The 2023 Tsintzinian Reunion!
Mark your calendars for next year's 131st gathering: July 25-28, 2024
President’s Report - Peter Sfikas
What a great reunion. Attendance was a bit down from last year but a great time was enjoyed by all. The food was delicious. Kids enjoyed the waterslide. Kids were in the yard playing softball for the first time 20 years. The band played and we danced until after 3am. All new attendees guaranteed they'd be back. Everything went spectacularly well. Next year will most definitely be a bounce back year for attendance and we are on the right path for the endurance of the Society. Can't wait to see you next year.
As always, we had elections to the Board of Directors at the convention. Welcome to Kiki and thank you for heading up the Membership Committee. Anyone who is interested in joining the Membership Committee for the purpose of reaching out to members and boosting member participation, please contact Kiki or myself (email addresses are in the box below).
The Generations at Jamestown
New Attendees
Penny Zacharias Burkley of Pittsburgh brought her family to the convention for their very first time this year. Socs and Sarah Zacharias, also of Pittsburgh, brought a guest as well — their au pair! All four promised they’ll be back.
Treasurer’s Report - Duane Ferencz
Building & Grounds Report - PJ Karousis
The floor in the kids’ room was repaired and refinished with a new laminate floor.
We spent $0 on repairs because the one water leak that had to be fixed was completed with a part we already had lying around. Baseboard heaters were installed in both bathrooms. I will be getting quotes to install some sort of AC in the Poolis Hall in order to increase the value to potential rentals. I will be working with some board members and active members of the society to refinish the floors throughout the hall. This work should only cost us the rental of a sander and the product we install — paint or poly coating.
Our largest concern moving forward will be the kitchen, as it is falling apart. The entire sub-floor will need to be replaced; a tile floor will be needed on top of the new sub-floor to combat water damage. A wall behind the soda coolers is badly damaged and needs to be at least partially replaced.
Lastly, it is not a must-be-done-right-this-second task, but at some point we will need to get new appliances for the kitchen: over the last few years I have had to repair most of the ovens, including a $250 repair on a thermocouple this year during convention weekend. The existing equipment is in mostly good condition; if we sell it now, we should be able to get some money to offset a small portion of the cost to replace all of it. The board does not feel it is a good idea to undertake this process at the moment due to the society’s financial situation, but it does need to be addressed at some point. The rehab of our kitchen will provide potential for more rentals to help offset the cost of the rehab, but that is a payback of years, not months. It is through attendance at convention and dues being paid regularly that we will be able to accomplish projects like this and bring our society back to a stable, sustainable status.
Letters & Photos from Jamestown
From Paulette (Tselekis/Chelekis) Manos, Ithaca, New York:
We just got back from Jamestown Reunion 2023! Was it like the “old days”? No. Did we have fun? Yes. I wasn’t sure what to expect but was pleasantly surprised. We went for the Saturday dinner and party, attended the short, informative general meeting, had a nice Greek lamb/manestra meal followed by the young people’s talent show and then the dance.
It really was a nice evening. I missed our old band that was more like family but the music was easy to dance to and we enjoyed listening to old familiar songs. I missed being with our family and friends with whom we had always had fun, but enjoyed sitting at dinner with a family who asked us to join their table. There were some familiar faces from the old days and we compared what it was like back then and how it is now. The pictures on the wall triggered many memories but in a very sweet, warm way and not at all in a depressing way (as I had feared).
I remember looking forward to Jamestown all year long every year, and then crying all the way home when it was over. No crying this year, just some new memories of a beautiful memorial service honoring many who have passed on, young Tsintzinians who dance well into the night and want more, my generation who are now the elders and, when they’re not dancing, are sitting back admiring those who are continuing the traditions of those who went before.
More of us should try to go, even for one evening. Syracuse/Ithaca folks as well as anyone who has ever visited, lived, summered in the Syracuse/Ithaca area, let’s make it happen next year. Let’s show up, remember old days together and have a nice Greek time together once again. Contact me if you want to at yiayiap@gmail.com and we can try to rally the old group along with their partners and kids – I’d love to be sitting with you all at dinner and dancing in our Syracuse/Ithaca line!
From Amelia Karousis, Warren, Ohio:
I'm not sure my Costa has ever made it out onto the dance floor in his 7 years, and this year he was spotted multiple times (see photo below). I'm so thankful for our Jamestown family and his Nouno for helping to show him the ropes. And for everyone who told him how much they loved his "warrior outfit"! Especially little Charlotte who gasped "oh! You look like an ARMY!"
From Alexandra Slezak, Clearwater, Florida:
One of my favorite traditions (besides teaching kids the Greek dances and introducing first-time guests to the magic of "Midnight Snack" [aka 4th Meal]) is the *Honored & Remembered* memorial, a tradition of showing a moment of silence and gratitude in respect of those who came before us, brought us into the fold, and instilled the importance of the Tsintzina Heritage Society within us.
What's one of your favorite Jamestown memories or traditions? Please write and tell us!
