Forty-four years ago Sophie Rizava migrated from Greece to Canada in search of a better life. What she did not know was that luck would strike her much later in the form of a lottery ticket.

The Greek grandmother who is working as a cleaning lady in a hospital, received the best phone call of her life when she was notified that she won 50 million dollars in the last lottery draw. Sophie Rizava was thrilled and told reporters that she would like to use the profits to help others.

Although she won a large amount of money, the lucky woman said that she is not planning on changing her priorities in life, which are her daughters and two grandchildren.

“I like the way I live. I love my house, my car, I do not want to change anything because I’m happy,” said Mrs. Rizava who also revealed that it took time to convince her husband that she wasn’t kidding when she announced that she had won the lottery.

The Montreal Chapter of Daughters of Penelope, Meandros, held its Annual Women’s Appreciation Day event, honoring entrepreneur Roulla Kyriacou and donating $10K to the Socrates Educational Foundation.

The organization has embraced and supported a wide variety of projects over the years, on its own or as part of the Montreal AHEPA Family. The “Daughters” hold events to support various causes such as; hospitals, children with special needs, Hellenic schools, the Arthritis Society, individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s and many more.

In this year’s event, the organization honored Mrs. Roulla Kyriacou, a successful business woman who volunteered her time and dedicated her services in the Greek Community of Montreal. The beneficiary of this year’s event was the Socrates Educational Foundation whose mission is to provide financial support for the advancement of trilingual (French, English and Greek) education in schools of Socrates and Demosthenes thus sustaining and promoting Hellenic cultural heritage.

Mrs. Kyriacou’s initiation into the realm of volunteerism began with the Cypriot Association; she sat on the Socrates schools parents’ committee and spent six of the seven years as president. In the late 1990s Mrs. Kyriacou joined the Board of the Shield of Athena Family Services as part of the group spearheading the shelter.

In 2002 Roulla ran and was elected on the Board of Directors election of the Hellenic Community of Montreal.

“I ran because I wanted the (Socrates) schools to be there for my grandchildren and their children,” says Roulla Kyriacou.

Her quest was for more children to receive the trilingual education offered by Socrates, naturally this led her to the Socrates Educational Foundation.

When the crisis in Greece reached a critical state, the Magic Mission was formed in 2012, collecting food and clothing donations to send to four different children’s charities and an orphanage in Greece. Alongside her volunteerism, she has been able to run her businesses, raise her three children and enjoy her grandchildren.

“Memory and Migration: A History of Greek Immigrants in Toronto,” an exhibition organized by the Greek Canadian History Project, took place on May 12-17 at Toronto City Hall.

The exhibition was the highlight of Greek Heritage week, celebrating 150 years of Greeks in Toronto and attracted more than 150 people.

The Greek community had the opportunity to learn more about its history in the city through photographs documenting the community’s Independence Day parade, a massive Greek Orthodox Easter service at Maple Leaf Gardens from 1960, the opening of the city’s first Greek Orthodox Church, and an image of Toronto’s first documented immigrant, Dr. Petros Constantinidis, who arrived in the city in 1864.

The historical display also included newspaper clippings, books, documents and brochures, which belong to a decades’ long collection of Greek Torontonian Michael Mouratidis.

The Greek Canadian History Project was co-founded by Dr. Sakis Gekas, Hellenic Heritage Foundation Chair in Modern Greek History at York University and Christopher Grafos, PhD candidate in history. Its collection of artifacts is housed at the Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections at York University.

Greek-Canadian actress, screenwriter and director, Nia Vardalos, who wrote and starred in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, a movie about a woman of the Greek Diaspora trying to get her family to accept her non-Greek fiancé, has now been named cultural ambassador.

On Monday, July 7, a ceremony was held in honor of the Greek-Canadian actress, where she was named cultural ambassador for the Greek Community of Toronto for the year 2014-2015.

Vardalos, who is currently performing in Theatre 20 in Toronto, was presented with a plaque to acknowledge her commitment to the Greek Community of Toronto. The ceremony took place at Polymenakion Hellenic Cultural Centre and it was followed by dance performances and autograph signing by the actress.

More than 150,000 members of the Greek Diaspora live in the Greater Toronto Area and are part of the Greek Community of Toronto. Their aim is to promote Greek culture.

The famous Greek-Canadian actress recently announced that a sequel for My Big Fat Greek Wedding is on the works and she plans on reuniting most of the old cast, including John Corbett.

An impressive sculpture, symbolizing the Olympic Games around the globe, was installed in Gaia park at the municipality of Town of Mount Royal, a region located on the border of Parc Extension.

It is a sculpture by Praxitelis Tzanoulinos, crafted in Greece, and represents a sphere carrying the Olympic rings and olive branches. It is made of steel, has a diameter of 1.4 meters and weighs 320 pounds.

Mayor Philippe Roy unveiled the sculpture, noting that the work of art was offered to the municipality by the Greek Community of Montreal, as a tribute to the city from where the Olympic Torch passed twice in the past. The mayor also said that Gaia park was chosen due to its Greek name and the fact that it symbolizes the Earth, as does the work of the Greek sculptor.

The Consul General of Greece in Montreal, Thanos Kafopoulos, spoke during the unveiling ceremony, noting that he feels proud that the work of a Greek artist was placed in one of Montreal’s finest locations, thanking the municipality for accepting the sculpture and the four Greek families that sponsored its construction: Paul and Melpa Kamateros, Nikolaos Tsatas, Nikolaos Arkolakis and Jimmy Christopoulos.

Melpa Kamateros, former municipal councilor, pointed out that with this sculpture, the Greeks of Montreal are leaving their mark in the town where the Olympic flame has passed, representing the continuity of their story.

Ken Matziorinis was elected the new President of AHEPA Canada at the conclusion of the 92^nd annual AHEPA Family Supreme Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana on July 26, 2014. He represents Canada on the Supreme Lodge of the AHEPA. He succeeds George Vassilas who served the past three years at the helm of the Canadian Order of AHEPA, and will work closely with the newly-elected Supreme President of AHEPA Philip T. Frangos.

Dr. Ken Matziorinis is a respected economist who is based in Montreal, Quebec. He has taught economics for 35 years at McGill University and John Abbott College. He has authored four textbooks in economics and been twice awarded the Distinguished Teaching Award at McGill. He is the co-founder and managing partner of Canbek Economic Consultants Inc., a management consulting and macroeconomics forecasting and investment advisory firm. Ken has served on numerous boards including the Hellenic Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal and the Canadian subsidiary of the National Bank of Greece (1991-2006).

Ken is a 25-year veteran of the Mount Royal Chapter CJ7 of AHEPA in Montreal. Has served the AHEPA in every executive capacity including Chapter President (2009-2011); V.P. Education; Lt. Governor (2011-2013) and Governor (2013-2014) of AHEPA District 23, Ken has contributed in the organization of the 2010 AHEPA Supreme Convention in Montreal, and the 2011 Montreal Conference on Emerging Hellenic-Israeli Relations and has played key fund-raising roles in philanthropic activities that have secured the naming rights to the AHEPA Family School of the Shriners Hospital in Montreal and the endowment of the Papachristidis Chair of Modern Greek Studies at McGill University.

Ken’s passions have been his family (is the father of two daughters), and AHEPA’s promotion of the Hellenic ideals of Education, Philanthropy, Civic Responsibility, and Excellence. He has a deep interest in Greece’s geopolitical concerns in Southeast Europe as well as issues regarding religious freedoms and the preservation of the cultural heritage of the Christian Orthodox Church in the Near East. He believes that the over than 300,000 strong Hellenic-Canadian community deserves to play a more active and prominent role in Canadian affairs and the policy-making process.

“I am humbled by the responsibility entrusted upon me to lead AHEPA, the oldest and largest grassroots heritage volunteer organization of the Greek Diaspora in Canada” Ken said at his installation ceremony.

“I thank the membership of AHEPA for the trust and confidence they have shown in me and I only hope that I will meet and exceed the expectations of this high office” he concluded.

Born in New York City in 1954, he grew up in Piraeus, Greece in the 1960s and has spent most of his life in Montreal, Quebec. Ken speaks English, French and Greek fluently.

When the financial crisis hit Greece four years ago, many Greeks decided to emigrate, leaving behind the Mediterranean climate of their country and choosing to move to places such as Winnipeg, Canada.

Lia and Stefano Boukis left Greece a year ago after selling their house by the sea and moved to Winnipeg’s West End. “I need peace in my life,” said Stefano Boukis who used to work for three symphony orchestras in Greece. The economic crisis made it almost impossible to pay the bills and the Greek government was taking a lot out of the couple’s annual income.

They decided to move to Manitoba, where Boukis opened a music conservatory and in less than a year the couple managed to buy their own house.

The Greek community of Winnipeg has increased considerably since the financial crisis and locals are hoping that it will continue to do so. Furthermore, the Greek community is collaborating with the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) to help people move to the area. In the past year, they helped 50 families to start their new lives in the area.

“Canada is more organized,” said Anna Protsiou who is one of the most recent arrivals from Greece. “Polite people and everything is easier than there,” she added.

AHEPA Canada, one of the largest Greek organizations in the country, released an announcement condemning the publication of a map by the Toronto branch of UM (United Macedonians Organization of Canada) in the Toronto Star issue of July 31, 2014, displaying the irredentist claims against Greece and Bulgaria by ethnic nationalists from FYROM (see map above).

“Such maps depicting the entire Greek province of Macedonia and the Blagoevgrad prefecture in Bulgaria as being parts of a ‘United Macedonia’ along with a picture of Alexander the Great that the entire world and scholarly community (1) know was Greek are blatant and provocative acts that only serve to confuse the public, undermine harmony and fuel ethnic distrust and discord among ethnic groups and nation states,” read the statement.

AHEPA Canada believes that Canadian citizens -irrespective of their ethnic origin or religious background- ought to leave their ethnic and religious differences and animosities at the immigration gate. Once they become citizens of Canada they should strive to live in harmony and mutual respect with each other and focus on contemporary challenges that affect the wellbeing of Canadians in the interest of building a stronger country domestically and a more tolerant, peaceful and secure world internationally.

“Actions that blatantly attempt to falsify history, redraw national boundaries, spread hate, defame ethnic groups or nations only lead to conflict and pain, and should be avoided when the people of Greece, FYROM and Bulgaria share the same human challenges of securing peace, happiness and prosperity in the Balkans,” said the organization.

The Greeks of Montreal are grieving for the loss of Father George Saitanis who passed away on Tuesday, September 2. The beloved priest will always be remembered due to his important contribution to the Greek community of Montreal.

Father Saitanis turned the church of Virgin Mary’s Assumption into an orthodox church in 1968, while in 1975, he contributed to the purchase of Evangelismos church where he served as archpriest until his retirement. Both temples are located in the heart of Parc Extension and belong to the Hellenic Community of Greater Montreal.

He was born in Messenia, southern Greece, in 1925 and had ten siblings. He showed his interest in church and chanting since childhood. After the war, in 1946, he moved to Athens and worked as a state social security fund employee. In Athens, he met his wife Stavroula whom he got married in 1965 and had one daughter, Iro.

He studied at Lexington Theological Seminary in Kentucky, USA. In 1966, he was invited by Bishop Timotheos in Toronto, where he worked for two years as assistant to Father Theophilos.

Father Saitanis was an emblematic figure in Montreal’s Greek community and was considered its spiritual leader.

The funeral service was held in Evangelismos church on Friday.

Toronto-based newspaper “The Star” published an extensive article regarding the legal battle between a Greek-Canadian community group in Mississauga and businessman Gerry Farantatos.

The Greek-Canadian Community of Peel and Halton is suing Farantatos, his construction company and his non-profit institution for breaching their promise to build Saint Barbara’s Greek Orthodox Church. The community claims that they had an agreement with the businessman since 1980, to let him build private houses on part of their land in exchange for building them a church.

The community is now asking 11 million dollars as compensation from Farantatos, who argues that there was no such agreement.

The businessman’s lawyer claims that even though his client may have intended to build the church, he was not legally obligated to do so. He also stated that Farantatos believed that the community group would have trouble paying the operating costs for such a building.

The conflict will be resolved in court, while Canadian media are expected to cover the case.

For yet another year, the Greek community of Montreal celebrated the “Oxi” national day with brilliance and mass participation on Sunday. Doxology for those who gave their life in the Albanian Front took place in Saint George Cathedral by sacerdotal foreman father Panagiotis Salatelis.

The ceremony was followed by a meal in the Greek Communal Center, where honorary accolades were given to city councillor Mary Deros for her 15-year public offering, Ioanna Tsoubleka for her support to the elders through “Filia” association and Lefteris Michailidis for his 50-year contribution to the “Efxinos Pontos” Pontian Association of Montreal.

At the same time in Toronto, the annual parade ended up in Alexander the Great square, where a laurel wreath was given in memory of those died during the Balkan Campaign and the Greco-Italian War, followed by a doxology.

“Greeks abroad are the extension of Hellenism, far beyond the demarcated geographical borders of our country,” said the new Ambassador of Greece, George Markantonatos, the new Ambassador of Greece in Ottawa, Canada.

After taking office, Markantonatos stated that the members of the Greek Diaspora have formed a second Greece abroad that is active and distinguished, that knows how to overcome difficulties, based on its creativity and hard work.

The Greek community is “making us proud and it encourages us to gaze at our future with optimism. Hellenism abroad constitutes a valuable national capital, with an invaluable contribution to the historical development of our country,” he added.

The new ambassador stressed that the Greek state will stay close to Greeks in Canada, noting that in difficult times we must cooperate towards common goals. In conclusion he said that the closer and deeper relations between the metropolis and the Diaspora in Canada is a priority for the Embassy and Consulate Generals.

Markantonatos has been part of the Greek Diplomatic Corps since 1983. He has served in the Greek Foreign Ministry, as well as other offices abroad. He is experienced in issues concerning the Greek Diaspora since he served as Director General of the General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad (2012-2014).

The new Ambassador was born in Athens. He graduated from the Law School of Athens University and holds a Masters in “International and Public Policy” from the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) of Johns Hopkins University in the US.

The newly appointed Greek Ambassador in Canada, George Markantonatos met with the Greek Diaspora of Canada for the first time on Thursday, November 27. He visited the Greek community of Montreal as well as the Hellenic Congress of Quebec.

Furthermore, he spoke with Greek Diaspora media and noted the importance of Hellenism abroad, describing it as a national and important chapter for Greece during its moments of crisis.

He referred to the major role that Greeks abroad had before and after the Revolution of 1821, stressing that the foundations of the “new Greece” were supported by benefactors who came from Greek communities abroad.

The new ambassador stressed that during his time in Ottawa he plans on strengthening the bilateral trade relations between Greece and Canada, as well as the import of Greek products and increase in tourist arrivals in Greece.

He mentioned the importance of preserving the Greek language as a key pillar which will strengthen ties that Greeks around the world have with the homeland and urged the media to promote the image of Greece in a positive way, especially during these difficult times.

Finally, the ambassador pointed out the need for unity and cooperation within the Greek Diaspora.

The Greek Community of Vancouver celebrated for the first time after 32 years, the Blessing of Waters, at a beach outside the city, an event that was attended by a large crowd of Greek Orthodox Church members.

According to the newspaper “Vancouver Sun” — which published an extensive cover story by Matthew Robinson about the revival of the Epiphany tradition — the waters were really cold, but that did not stop the 20 divers who plunged in the sea in search of the cross. Three women were included among the divers.

Constantinos Economos, the new priest in Vancouver’s St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral, had the idea to revive the tradition. “This is a tradition that’s done every year in Greece and all the Orthodox countries,” said the 29-year-old priest to the newspaper Vancouver Sun. Economos was appointed along with two other priests who are now in charge of the Greek Orthodox Communities in Vancouver and Surrey.

Meanwhile, the Canadian newspaper “Province” also paid tribute to the special event, stating that the cold waters of Kits beach did not stop the divers from following the tradition of diving for the cross.

On Sunday, January 25, while people in Greece will be voting to elect a new government, the Greek community of Montreal will gather for the “RBC Taste & Tradition” event that has been scheduled to take place from 12pm until 8pm at Chateau Royal.

More than 35 Greek organizations based in Montreal will present dishes, specialties and desserts from regions across Greece. Furthermore, several clubs and organizations will present Greek dance routines, dressed in traditional clothing from the respective Greek regions.

Artists such as Nicos Anastasiou, accompanied by musicians George Georgopoulos and Louis Kanaras, Artemis & Co., Petros Plarinos, Andreas Petropoulos and “Mythos” with Greek-Canadian singer Maro Litra, have volunteered to perform during the event.

All proceeds will go towards the Hellenic Community of Greater Montreal schools. “Repeated funding cuts to education have created the necessity to finance essential expenses previously covered by government grants. As a community, we recognized the need to help and thus created ‘Taste and Tradition,’ a fundraising event that showcases cuisine and music from various regions of Greece,” noted the organizing committee.

Greek-Canadians are following the developments in Greece with great interest through radio broadcasts and social networks after the January 25 national election, exchanging their views regarding the country’s future under a new government. Others believe that a new era is dawning, while others are anxious, but they all agree that the country has turned the page.

Dr. Stephanos Constantinides, Professor of Political Science at the francophone University of Quebec in Montreal, commented that SYRIZA’s victory will have positive results for Greece but also for Europe. He believes that Greece has made a step forward that will influence European programs, particularly if a south European countries coalition is formed.

Furthermore, as far as the Greek Diaspora’s stance in front of the changes in Greece, Constantinides noted that Greeks abroad are not threatened by SYRIZA’s election, even though the Greek Diaspora is not one of the party’s priorities, since Greece is facing far more serious issues. The professor concluded saying that Greeks could not handle any more austerity measures, while he hopes that better days are coming for Greek people.

Most Greeks, especially first generation ones, are watching Greek and foreign media in order to find out about all the latest developments.

SkyGreece Airlines SA has announced that the Canadian Transport Agency (CTA) has given its permission to the airline company to schedule international flights between EU member-states and Canada.

“We are extremely happy with the CTA decision and it simply shows our determination to meet and surpass the requirements of the agency as well as the Canadian and Greek consumers,” said Nikolaos Alexandris, accountable manager and co-founder of SkyGreece Airlines SA.

SkyGreece Airlines SA is the only Greek transatlantic airline. The private company founded in October 2012 by a team of Greek-Canadian entrepreneurs with extensive backgrounds in aviation and tourism, is based in Athens, Greece, while there are offices located in Montreal, Toronto and New York.

The company’s main mission is to connect the Greek Diaspora to their homeland by offering non-stop flights between Greece and North America, with eventual plans to also offer flights to South Africa. Additionally, the airline’s aim is to offer “authentic Greek hospitality.”

Within the next few days, SkyGreece Airlines will make the necessary announcements regarding flight schedules.

In a reception organized by the Consulate General of Greece in Vancouver and the Greek community of Victoria, a unique collection of Greek traditional costumes was donated to the Greek Folk Art Museum.

The Consul General of Greece in Vancouver, Ilias Kremmydas, received the collection for the Folk Art Museum and Greek Popular Musical Instruments. The collection was donated by Elizabeth Gage, who had inherited it from her aunt Winifred Dowding. According to Gage, her aunt acquired the rich collection when she served as a nurse in Greece during World War I.

The Folk Art Museum and the Consulate General in Vancouver gave several gifts to Gage and her daughter, as a sign of the Greek government’s gratitude for their generous donation. Furthermore, Eleni Melidi, director of the Greek Folk Art Museum, sent a letter to the two women, thanking them for their generosity. The letter was read during the reception.

The event was attended by the Greek community of Victoria President Michael Economou, the Consular Harbormaster, George Yiannakis, Father Evangelos from the Ypapanti Greek Orthodox Church in Victoria, the Consul General in Vancouver, Ilias Kremmydas, the Gage family and several members of the Greek community.

Celebrations for the Greek Independence Day on March 25 started at Our Lady of the Annunciation Parish in Montreal in the presence of Metropolitan Sotirios of Canada.

Greek-Canadian MP of the National Assembly of Quebec Gerry Sklavounos, along with Metropolitan Sotirios, several Quebec officials and Greek community members, participated in a brilliant parade that took place on Jean Talon avenue in Montreal on the occasion of the 1821 Greek Revolution. More than 3,000 spectators attended the event.

The cloudy sky did not prevent the parade of Greek schools, Greek Community associations and regional clubs holding banners.

The celebrations ended with a jointly hosted reception by the General Consul of Greece in Montreal Thanos Kafopoulos and Greek Community president Nikos Pagonis at the Greek Centre of Montreal.

Thousands of Greek-Canadians flooded Danforth Avenue in Toronto holding Greek flags to celebrate the Greek Independence Day. The Consul General of Greece, Alexandros Ioannidis, and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne along with other Canadian officials attended the event.

Children and adults marched with enthusiasm under a sunny sky, despite the bitter cold, while a wreath was laid at the monument of Alexander the Great.

According to Canadian television networks, around 15,000 thousand people attended the parade in Danforth Avenue, holding Greek and Canadian flags, while shouting slogans such as “Long live Greece” and “Long live Cyprus.”

Student unions, Greek schools and regional clubs participated in this year’s parade that took place after the doxology at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral Church of St. Demetrius in the presence of Bishop Christopher of Andidon.

The festivities began with the Greek Community of Toronto gala on Saturday night and ended on Sunday with a reception at the Pan-Macedonian Association.