ALPHA OMEGA COUNCIL HOSTS 2024 GREEK HERITAGE NIGHT WITH BOSTON RED SOX AT FENWAY PARK ON JUNE 4 IN HONOR OF HARRY AGGANIS “THE GOLDEN GREEK”
The festive evening will showcase Greek dance troupes performing on Jersey Street, the singing of the National Anthem by a Greek singer, the throwing of the first pitch by a Greek community member, and a series of well-deserving honorees including beneficiary Metropolis of Boston Camp.
Photo Caption: Greek Dance Groups perform at Heritage Pregame Ceremony on Jersey Street during 2023 Greek Heritage Night (photo credit: Boston Red Sox).
BOSTON, MA (June 4, 2024) – The Alpha Omega Council of Boston, a Greek American organization cultivating the ideals of Hellenism by uniting Americans of Hellenic descent and Philhellenes through philanthropy and fellowship, is hosting its annual Greek Heritage Night with the Boston Red Sox (vs. Atlanta Braves) at Fenway Park on June 4, 2024 at 7:10pm.
Now in its 7th year, Greek Heritage Night is a fundraiser to benefit charities supported by Alpha Omega Council. 2024 Greek Heritage Night with Boston Red Sox will pay tribute to the memory of the great Harry Agganis, nicknamed “The Golden Greek”, and honor the Metropolis of Boston Camp (MBC), who will be the beneficiary of the evening. Net proceeds from the evening will benefit the Metropolis of Boston Camp Gym & Field House Project that is currently underway at MBC’s Saint Methodios Faith and Heritage Center in Contoocook, New Hampshire.
Greek Heritage Night will transform Fenway Park into an evening packed with Hellenism. Prior to the game, there will be a Heritage Pregame Ceremony on Jersey Street with members of the local Greek Community as well as Greek dance groups, such as Metropolis of Boston Dance Group, the Boston Lykeion Ellinidon, the Sons & Daughters of Alexander the Great, and Annunciation Church of Brockton Dance Group, who will perform traditional Greek dances.
The festive evening will also feature the singing of the National Anthem by Greek American, Grammy-award winning musician, and Harvard University & Berklee College of Music undergraduate student Dessa Kavrakis; the throwing of the first pitch by someone in the Greek community, the recognition of Cretan-native and HELPIS founder & president Joyce Deliyiannis during the Hats Off to Heroes home game program; and a series of well-deserving honorees who will be honored during the on-field ceremony.
This year’s Greek Heritage Night with Boston Red Sox honorees will include:
Chapter President, Chris Markos on behalf of The Order of AHEPA Lynn, MA Aristides Chapter #50, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary, and will be recognized for its hometown relationship with Harry Agganis, whom the Greek Heritage Night honors every year. Agganis was a BU football star and Boston Red Sox first baseman [1954-55] whose life and career were tragically cut short by a fatal illness in 1955 at age 26, which was considered one of the greatest tragedies to hit Boston’s sporting community. Agganis was a tremendous athlete, but also one of Lynn’s beloved sons and a former member of Lynn’s St. George Greek Orthodox Church to whom his legacy has been revered and honored to this present day.
Executive Director of St. Methodios Faith & Heritage Center and Metropolis of Boston Camp Michael Sintros and Director of Youth & Young Adult Ministries and the Metropolis of Boston Camp Panos Coufos, who will represent the Youth Ministry of the Metropolis of Boston Camp as this Greek Heritage Night’s beneficiary. Net proceeds from the evening will benefit the Metropolis of Boston Camp Gym & Field House Project that is currently underway at MBC’s Saint Methodios Faith and Heritage Center.
Chris Demetral and Noah Zavolas representing the Greek National Baseball team. Demetral, a Michigan native and proud son of Tripoli, was a member of the 2004 Olympic roster and currently manages the team. Zavolas grew up in Boston, pitched at Harvard, and represents the island of Karpathos on the National Team’s roster. They join us to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Greek Baseball and promote the program’s bright future as they work to form a Greek National Team for the 2028 Summer Olympics.
The Honorable Symeon Tegos, the Consul General of Greece in Boston. Consul General Tegos assumed his duties in Boston in August 2022. He is a career diplomat with 23 years of experience on a diverse range of issues, including the UN, Latin America, bilateral relations with Turkey and human rights.
“Greek Heritage Night with the Boston Red Sox has become such a wonderful way for us at Alpha Omega Council to promote Hellenism and bring thousands of Greek Americans together from all over New England to enjoy a ball game together,” said Alpha Omega Council Chairperson Christos Chrisafides. He adds, “We have been blessed to be able to utilize this platform to raise both awareness and funds for such good causes that impact our community and recognize just a few of the many talented and worthy honorees and organizations in our community! It has been my honor to serve as Chairperson for the past several years on the wave of those who started this platform such as Bill Galatis and The Boston AHEPA. And of course, this event wouldn’t be possible without the Boston Red Sox Organization.”
“We are excited to dedicate all net proceeds from this year’s event towards the new Field House and Gym Project at the Metropolis of Boston Camp. The camp is a special place where thousands of Greek American youth have attended and built lifelong friendships while strengthening their Hellenic American roots,” said Alpha Omega Council President Paul Tsitsopoulos. He concludes, “The addition of the Field House and Gym will expand the camp’s offerings and allow it to serve a greater number of youth, especially during the winter camp months.”
Honorable attendees will include His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios of Boston and Chancellor Father Ted Barbas. His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios, who is celebrating 40 years as our spiritual leader here in New England, has been the visionary behind the Methodios Faith and Heritage Center at Metropolis of Boston Camp.
Presenting Colors, who will carry the Greek and American Flags, as well as the Massachusetts State Flag and the Alpha Omega Council Flag, will be Metropolis of Boston dance group members Alexander Athanasiou, Chistopher Chronopoulos, Evan Meltsakos, Nickolas Potamitis, Harry Theodore and Paul Tsiomplikas.
Ranging from $40-$114, standard tickets are available online at MLB.com here with a broad selection of seats across the field and stands. Starting at $276, VIP Package tickets are available via here, which include a two-hour food and beverage buffet in the Pavilion Reserved 18 section and a private pre-game reception on the Left Field Deck at Fenway Park. Both tickets include an authentic 2024 Greek Heritage Boston Red Sox collab jersey to be picked up at Fenway with proof of purchase.
Starting at $2,500, bids for throwing out the first pitch - which is a once in a lifetime opportunity - are now open until May 28th. All proceeds will benefit the Metropolis of Boston Camp Gym & Field House Project. If you’re interested in bidding, please contact Alpha Omega Council Chairperson Christos Chrisafides at cchrisafides@gmail.com.
The Alpha Omega Council members who are serving on Greek Heritage Night’s planning committee are Chairperson Christos Chrisafides, Co-Chair John Mokas, Alpha Omega Council President Paul Tsitsopoulos, Costa Sideridis, Nick Rizos, John Pappas, Teddy Demitriades, George Karalis, Kosta Alexis and Tom Gatzunis.
Greek Heritage Night with the Boston Red Sox will be Alpha Omega Council’s third Greek Heritage Night to take place in 2024, following Greek Heritage Night with the Boston Celtics on March 20, 2024 and Greek Heritage Night with the Revolution on March 23, 2024. With every Greek Heritage Night, the Alpha Omega Council identifies a charity to benefit from the proceeds. Thousands of Greek-Americans are expected to be in attendance for this year’s Greek Heritage Night with the Boston Red Sox. For more information on Alpha Omega Council, please visit www.alphaomegacouncil.org and for more information on the 2024 Greek Heritage Night with Boston Red Sox, please visit GreekHeritageNight.com.
###
About the Alpha Omega Council:
Alpha Omega Council is a non-profit philanthropic organization, based in Boston, Massachusetts, and, its mission is to promote patriotism to the United States and to cultivate the ideals of hellenism, by supporting various scholarly, athletic, medical, charitable, scientific, literary, religious and educational activities throughout New England and the United States. The Alpha Omega Council is comprised of Americans of Hellenic ancestry in Business, Education, Academia, Medicine, Law, Politics, Science and other fields. Since its inception, the Alpha Omega Council has contributed over $2,000,000 to various philanthropic causes, not including the annual Peter Agris Memorial Journalism Scholarship Awards. Alpha Omega Council hosts various annual fundraising events including the Boston Marathon Wreath Ceremony, Greek Heritage Night, Golf Classic and more. For more information on Alpha Omega Council, please visit www.alphaomegacouncil.org.
About the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Boston Camp (MBC):
MBC is the Camping Ministry of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Boston. Its mission is to enhance the lives of its participants by bringing campers and staff into a close personal relationship with Jesus Christ, their Orthodox faith, and Hellenic culture. MBC provides the opportunity for young people of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Boston to foster a life-long appreciation and love of their Orthodox faith, friends, and cultural heritage. For more information, visit www.metropolisofbostoncamp.org.
About The Order of AHEPA (American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association):
Founded in 1922 in Atlanta, Georgia, on the principles that undergirded its fight for civil rights and against discrimination, AHEPA is the largest and oldest grassroots association of American citizens of Greek heritage and Philhellenes with more than 400 chapters across the United States, Canada, and Europe. Its mission is to promote the ancient Hellenic ideals of education, philanthropy, civic responsibility, family and individual excellence through community service and volunteerism. For more information on AHEPA, please visit www.ahepa.org.
About HELPIS Help Me Help Someone, Inc. (HMHS):
HELPIS Help Me Help Someone, Inc. (HMHS) is a social network for kind and charitable deeds. It connects people in need with people who want to help. Joyce Deliyiannis is the founder and President of HELPIS, as well as the Kindness Ambassador who worked tirelessly to pass House Bill No. 2747, signed by former Governor Charlie Baker on April 26, 2016, officially declaring the month of May “Month of Kindness” in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. More recently, she worked with both the Town of Burlington and City of Woburn to officially add Kindness and Filotimo to their education curriculum where it will be taught in 5 schools. Joyce plans to address Congress one day in the hopes of adding Kindness and Filotimo to the national education curriculum. HELPIS, comes from the word ELPIS. In Ancient Greek, ELPIS meant hope. For more information on HELPIS, please visit: www.helpis.org.
About The Consulate General of Greece in Boston:
The Consulate General of Greece in Boston provides services including the renewal of passports, application of VISAS, citizen issues, military service matters, and power of attorneys. For more information, visit www.mfa.gr/usa/en/consulate-general-in-boston