GAPA’S MEMBER CHRISTMAS PARTY
Tuesday, December 16, 2008 — 6:30 pm
NCR Country Club
4435 Dogwood Trail, Kettering
Reservation Contacts: Evanthia Valassiades or Helen County
Thank You!
To all those who purchased pitas from GAPA this fall, a sincere thank you. Your support, in addition to the orders from other friends and Festival attendees, helped GAPA with a wonderful success that we can all enjoy. Our awesome pitas are a great hit both in flavor and convenience. This year’s orders were double the number of our initial year in 2007.
It is with great joy that GAPA can present to the Church for the Renovation Fund a check for $5,000.00.
GAPA, which is an acronym for Greek American Progressive Association, became active in Dayton in the early 1930's. At that time we were affiliated with a national organization and had men's, women's, young men's, and young women's chapters.
Today our women's chapter is primarily social and emphasizes fellowship. GAPA Women have several fundraisers throughout the year and donate the proceeds to the church as well as other charitable organizations. The largest of these fundraisers has been the community cookbook, "A Festival of Recipes", which is in its third printing. The proceeds of that project are designated for new chairs for the community center. Other fundraisers include the Holiday Boutique and Delectables as well as the sale of Sally Foster gift-wrap.
In addition to our monthly meetings, which take place on the first Tuesday of each month, we have a Valentines party, a summer picnic, an autumn covered dish supper, and a Christmas dinner.
GAPA Women, has a long history in the Dayton area, beginning in 1923. 1ts primary goal and purpose then was to perpetuate the Greek Orthodox faith, keep alive the language and our cultural heritage. This is something we still cherish today. Our customs and traditions remain an important part of modern life.
Sharing a meal is the most common Greek social activity. From the earliest days, church picnics were held annually, but by 1958, members started bringing friends and neighbors. The little picnics grew to become a major Dayton event known as the "Greek Festival," the second weekend every September.
We can still be found in the church kitchen weeks before the Festival, making the items so many visitors have come to enjoy. But that is only one small part of our commitment. Although many of us in today's world work outside the home, we continue to be involved, devoting our time and talents in many ways to benefit our church and community, and foster its growth for the next generation. Our mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers before us led the way --we follow in their footsteps.
An old proverb says, "If the pot boils, friendship lives." We thank all of the members of our church who generously submitted, not only Greek recipes, but also other family favorites-a blend of the old and the new.
GAPA Women offers this cookbook, “A Festival of Recipes,” and wishes you "Kali Orexi" ("Good Appetite”).
Dayton “Festival” Song (To the Tune of "Never on Sunday")
We welcome all our Dayton friends, young and old, everyone, to our Festival this year.
We hope you'll try some baklava, moussaka, souvlakia, and a spinach pie or two.
Bouzouki music fills the air, everywhere, tap your toes and we'll share a song with you.
You'll hear a Kalamatiano, Tsamiko, Kritiko and that's just to name a few.
We bring you Athens, and the island sun, on the warm Aegean, for a day of fun.
So just relax now, let us lead the way. Have a gyro sandwich, be a Greek today.
From all of us to all of you, we say ""welcome", and "yiasas", and "'opa", and thanks for being here.
