“It’s all about the children,” said Fr. Michael Palamara, one of hundreds of Greek American faithful gathered at the beautiful Terrace on the Park in Queens, New York to attend the Archbishop’s Nameday Gala on November 17, 2024.
In addition to celebrating Archbishop Elpidophoros of America’s name day, November 2, the now-annual gala raises critical funds for the Archdiocesan Youth Summer Camp Scholarship Fund, providing financial assistance to youth across the Archdiocese and enabling them to attend Greek Orthodox summer camps regardless of their financial circumstances.
Through the generosity of last year’s donors, the 2023 inaugural gala allowed 275 youth to attend summer camping ministries, distributing funds toward Ionian Village, each Metropolis summer camp, and the launch of an endowment scholarship fund for future campers.
This year’s gala was an even greater success, led by co-chairs Stephanie Litsakis Clark and Fr. Panteleimon Papadopoulos, who emphasized the significance of summer camping ministries in the lives of our youth. Archons, members of Leadership 100, and other esteemed gala guests donated over $400,000 to the fund, which will allow more youth members of our Archdiocese to attend these ministries.
Addressing the gala attendees, Archbishop Elpidophoros expressed his gratitude at the opportunity to to “achieve something for the Faithful Children of the Ecumenical Throne: their progress, as we pray in the Divine Liturgy, ‘in life, in faith, and spiritual understanding.’”
He also emphasized that the Archdiocesan camping ministries are not “some kind of innovation – a gimmick to instill our Faith and traditions,” but “are completely consistent with the most ancient first principles of our Church.” At our summer camping ministries, youth devote themselves “to the teaching of the Apostles and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to their prayers,” just as the early Christians do in Acts 2:42.
These camps “offer a unique opportunity for young people to grow in their faith by taking them out of the techno-world that they continuously inhabit and bringing them into nature…Our camps are refuges for our young people.” These experiences should not be limited to those of financial means, making fundraisers like the Archbishop’s Nameday Gala and Archdiocesan Youth Summer Camp Scholarship Fund critical. As His Eminence maintains, “There are people in need, and families who can’t afford the luxury of a Greek Orthodox summer camp. We must make these transformative experiences financially accessible to every child who wishes to attend.”
These sentiments were echoed by attendees. Presvytera Meghan Karloutsos, herself a former camp counselor, said that “going to camp St. Paul is life changing. We need to give as many children as possible the chance to go because it is truly lifechanging.” Another attendee, Mrs. Irene Stellas Ferranti, talked about the transformative effect that camp has on so many children: “the week is so special because it fills the kids and counselors alike with peace and light.” From building bonfires, to watching fireflies, to daily communal prayer, “there are just so many ways for the kids to feel like they belong,” said Ferranti.
Photos: GOARCH/Brittainy Newman
