October 2012 - Tsintzina Society

HE
SINTZINIAN
Heritage Society of America
The Tsintzinian
Tsintzinian Historical
Historical
The
Society of
of America
America
Society
2012 BOARD
BOARD of
of DIRECTORS
DIRECTORS
2012
• PRESIDENT: Helen Laskaris
laskaris@roadrunner.com
• VICE PRESIDENT: Thalia
Johanssen
jljohanssen@gmail.com
• TREASURER: Peter Sfikas
psfikas@aol.com
• SECRETARY: Pauline Costianes
pnc_52@hotmail.com
BOARD MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP: Stephanie Schlick
Tsintzinasociety@yahoo.com
REUNION CHAIRMAN DIRECTOR:
Thalia Johanssen
MEMBERS:
Joanna Ferencz
Eugene Geracimos
Jim Karfes
John Schlick
John Zacharias
I have decided that there is no place on earth that I would rather be
the last weekend in July then in Jamestown; the home of the Tsintzinian
Convention. Nowhere else is there such a special place enriched in such
history and friendship. Jamestown- the Tsintzinian Convention is relatively
a small group of people who have accomplished
something big; we have hung on for 100 years!!
WOW!! We have created memories that are
very specific to just us. Dancing on the same
wooden floor as our grandparents… From the
minute we drive on to the grounds we are transported back in time. What an ideal atmosphere.
What wonderful traditions we have. Being
Tsintzinian is an honor… a privilege…
I enjoy sharing what limited knowledge I
have with those younger than me and I thoroughly enjoy hearing stories from those older
than me. I plan on going to the convention again
this year and strongly encourage you to come too. Bring cousins, nieces
and nephews along and open the door for some time of storytelling of the
days past that help develop in those young ones the feeling of Tsintzinian
heritage that will stay with them throughout their lives. We must start sharing more and more with these generations or else we will be lost.
I want to thank our forefathers for the insight for starting this tradition
and thank all family and friends who want it to continue- your donations
now have helped keep the club house afloat. YOU are providing what it
needs to continue. Every check you write helps preserve the past and looks
towards the future.
George Gerasimos, the originator of the idea of an annual national
convention, gave his own speech during the dedication. He closed with
words significant for all succeeding generations of Tsintzinians. In his words;
Contents:
Family Group Fund
Group Fund Form
Elk of Year Award
Gregory Lives Dream
Remembered
Greek Superstitions
Dues Form
The President’s Message:
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3
4
5-7
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8
9
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“Dear young Tsintzinian children: It is your duty to respect this patriotic monument. Follow the path which your love has opened for you. Work,
that this achievement may become greater and better. We are sure that
you will do better, yet if not, at least try to keep it as good and beautiful as
today. That will be our sweetest relief after we depart from this world, the
relief that our work was done to not perish.”
“You can go anywhere and Greek Dance:
Only in Jamestown one dances with History.”
1
All Aboard Tsintzinians
by Nick Costianes- Albion, Michigan
If you truly embrace your heritage and the idea of
Jamestown and what it stands for it’s time for you to get
on board the “GOOD SHIP F.G.F.R.” – Family Group Fund
Raising.In case you don’t know, it takes approximately $25,000
a year to cover the cost of maintaining and operating our
club house and grounds. This is without any unexpected
major problems. Right now, we need a new roof. The leakage that occurred was costly in repairs and totally unexpected.
Back to the F.G.F.R., immediate goal is to get at least 20 families
pledging and paying $1,500 per year for the next five. Meeting this goal is
not only critical to the survival of our beloved Society but it will give us the
needed financial base to allow us to apply for and receive grant money
from foundations for special projects. Two of the largest project grants we
would apply for are 1) capital improvements to the club house and 2) grants
for turning the boardroom into a museum to highlight the accomplishments
of Tsintzinian immigrants in America.
The question is, will you get on board the “Good Ship F.G.F.R.” or are
you going to board the “Titanic”. My immediate family has chosen the “Good
Ship F.G.F.R.”. Fran and I are one group and our daughters Pauline,
Kathleen, Christine and her partner Mary are the second group. That is
$3,000 a year. We sure hope you will open your hearts and your billfolds
and form your “family group” and get aboard the “Good Ship F.G.F.R.” today. Let us be responsible for the continuation of The Tsintzinian Historical
Society of America for another 100 years.
BeapartoftheFamily
GroupFundRaising
program.Helpus
guaranteeourfuture
formanyyears
tocome.
Usetheformonpage3
tosetupyourown
familygroupandhelp
secureourfuture.Any
donationswill
gladlybeacceptedand
willbelistedwitha
groupofunconnected
families.
2013 Tsintzinian
Convention
July 25, 26, 27, 28
Celoron, New York
There is Hope Becomes Reality
by John Zacharias
This program was presented to the Board and members and was
overwhelmingly approved in July. By the end of the convention, we collected money and/or pledges from 10 families. We have a half family that
is looking for distant cousins and has three members who have already
paid $500. If you want to be part of the family, please call John Zacharias
at 412-497-1776 or if you want more information on starting a family group of all distant cousins, we will group all
members who will start with $200 now and $100 in December. We need at least 20 families but hope for more.
The greater the number of families that participate, the
longer our future and heritage is guaranteed. Remember,
the goal of this fund raiser is to show Foundations that we
have membership support — both financially and figuratively and to provide operating expenses for may years to
come. The following is a list of participating families: L.
Andris; T. Costas; N. Costianes; P. Costianes; G/GT Dusckas; Johanssen;
Karfes; G. Laskaris; Macheras; D. Manos; A. Nickles; Zacharias and various grouped donors not associated with families.
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SEND US YOUR NEWS
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EMAIL:
laskaris@roadrunner.com
2
TSINTZINA WEBSITE:
www.tsintzinasociety.com
3
WRITE TO:
Pete Laskaris, 703
Summit Road, Marion, OH
43302
WE LOOK FORWARD
TO HEARING FROM YOU!
3
T e Me
g f er
ge
Ria Zervos gets married
in Nassau
valued objects and qualities such as cultural traditions, unspoiled
countryside, and historic buildings that have been passed down from
previous generations : the richness of our diverse cultural heritage | a
sense of history and heritage.
Ria Zervos
was married
April 26th to
Raul Jimenez at
a destination
wedding
in
Nassau, Bahamas at Annunication Greek
Orthodax Church. She is living
in San Jose, Costa Rica.
Some Greek Traditional
Superstitions
How do we celebrate our heritage, pass on our legacy, and honor the
ancestors who gave us our wonderful lives? Some of us show up every
year at Jamestown; some every few years as time permits. We simply
show up. Showing up — by going to Jamestown or just keeping in touch
with the society — is really all that matters in our busy world.
Single
Family
* Dues are tax deductible. You can benefit this year by paying your
dues now.
Happy Thanksgiving: Just remember,
the Greeks did it first!
Ready to have another bubble burst? You no doubt knew that most
major western world holidays have their origins among the celebrations of
the ancient world, e.g. Halloween (cf. Druid festivals in honor of their god of
the dead), Christmas (cf. Roman Saturnalia), Easter (cf. sun worship festivities among the Romans, Greeks and Druids), etc. If however, you are
like most students in Latin, you were probably always told that Thanksgiving Day was truly an American celebration, started by the Pilgrims, with no
ancient precedent — NOT!
It can now be told that the Greeks did it first. Yes, they celebrated a
feast of thanksgiving. Yes, they celebrated it in November. Yes, the celebration involved a banquet. Yes, there was a Thanksgiving Day parade.
There you have it — Thanksgiving Day, Greek style.
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Some Greeks, especially in
villages, believe that someone
can catch the evil eye, or
“matiasma”, from someone else’s
jealous compliment or envy. A
person who has caught the evil
eye usually feels bad physically
and psychologically.
To avoid the matiasma,
those who believe in it wear a
charm: a little blue marble glass
with an eye painted on it or a blue
bracelet. Blue is believed to be the
colour that wards off the evil eye
but it is also believed that people
with blue eyes are givers of the
matiasma.
Garlic is another way to ward
off the evil eye, and one can
sometimes see it hanging in a
corner of some houses. Garlic, as
well as onion, is also considered
of having a great healing power
by many Greeks. If someone is
feeling ill, they will advice him to
eat garlic.
Do you know?
Our society was founded in
1893. We are the oldest
Greek society in America.
Nancy Gregory lives American Dream
Honored and Remembered
Tsintzinians
Mosca Morgan Nickles
Mosca Morgan Nickles, beloved wife of the
late
Marcus
Nickles; loving
mother of the
late
Annette
Mavrophilipos;
dear sister of the
late
Vasilea
Batounis and the
late Joanna Morgan; loving
grandmother of Markos,
Avgerinos, Mosca, Vasilea &
Christina Mavrophilipos. Five
great grandchildren also survive.
Peter B. Nickles
Peter is predeceased by his
father Brasidas P. Nickles. He is
survived by husband James M.
Lewis, daughter Georgina
Nickles, son Brad P. Nickles and
their mother
Irene Nickles, all
of Hastings-onHudson, NY., his
mother Nella
Nickles
of
Middletown, NY
and sister Anna
Stathes of Columbus, OH.
Peter was born July 24,
1937 in Middletown, NY. He attained his undergraduate degree
at Johns Hopkins University then
earned his law degree at Syracuse University. Peter served in
a JAG Unit while in the Army Re-
By ELIZABETH REGAN
MILL HALL-From immigrating to the United States to building her own
business, Nancy Gregory is the stuff the American Dream is made of.
On Thursday, she turned 98, surrounded by her loved ones at
Nightengale’s Personal Care Home, a celebratory crown atop her perfectlycurled hair.
Her animated spirit gave new life to
the home, and she spoke with a twinkle
in her eye and a grin on her face. She
seemed a woman who knows who she
is, where she’s been, and where she’s
going.
As she sat on the couch with her
nephew, Jim Gregory and his wife Zonda,
the pieces of furniture and the very walls
seemed to transform into another time,
another place, as she told the story of her
life.
She was born in Tzintsina, Greece, a small village outside Sparta, in
1914. Tzintsina sits atop a mountain and the two neighboring villages would
seek its respite from the Spartan heat in the summer, Jim explained. Jim is
from the other neighboring village in Greece.
Nancy was named after a princess in Homer’s Iliad, but her friends
nicknamed her Nubby, and it’s stuck ever since, she said.
Journey to America
In 1922, she and her family immigrated to the United States when she
was 8 years old. She didn’t speak much of what Ellis Island was like, but
she still feels her initial awe when she first stepped foot in New York City.
“Unbelievable,” she said in a word. “I was in awe of the tall buildings.
I look up, around, and I want to go up there. I wasn’t afraid!” she exclaimed.
She was so excited when she arrived that she spoke to these Americans, though they couldn’t understand her Greek.
“I found the Americans very friendly and talkative, too. They couldn’t
understand me (though),” she laughed.
What still sticks out in her mind is the difference in social attitude.
“What do I remember? How plain people are here. People think they’re
“it” in Greece (stuck up),” she said.
She and her family moved to Barnesville, Ohio, and there, she went to
school. The teachers wanted her to take the state board exam, even though
she didn’t think she knew enough English. She earned second place, however, and also got on the honor roll.
She learned quickly.
“I skipped second grade, then went to fourth grade, then to sixth grade!”
she exclaimed.
Continued on Page 6
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Continued from Page 5
Her love for the United States grew as exponentially as her educational learning.
“I love the United States. I did not want to go back to Greece,” because she saw when she did go back in the 1970s, nothing had changed.
Still no running water, no electricity.
Life in America
She also noticed other cultural differences between Greece and
America: the role and dress of women.
“In Greece, women had to wear skirts,” she said. And here, women
worked. “I was surprised women worked here.”
So she decided to make her own way, too.
“I was a hair dresser for 38 years,” she said
as she rubbed her knuckles, knotted from use.
“This is from work!” she exclaimed, pointing to
her hands. “I gave my customers scalp messages.”
She also bought stock in Columbia Gas,
from her brother’s advice. When her mother
heard about it, she laughed.
“My mother laughed at the name because
“kolo” in Greek means rear-end!” Nancy said,
cracking up.
She told her mother, “Well, that’s what I have, Mom!” Her mother then
advised her not to tell her father because he would want to take it and give
it to the family, to help them. But it was her money, her mother said, and
she should use it.
It was fortunate she chose that stock-it skyrocketed.
“Then the stock went sky high, and I was a rich girl!” Nancy expressed.
It was after the war she married and went from Nancy Nickels to Nancy
Gregory. She met her future husband, Demetrios (translated as Jimmy)
Gregory, in Jamestown, N.Y.
Jim explained that the people of those two Grecian villages formed an
association, now called Tzintsina Heritage Society, and have met in
Jamestown the third weekend in July ever since they immigrated. “It’s one
Continued on Page 7
Honored and Remembered
Continued from Page 5
serves. He was an attorney for the
Peekskill City School District and
also ran a private law practice in
Peekskill. Peter completed his
career just this year as an area
representative for AFSCME
Council 66 and the City Employee
Union of Rochester.
Peter had a gift for entertaining people. Throughout his life he
loved playing piano and singing
jazz standards at many establishments including cruise ships,
Marie’s Crisis in NYC, and locally
at Tara’s. Peter served on many
boards including The Tsintzinian
Historical Society of America of
Celoron, NY.
Cleo Chelekis Gorant
Cleo James Chelekis
Gorant of Canfield, Ohio died
Friday, June 22, 2012. She was
born
in
Youngstown,
Ohio on August 7, 1920,
one of eight
children of
Anna
and
J a m e s
Chelekis. She
was preceded
in death by Charles Constantine
Gorant, her husband of 46 years
and co-founder of Gorant Candies, and her daughter Marianne
Charlene Gorant. She is survived
by two daughters, Connie Gorant
Fisher (Robert) and Denise
Gorant Gliwa (Kevin), three
grandchildren, Catherine Gorant
Gliwa, Charles Gorant Gliwa and
Samuel Robert Fisher, a sister
Continued on Page 7
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Honored and Remembered
Continued from Page 6
Bess Canelos, and many nieces
and nephews (and grand-nieces
and nephews) who she loved like
her own children. A longtime
Boardman resident, Cleo was a
member of St. John Greek Orthodox Church where she taught
Sunday School and actively participated
in
the
Ladies
Philoptochos.
Bill L. Carlos
Bill L. Carlos, formerly of
New Concord, passed away July
31, 2012 in New Bern, N.C.
He was a former postal
worker before retirement.
He was born Feb. 2, 1928,
son of the late Louie and Angeline
Costianes Carlos.
In addition to his parents, an
infant sister and brother, George,
preceded him in death.
He is survived by his Uncle
and Aunt, Nick and Fran
Costianes of Albion, Mi. and
many cousins; a niece, Gloria
Goodwin and her husband Dick
of New Bern, N.C.; great-niece,
Stacy Fichter, her husband Rick,
and their daughter, Madison of
Cumming, Ga.; a great-nephew,
Steve Goodwin, his wife Sara,
and their son Fisher of Leland,
N.C. Bill adored his nieces and
nephews. He will be greatly
missed by each of them.
Mr. Carlos was an accomplished artist and drew maps for
the New Concord Post Office and
fire department. His artwork is
also at the John Glenn Museum.
He spent many hours creating
artwork for others.
Continued from Page 6
of the oldest ethnic associations in the country,” he said.
Married life
As fate would have it, that is also where she met Jimmy.
After they married, they lived in Wilmington, Del.
“That’s where my beauty salon was. Mrs. Dupont (of DuPont Chemical Solutions Enterprise) was one of my customers. They were just ordinary people, no Cadillacs,” Nancy said.
After Wilmington, they moved to State
College, where Jimmy had lived, and spent
the next 10 years there. Her brother-in-law
had opened a Holiday Inn, now the Ramada
Inn, and Nancy was a cashier there. “State
College has grown!” since she was first
there, she said.
It was for their 25th wedding anniversary they went to back to Greece the first
time in the ’70s; the second time was in
1995. By then, their village was no longer
quite so antiquated. Every house had running water, toilets, electricity.
For the next 25 years, Nancy would
take care of her brother-in-law George Gregory and his wife Catherine;
Catherine had Alzheimers.
Catherine was an artist, and played violin, even after she lost her
memory, she said. And Nancy was just the medicine Catherine needed.
“I spoke Greek with Catherine, and she felt like she was living again,”
Nancy said, tears in her eyes.
She drove them to Florida in the winter, and back to Pennsylvania in
the summer, every year.
Jim laughed, picturing it. “Can you imagine this four-foot-eleven woman
driving a Cadillac from Florida? She had to look through the steering wheel
to drive!” he said.
Jim paused, now more sober.
“And as history takes its turn, we are now her caretaker,” he said.
“She does really well with many people around her....She’s very happy
taking care of people in Nightengale’s.”
True to his word, as the ladies shuffled into the dining room for her
cake, Nancy helped her friend. “Uncross your legs. Good. Now lean on
your cane to stand up,” she instructed.
A rich heritage
Though her parents are gone now, she has fond memories of them.
Her father fought in the Spanish-American War.
“He was wounded and got a pension, a tiny, tiny pension, and that
kept us going until things got better (in the Great Depression),” she said.
He made candy in Bellefonte in Talleyrand Park where they rented a
Continued on Page 8
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Continued from Page 7
storefront. He called it Candy Land Restaurant. “All the brothers worked
there when they first arrived; they eventually went their own way, like families often do,” Jim said.
Her mother was a midwife in Greece,
and a housewife here. She was very skilled
because of the practical experience she
gained in Greece, Jim said.
Her parents would use their house in
Greece to help people.
“Our house in the village was huge. It
had a big balcony. Our house could be used
to help sick people,” Nancy remembered.
In America, even with Nancy’s quick
learning pace, her parents insisted she still
speak Greek at home so she wouldn’t forget
her heritage.
Now, all her family in her generation are gone but two sisters-in-law,
one in Florida, the other in Ohio.
Nancy’s still going strong, noting her grandma lived to be 104.
“We were proud of our people,” she said.
She still has some family, though, and Jim is very close to her. He too
immigrated in 1952 at age 8. His father was “killed during the war,” he said.
His father was Nancy’s brother-in-law, and his
adopted father was another brother-in-law.
“Nancy wanted to adopt me, but the elders in the family (wouldn’t allow it),” he said.
He looked at her. “Many years later, I’ve
adopted her.”
He loves everything about her.
“Nubby’s a pistol. She never met a
stranger, is extremely charming and energetic!”
he said.
The family and residents at the home
gathered around to cut the cake. As Nancy
looked at her 98th birthday cake, her eyes grew wide and she shook her
head.
“Can you imagine being that old?” she whispered to one of her caretakers, then asked, “Do you know anyone that old?”
“You!” the caretaker laughed.
And all sang Happy Birthday to the woman they love, admire, and
cherish.
“
You can go anywhere and Greek Dance:
Only in Jamestown one dances
with History.”
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More Greek Traditional
Superstitions
Knives
Greeks never hand knives to
someone who asks for it for they
consider that if they do that they
will have a fight with the person.
Therefore they set it down on the
table and let the other person take
it.
Priest
Greek Orthodox priests
(popes) are very revered and the
custom is to kiss a priest’s hand
in respect when meeting one; today this custom is only followed
in villages. But it is believed that
seeing a black cat and a priest
during the same day is bad luck.
Spiting
Some Greeks believe that
spitting chases the devil and the
misfortune away. That is why
when someone talk about bad
news (deaths, accidents, etc…)
the others slightly spit three times
saying “ftou, ftou, ftou”. Another
example is that someone that
compliments a baby, a child or
even an adult for its beauty, has
also to spit three times on the
complimented person.
Tuesday the 13th
Unlike the western belief, in
Greece the unlucky day is Tuesday the 13th and not Friday the
13th.
Make Checks payable To:
Tsintzina Society
c/o Peter Sfikas
1206 South Street SE
Warren, OH 44483
Tsintzina Society Membership Form
Last Name:
First:
Middle:
City:
State:
Zip:
Spouse:
Father's Name:
Phone:
Mother's Maiden Name:
Address:
PLEASE PAY YOUR DUES AND HELP OUR SOCIETY!
Benefactor: $100.00
Family: $60.00
Individual (Age 21+): $40.00
I am planning on attending the 2013 Convention.
Amount Enclosed:
The benefactor dues category gives Tsintzinians an opportunity to give more freely to help the organization with finacial concerns. All benefactors will be duely recognized for their extra contributions.
Come to the Tsintzina Society Reunion
July 25 – July 28
Dues are an important part of maintaing our clubhouse and our Society.
Please pay your dues.
You can pay your dues, donate money, or pay your registration fee for the Reunion using Paypal on our website at http://
www.tsintzinasociety.com.
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Tsintzinian Chronicle
703 Summit Road
Marion, Ohio 43302
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