Philadelphia, PA – It was the year of the “Greek Freak”, a PGBL repeat, 40 years of celebration for the Youth of Alexander, and a record year for giving. From Wildwood, New Jersey to Reading, Pennsylvania, Cosmos Philly reported on all the happenings in Philly’s Greek-American community.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, known as the “Greek Freak” of the Milwaukee Bucks, visited Philadelphia, where he was honored during a 76ers basketball game and the evening was celebrated as Philadelphia Greek Heritage Night. The evening featured everything Greek, from the national anthem being sung by our own Popi Karapalides of Atlantis of Philadelphia, to a full court shoot off for Greek fans who attended.
In local basketball, Danny’s Boys took home another championship in the the Philadelphia Greek Basketball League, while in the GOYA league, St. Thomas captured both the girls and boys championships.
The theme at the Greek Independence Day Parade honored the victims of 9-11 and brought additional attention to the fundraising of St. Nicholas Shrine. A float representing Philadelphia’s own Danielle Kousoulis commemorated the moment as it traveled the Parkway. The Federation of Hellenic American Societies and Churches awarded the prestigious Eleftheria Medal to Dr. Spiros Spireas for his dedication to the Greek-American community and promoting and preserving Hellenism in America.
The Pan Macedonian Youth celebrated 40 years with a party at St. George Greek Orthodox church in Media, while the Pontians, Ikarians, Cypriotes, Cretans, Hiotes, Epirotes, and many other societies and churches continued with their annual cultural dances. We also brought you the many sights, sounds, and flavors of our churches’ Greek Festivals.
We celebrated our history through photographs at a Greek American Heritage Society of Philadelphia Photo Tour night. It brought together generations of Greek-Americans who found out about each other’s past and laid the foundation for better understanding of who we are and how we planted roots in Philadelphia.
Cosmos Philly captured wedding proposals at Phillies games, in front of City Hall, and the Philadelphia Art Museum. We heard the voices of our veterans from WWII, the First Greek Radio Station, and from those that saved the historic sites around our city, during the famed “Philadelphia Interview Series.”
Cosmos Philly informed the community of those that we lost over the last year. We brought church services a little closer to those that could not attend church through our podcasts and informed our viewers of the many happenings sponsored by our local churches.
Our writers brought you stories of Amerikanakia and Greek Sons and Gods. While our photographers brought you stunning images of Greece over the years.
In December, our cultural organizations and churches brought in the season by visiting hospitals and senior centers, reminding us all of the time of giving. The United Chios Society of Philadelphia visited Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia where their annual toy drive for children continues to bring joy to children less fortunate.
Now that 2015 is a memory, we look forward to the new year and Cosmos Philly, as in the past, we will be there in the future to capture the stories of our community. Happy New Year and Xronia Polla.