[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 89 (Monday, June 23, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S6102]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AHEPA

 Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to the 
American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association [AHEPA], which is 
celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. The AHEPA, whose mission is 
in part, ``To promote good fellowship, and endow its members with a 
spirit of altruism, common understanding, mutual benevolence, and 
helpfulness to their fellow man,'' is an important organization with a 
strong chapter, district 10, located in my home State of Michigan.
  In 1922, the AHEPA was formed in response to antiimmigrant sentiments 
directed toward United States immigrants of Greek descent. The AHEPA's 
primary goal was to help newly arrived Greeks become United States 
citizens and to share in the civic life of our country. To do so, the 
AHEPA formed schools which taught English and the principles of 
American government to new immigrants. In the process, the AHEPA also 
hoped to educate all Americans about the significant heritage and 
contributions immigrants of Greek descent add to the American 
community.
  Today, the AHEPA is an international organization with chapters in 
Australia, the Bahamas, Canada, and Greece, as well as the United 
States. There are more than 1,000 chapters in North America alone, 
comprised of more than 60,000 members. The AHEPA promotes goodwill and 
positive relations between these countries by providing significant 
financial resources to a number of civic-improvement programs. These 
include charities, scholarships and other educational programs, 
cultural activities, athletic programs, local Greek communities and the 
church, and patriotic activities. Membership is not limited to people 
of Greek descent, although most members do share that ancestry.
  The AHEPA has counted many notable political leaders as members, 
including former Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman and 
former Vice Presidents Hubert Humphrey and Spiro Agnew. Several Members 
of this body are or were members of AHEPA, including my good friend 
from Maryland, Paul Sarbanes, and a man we all deeply miss, the late 
Paul Tsongas from Massachusetts.
  Mr. President, the American Hellenic Educational Progressive 
Association is truly a remarkable organization. Born out of the need to 
help new Greek immigrants assimilate into American culture, today the 
AHEPA encourages all of us to aspire to great things, to help those in 
need and to strengthen channels of communication between cultures. I 
know my colleagues will join me in saluting the men and women of the 
AHEPA and its auxiliaries for 75 years of commitment and 
dedication.

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