An outdoor barbecue of souvlakia and baby lambs was held on Sunday, May 7 at the Geros Tou Morea chapter of the Pan Arcadian Federation of America celebration on Sunday, May 7. The event took place at an NYPD closed street in front of the clubhouse at 27-02 39th Ave., Astoria. With cars looking to cut into 27th St. and 39th Ave, the NYPD police presence was needed.
Lambs were barbecued for authentic Greek cuisine by Apostolos Lagos, Chairman, and his staff. He supervises the barbecues of the summer picnics. “I enjoy helping,” he said. “I have been at the clubhouse all week preparing for this social. Mr. Demetrios Tsiavos of Broadway Meat Market on 21 St. and 21 Ave. donated his services in marinating the lambs and souvlakia. Tina Vournas is in charge of the youth group.
Demetri Valkanas grew up down the street from the cultural center. “My father wanted us to be close to people from his village,” he said. “My father, George, who passed away suddenly a four years ago, taught me to love Greece and be fluent in the language. My grandfather, Demetri, and his three brothers fought in WWII on the Albanian front. Only my grandfather survived. My grandfather’s three brothers, Andreas, Panagiotis and George, were German prisoners of war. They were executed in Tripoli, for missing a curfew. My father was a member of Geros Tou Morea when he immigrated in around 1957.” He is chairman of the Education Committee and Dance Group.
The 2017 Executive Board includes: Chris N. Vournas, president; Apostolos Lagos, 1st vice president; Demetrios A. Filios, 2nd vice president; Evangelia Sarfoglou, general secretary and Demetris Boregioukos, treasurer. Founders were Tom Angelopoulos, Mike Bakopoulos and Alexander Sioris.