buying their first food service distribution in 1983. In 1995, the brothers opened a food fast depot, a wholesale Cash and Carry company in The Bronx.”

 

She said their second business also became a huge success and both companies now employ over 270 workers, mainly from The Bronx area. “They are known for providing exceptional service at competitive prices and providing service throughout the entire tri-City area,” Simotas said. “They are respected entrepreneurs who have built successful businesses while giving back to their communities. Their dedication to their work and charitable endeavors makes them role models for all aspiring entrepreneurs.”

 

Simotas said it also made them role models for children and showed them that with hard work and dedication, it doesn’t matter what adversities and challenges come along, as long as you stick with it. She highlighted the importance of family bonds and support in order to  be successful and being responsible thereafter by “paying it forward.” For their part, the bothers said they were grateful for the award and hoped they inspired others in their own endeavors.

The next honoree was Themistocles (Themis) Karasaridis, a former parish council member. Simotas said that the dedication of Karasaridis to St. Peter’s Church over the years had been remarkable. “He’s a former parish council president of this church, and is one of the pillars, the backbone of this community,” she said. Born on May 5 1939, in a small village in Greece, Simotas said Karasaridis was responsible for maintaining his family’s land and helping his widowed mother raise his siblings. “In 1970, he moved to New York on New Year’s Eve and in 1972, he opened up his first business in Uptown Manhattan,” she said.

 

Simotas said his successful coffee shop allowed him to provide a comfortable life for his family, and his family continued to grow. She said he remains surrounded by love with three children and six grandchildren. “I can personally tell you anyone who’s had a food establishment, my father had one, and I know how hard it is to work each and every day, seven days a week, you don’t take time off,” said Simotas. “Maybe you go back to Greece and you see your family sometimes but you work in order to give back and contribute to your families,” she added before thanking Karasaridis for all his contributions to the community.

The youth award went to Georgia Karounos of Preston High School, who was not present on the night. “Georgia serves in the after school program at the Greek American Institute where she helps the teachers watch the kids and helps them with their homework,” Simotas said. ‘She has learned that patience is really important when it comes to children. They require undivided attention and they look up to you.” She added that Karounos had learned the value of time through her work and was felt good being around children.

 

Gibson had earlier said of the youth, “We want young people in all spaces. It keeps me young, makes me feel young, because we always want young people to know that nothing is impossible. If you work hard, hard work will always pay off.”

 

She then gave special recognition award to another young Greek woman [name inaudible amid applause] who worked at her office. “We are very proud that within our office, our education and youth unit, we have an amazing young person that is working with our education team, with our schools, our community, our teachers and educators, and she is here and I do want to recognize her this evening,” Gibson said.

Merkourios Angeliades, contractor and builder of St. Peter’s Church, was then honored. Simotas said that Angeliades was born in 1921 in Greece. “He came to the United States in 1960 to pursue a better life for himself and his family. He was willing to work anywhere and do whatever he could. In 1965, he opened up into construction, doing mostly home improvements and restaurants and City and State projects,” she said. In 1991, she said Angeliades established a new sector of his business and his company grew into a multi-million dollar organization, and has since completed over 300 projects in the New York City area.”

 

These include projects in schools, MTA work, corrections facilities, courts, library and firehouses. “One of the key projects was the Bleecker Street Station, a $96 million renovation,” Simotas said. “His company has been listed in the top 400 construction companies in the United States for the past several years.” Simotas added that she knew from her experience in government that in order to attain City and State contracts, companies were vigorously vetted to make sure the work product was the best and that the contractor was “an honest contributor and an honest broker.”

 

Wrapping up her remarks, Gibson said in part, “So we recognize the independence of Greece and of Greek Americans, what it means for survival and independence and resilience and strength and moving forward. We often say in The Bronx that we are a borough of opportunities. We are a borough of culture, of fashion, of food. We have some of the greatest parks and playgrounds: Orchard Beach, Yankee Stadium. We are a beautiful mosaic of what the world is all about and guess what? The Greek American community is a part of that. You have helped to build this borough to where it is today, as business leaders, political leaders, clergy, leaders, faith leaders, running non for profits, educators, school leaders, first responders, essential workers, frontline staff.”

 

She added, “When we think about all that we have endured here in The Bronx, we have often been counted out last in everything good and first in everything bad. But under our administration, we are turning that conversation around and we are changing the narrative, and we are showing the world what our leadership is all about. So, tonight is an opportunity to celebrate, to reflect on the past, to celebrate the present, and certainly to look to the future, because guess why? When you see the young students, you know that our future is bright.”

 

Click here and here to view some of the musical and dance performances on the night. No plates were broken (that we saw) during the course of the evening.

 

The Greek Independence Day Parade takes place on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan on Sunday, April 30.

 

Annual Greek Independence Day Parade Street Closures (at the discretion of the NYPD) 

 

Formation 

61st Street to 65th Street between Fifth Avenue and Park Avenue

Fifth Avenue between 61st Street and 65th Street

 

Route

Fifth Avenue between 64th Street and 79th Street

 

Dispersal

79th Street between Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue

80th Street between Fifth Avenue and Park Avenue

81st Street between Fifth Avenue and Park Avenue

 

Miscellaneous

69th Street between Fifth Avenue and Park Avenue

78th Street between Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue