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HANAC honors the Order of Saint Andrew and National Commander Limberakis

Archons are honored by HANAC with the 2012 Humanitarian Award at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York. (Photos by J. Mindala)


View Photos of the HANAC Gala »


The Hellenic-American Neighborhood Action Committee (HANAC) recognized The Order of Saint Andrew and its National Commander during their 40th Annual Dinner Dance Gala, Friday, October 26. Some 300 guests and Archons attended the black tie affair held at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York.

Father Alexander Karloutsos, Archon Spiritual Advisor, offered the invocation followed by welcoming remarks by Mrs. Margo Catsimatidis, dinner chair. Mrs. Evangeline Douris, General Chair together with Archon Nikitas Drakotos, President, then presented the “Humanitarian Award” to Archon Alex Pritsos, Sergeant of Arms, who was joined by Archons in attendance who accepted the Award.

Archon John A. Catsimatidis, introducing HANAC’s “Man of the Year,” National Commander Dr. Anthony J. Limberakis, said, “I have known Anthony for almost 25 years and he is one of the hardest working people I know. He works hard for his family, his company, and his church. Dr. Limberakis works day and night protecting our church in Constantinople and our Patriarch who resides there. He holds the title of National Commander of the Archons and leads an army of 700 Archons who work in various ways to accomplish this.”

Speaking on the U.S. State Religious Freedom Resolutions Project of the Order, Archon Catsimatidis said, “With Anthony’s leadership, the Archons have pushed through a “Resolution of Religious Tolerance” in almost every state (51 resolutions in 42 states so far). This resolution has greatly strengthened the safety of our Patriarch in Turkey and it is all due to the driving force of HANAC’s man of the year, Dr. Anthony Limberakis.”

Dr. Limberakis then accepted and dedicated the Award to His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America, and the 750 Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in America, and most specifically Fr. Alex, the Officers, National Council and Regional Commanders. 

Mrs. Evangeline Douris, General Chair, Archon Nikitas Drakotos, President and Archon John A. Catsimatidis, present the “Man of the Year Award” to National Commander Dr. Anthony J. Limberakis.

He stated, “Whether the Archons are in Washington, DC at the White House, or in Congress or at the State Department, or in each of the 50 State Capitals in the United States seeking religious freedom resolutions from their state legislatures, or in the Capital Cities of Europe’s Rotating European Union Presidency, or in Warsaw, Poland at Europe’s largest human rights meetings, or in Strasbourg, France arguing before the European Court of Human Rights or in Ankara, Turkey meeting with the leaders of Turkey or in Constantinople receiving the blessings of His All-Holiness and meeting with the religious minorities of Turkey, I pledge to each and every one of you here this evening that the Archons of America will not stop one millisecond in our pursuit of religious freedom for the Holy and Great Mother Church until the bells of freedom can be heard emanating from the Phanar. Only then will we pause, reflect and thank God that our prayers have been answered.”

HANAC is a New York based multi-faceted social services organization founded in 1972, by the late George T. Douris, Archon and past recipient of the Athenagoras Human Rights Award, to serve the needs of vulnerable populations throughout New York City. Their mission is to develop and administer the operation of essential social services including youth, senior and immigrant services, employment and education programs, counseling and affordable housing for the betterment of the community. HANAC presently sponsors over 40 programs located in twelve sites in four boroughs, serving over 25,000 clients annually.

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