The Tsintzinian Chronicle
June 2022 Newsletter for the Tsintzina Society
Convention is Coming: July 28-31
by Peter Sfikas, Board President
My fellow Tsintzinians, I'm getting very excited for this year's reunion. It should be a true "reunion" as many of us have missed the last couple years. As the pandemic moves behind us, this becomes a crucial time for us to return to Jamestown and renew our bonds. The board has been hard at work putting things in place to make it a very successful event. We're intent on getting a ping pong table, a sprinkler, and/or a slip & slide for more day-time activities at the clubhouse. Of course, the volleyball net, basketball court, cornhole, bingo, and softball equipment will be there as always. We're planning to have Annette's Sweet Shop filled with tasty treats this year and we're expecting to have bartenders available to fill drink requests throughout happy hour and dinner instead of only during the dance. Speaking of happy hour, we're hoping to have some hors d'oeuvres out for everyone to snack on while Chrissy Volk prepares our delicious meals. We have a new, outstanding, highly acclaimed band, The Filarakia, joining us out of Pittsburgh. We're very excited to hear them in person but you can check them out on-line and get a sneak peek if you like. They're very good.
ACTIVITIES AT JAMESTOWN We're moving toward adding any and all activities that you may be interested in to make sure your experience at the reunion is as memorable and enjoyable as possible. Kay Zaharis, Kiki Lascaris Georgiou, and the entire membership committee meet regularly to discuss this very thing. We're very excited about the improvements and additions we're bringing and we're always looking for more ideas for ways to improve. Please, feel free to come to any of us in July with any ideas you may have. Additionally, we will need plenty of volunteers to be able to pull off these activities. We need help in the following areas: dance lessons, bingo, bartenders, sweet shop sales and more. Please feel free to call, text, or email me (cell/text 330-883-7727; psfikas@aol.com) to volunteer before the reunion so that we can have a schedule in place when we get there.
NEW FLOOR, NEW WEBSITE We've had a very busy year so far. PJ Karousis oversaw a major project replacing the floor in Poolos Hall with a beautiful hardwood floor. Of course, this was only possible due to the generous donations raised during last year's General Assembly meeting at the reunion. Thanks again to all of you who donated. Make sure you come see it in July. Also, Socrates Zacharias has spent countless hours renovating our website, Tsintzinasociety.com. When you go, you can register for the reunion, pay your dues, read about our history & genealogy, and see some pictures & videos from past reunions. More pictures and videos will be coming soon. We are also working toward having an RSVP list right there on the website for you. So many of you decide not to come because you don't know who will be there that you know. Well, we're solving that by putting the guest list on the website for you. The key to that will be pre-registering. So, get pre-registered and announce to the society that you'll be there. When those close to you check the RSVP list, they'll want to come too. We're also very active on the Tsintzina Society Facebook page. The RSVP list will be posted there as well. Make sure you have joined the Facebook page so that you can receive any updates that we have for everyone.
OUR BEST ASSET: YOU Maintaining the clubhouse, the website, and the Facebook page are very important but our society's most important asset is you. Attendance at the reunion is crucial for our survival. In fact, the entire purpose of our existence as a society is to meet once a year and celebrate our shared heritage. I couldn't imagine not being there, dining and dancing with my fellow Tsintzinians and sharing it with my family each year. Please, go to Tsintzinasociety.com now to register for the reunion. Pre-registration is very important so we can have the correct amount of food for everyone.
I can't wait to see all of you!!! OPA!!!
Membership Committee Report
by Kiki Lascaris Georgiou, Membership Chair
REUNION WEEKEND We are all looking forward to the annual Jamestown reunion next month, from Thursday, July 28 through Sunday, July 31, for the chance to visit with friends and relatives. If you are looking to help out, please contact Peter Sfikas through Facebook at Tsintzina Society. Help is needed for bingo, dance lessons, and more. Peter has posted the draft schedule of events there:
MINI CONVENTIONS Are you unable to get to Jamestown this year? Do you know people who are originally from our three Spartan towns — Goritsa, Zoupena, or Tsintzina? Cousins or friends that you visit during the year? How about making that visit a celebration of our Greek roots?! Maybe your cousins know of other people with similar roots. Have a get-together for a coffee, meet up at a Greek picnic or church festival. You don't need to be in Jamestown to celebrate your heritage. There are plenty of cousins in New York, Ohio, Florida, Texas, and elsewhere who would love to see you and to meet new cousins. Be sure to take pictures of your get-togethers and forward to us for inclusion in the coming issues of the Tsintzinian Chronicle. We'd all love to see what everyone's been up to.
DUES If you are unable to attend the convention, please support the society with a single, family, or benefactor membership. Yearly expenses to maintain our historic clubhouse are approximately $25,000. Don't wait until July to submit your membership dues!!
To pay dues for 2022, go to the NEW & UPDATED Tsintzina Society website where you can pay via PayPal. Note: You do not need to have a PayPal account in order to pay there by debit or credit card. Alternatively, you can mail a check, made out to the Tsintzina Society, c/o Margaret Manos, 238 E. 95th St., Apt. 5-B, New York, NY 10128.
Here are the rates:
Individual Adults: $40
Couples and Families (including children under age 21): $60
Benefactors: $100
Additional gifts may be made to the Endowment Fund at any level: $10 ___ $25 ___ $50 ___ $250 ___ $500___ $1,000 ___ Other __
Membership Challenge
The June/July membership challenge for members is to reach out to ONE sister, brother, or cousin and encourage them to become a member of the Tsintzina Society. By becoming a member, your relatives will be helping the society and will have the satisfaction of knowing that the organization created by their grandfathers and great-grandfathers, their grandmothers and great-grandmothers back in 1893 is still going strong.
Member News and Announcements
Peter Sfikas writes: My beautiful sister, Antonia, has graduated with honors and will be attending the University of Cincinnati in the fall.
BARBA CHRISTOS DAY?
Jim Gianukos of Encino, California, wrote on March 17:
Today is St. Patrick's Day. Which was a big day when I lived back in Chicago.
We Greeks in America don't have such a celebration.
So I humbly propose that we Tsintzinians choose the Saturday of our convention to celebrate "Barba Christos Day" as a tribute to our own Greek cultural heritage: mystical and spiritual, enveloping us all in the love that we share in our unique communal immigrant heritage.
Celebrated, of course, with food, music, dance, laughter, and a few sips of ouzo. Topped off, in an apropos manner, by an American Hot Dog at midnight.
Jim
LOOKING FOR A RIDE TO JAMESTOWN: From Michael Burlotos of the Boston area, please get in touch if you can hook him up with a ride: (610) 505-2218
