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The President’s Message:The Tsintzinian Historical

Society of America

2012 BOARD of DIRECTORS

The President’s Message:

Heritage Society of America

The Tsintzinian HistoricalSociety of America

2012 BOARD of DIRECTORS

• PRESIDENT: Helen [email protected]

• VICE PRESIDENT: [email protected]

• TREASURER: Peter [email protected]

• SECRETARY: Pauline [email protected]

BOARD MEMBERS

MEMBERSHIP: Stephanie [email protected]

REUNION CHAIRMAN DIRECTOR:Thalia Johanssen

MEMBERS:Joanna FerenczEugene GeracimosJim KarfesJohn SchlickJohn Zacharias

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Contents:

Family Group Fund 2Group Fund Form 3Elk of Year Award 4 4Gregory Lives Dream 5-7Remembered 5-8Greek Superstitions 8Dues Form 9

SINTZINIANHE SINTZINIANHE

I have decided that there is no place on earth that I would rather bethe last weekend in July then in Jamestown; the home of the TsintzinianConvention. Nowhere else is there such a special place enriched in suchhistory and friendship. Jamestown- the Tsintzinian Convention is relativelya small group of people who have accomplishedsomething big; we have hung on for 100 years!!WOW!! We have created memories that arevery specific to just us. Dancing on the samewooden floor as our grandparents… From theminute we drive on to the grounds we are trans-ported back in time. What an ideal atmosphere.What wonderful traditions we have. BeingTsintzinian is an honor… a privilege…

I enjoy sharing what limited knowledge Ihave with those younger than me and I thor-oughly enjoy hearing stories from those olderthan me. I plan on going to the convention againthis year and strongly encourage you to come too. Bring cousins, niecesand nephews along and open the door for some time of storytelling of thedays past that help develop in those young ones the feeling of Tsintzinianheritage that will stay with them throughout their lives. We must start shar-ing more and more with these generations or else we will be lost.

I want to thank our forefathers for the insight for starting this traditionand thank all family and friends who want it to continue- your donationsnow have helped keep the club house afloat. YOU are providing what itneeds to continue. Every check you write helps preserve the past and lookstowards the future.

George Gerasimos, the originator of the idea of an annual nationalconvention, gave his own speech during the dedication. He closed withwords significant for all succeeding generations of Tsintzinians. In his words;

“Dear young Tsintzinian children: It is your duty to respect this patri-otic monument. Follow the path which your love has opened for you. Work,that this achievement may become greater and better. We are sure thatyou will do better, yet if not, at least try to keep it as good and beautiful astoday. That will be our sweetest relief after we depart from this world, therelief that our work was done to not perish.”

“You can go anywhere and Greek Dance:Only in Jamestown one dances with History.”

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SEND US YOUR NEWS

1 EMAIL:[email protected]

2 TSINTZINA WEBSITE:www.tsintzinasociety.com

3 WRITE TO:Pete Laskaris, 703Summit Road, Marion, OH43302

WE LOOK FORWARDTO HEARING FROM YOU!

BeapartoftheFamilyGroupFundRaisingprogram.Helpus

guaranteeourfutureformanyyears

tocome.Usetheformonpage3tosetupyourown

familygroupandhelpsecureourfuture.Any

donationswillgladlybeacceptedandwillbelistedwithagroupofunconnected

families.

2013 Tsintzinian Convention

July 25, 26, 27, 28Celoron, New York

If you truly embrace your heritage and the idea ofJamestown and what it stands for it’s time for you to geton board the “GOOD SHIP F.G.F.R.” – Family Group FundRaising.-

In case you don’t know, it takes approximately $25,000a year to cover the cost of maintaining and operating ourclub house and grounds. This is without any unexpectedmajor problems. Right now, we need a new roof. The leak-age that occurred was costly in repairs and totally unexpected.

Back to the F.G.F.R., immediate goal is to get at least 20 familiespledging and paying $1,500 per year for the next five. Meeting this goal isnot only critical to the survival of our beloved Society but it will give us theneeded financial base to allow us to apply for and receive grant moneyfrom foundations for special projects. Two of the largest project grants wewould apply for are 1) capital improvements to the club house and 2) grantsfor turning the boardroom into a museum to highlight the accomplishmentsof Tsintzinian immigrants in America.

The question is, will you get on board the “Good Ship F.G.F.R.” or areyou going to board the “Titanic”. My immediate family has chosen the “GoodShip F.G.F.R.”. Fran and I are one group and our daughters Pauline,Kathleen, Christine and her partner Mary are the second group. That is$3,000 a year. We sure hope you will open your hearts and your billfoldsand form your “family group” and get aboard the “Good Ship F.G.F.R.” to-day. Let us be responsible for the continuation of The Tsintzinian HistoricalSociety of America for another 100 years.

All Aboard Tsintziniansby Nick Costianes- Albion, Michigan

This program was presented to the Board and members and wasoverwhelmingly approved in July. By the end of the convention, we col-lected money and/or pledges from 10 families. We have a half family thatis looking for distant cousins and has three members who have alreadypaid $500. If you want to be part of the family, please call John Zacharias

at 412-497-1776 or if you want more information on start-ing a family group of all distant cousins, we will group allmembers who will start with $200 now and $100 in De-cember. We need at least 20 families but hope for more.The greater the number of families that participate, thelonger our future and heritage is guaranteed. Remember,the goal of this fund raiser is to show Foundations that wehave membership support — both financially and figura-tively and to provide operating expenses for may years tocome. The following is a list of participating families: L.

Andris; T. Costas; N. Costianes; P. Costianes; G/GT Dusckas; Johanssen;Karfes; G. Laskaris; Macheras; D. Manos; A. Nickles; Zacharias and vari-ous grouped donors not associated with families.

There is Hope Becomes Realityby John Zacharias

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Ria Zervoswas marriedApril 26th toRaul Jimenez ata destinationwedding inNassau, Baha-mas at Annunication GreekOrthodax Church. She is livingin San Jose, Costa Rica.

Ria Zervos gets marriedin Nassau

T e Me g f er ge

valued objects and qualities such as cultural traditions, unspoiledcountryside, and historic buildings that have been passed down fromprevious generations : the richness of our diverse cultural heritage | asense of history and heritage.

How do we celebrate our heritage, pass on our legacy, and honor theancestors who gave us our wonderful lives? Some of us show up everyyear at Jamestown; some every few years as time permits. We simplyshow up. Showing up — by going to Jamestown or just keeping in touchwith the society — is really all that matters in our busy world.

SingleFamily

* Dues are tax deductible. You can benefit this year by paying yourdues now.

Some Greek TraditionalSuperstitions

Some Greeks, especially invillages, believe that someonecan catch the evil eye, or“matiasma”, from someone else’sjealous compliment or envy. Aperson who has caught the evileye usually feels bad physicallyand psychologically.

To avoid the matiasma,those who believe in it wear acharm: a little blue marble glasswith an eye painted on it or a bluebracelet. Blue is believed to be thecolour that wards off the evil eyebut it is also believed that peoplewith blue eyes are givers of thematiasma.

Garlic is another way to wardoff the evil eye, and one cansometimes see it hanging in acorner of some houses. Garlic, aswell as onion, is also consideredof having a great healing powerby many Greeks. If someone isfeeling ill, they will advice him toeat garlic.

Do you know?Our society was founded in

1893. We are the oldestGreek society in America.

Ready to have another bubble burst? You no doubt knew that mostmajor western world holidays have their origins among the celebrations ofthe ancient world, e.g. Halloween (cf. Druid festivals in honor of their god ofthe dead), Christmas (cf. Roman Saturnalia), Easter (cf. sun worship fes-tivities among the Romans, Greeks and Druids), etc. If however, you arelike most students in Latin, you were probably always told that Thanksgiv-ing Day was truly an American celebration, started by the Pilgrims, with noancient precedent — NOT!

It can now be told that the Greeks did it first. Yes, they celebrated afeast of thanksgiving. Yes, they celebrated it in November. Yes, the cel-ebration involved a banquet. Yes, there was a Thanksgiving Day parade.There you have it — Thanksgiving Day, Greek style.

Happy Thanksgiving: Just remember,the Greeks did it first!

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Honored and RememberedTsintzinians

Mosca Morgan Nickles, be-loved wife of thelate MarcusNickles; lovingmother of thelate AnnetteMavrophilipos;dear sister of thelate VasileaBatounis and thelate Joanna Morgan; lovinggrandmother of Markos,Avgerinos, Mosca, Vasilea &Christina Mavrophilipos. Fivegreat grandchildren also survive.

Mosca Morgan Nickles

Peter B. NicklesPeter is predeceased by his

father Brasidas P. Nickles. He issurvived by husband James M.Lewis, daughter GeorginaNickles, son Brad P. Nickles and

their motherIrene Nickles, allof Hastings-on-Hudson, NY., hismother NellaNickles ofMiddletown, NYand sister AnnaStathes of Co-lumbus, OH.

Peter was born July 24,1937 in Middletown, NY. He at-tained his undergraduate degreeat Johns Hopkins University thenearned his law degree at Syra-cuse University. Peter served ina JAG Unit while in the Army Re-

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Nancy Gregory lives American Dream

MILL HALL-From immigrating to the United States to building her ownbusiness, Nancy Gregory is the stuff the American Dream is made of.

On Thursday, she turned 98, surrounded by her loved ones atNightengale’s Personal Care Home, a celebratory crown atop her perfectly-curled hair.

Her animated spirit gave new life tothe home, and she spoke with a twinklein her eye and a grin on her face. Sheseemed a woman who knows who sheis, where she’s been, and where she’sgoing.

As she sat on the couch with hernephew, Jim Gregory and his wife Zonda,the pieces of furniture and the very wallsseemed to transform into another time,another place, as she told the story of herlife.

She was born in Tzintsina, Greece, a small village outside Sparta, in1914. Tzintsina sits atop a mountain and the two neighboring villages wouldseek its respite from the Spartan heat in the summer, Jim explained. Jim isfrom the other neighboring village in Greece.

Nancy was named after a princess in Homer’s Iliad, but her friendsnicknamed her Nubby, and it’s stuck ever since, she said.

Journey to AmericaIn 1922, she and her family immigrated to the United States when she

was 8 years old. She didn’t speak much of what Ellis Island was like, butshe still feels her initial awe when she first stepped foot in New York City.

“Unbelievable,” she said in a word. “I was in awe of the tall buildings.I look up, around, and I want to go up there. I wasn’t afraid!” she exclaimed.

She was so excited when she arrived that she spoke to these Ameri-cans, though they couldn’t understand her Greek.

“I found the Americans very friendly and talkative, too. They couldn’tunderstand me (though),” she laughed.

What still sticks out in her mind is the difference in social attitude.“What do I remember? How plain people are here. People think they’re

“it” in Greece (stuck up),” she said.She and her family moved to Barnesville, Ohio, and there, she went to

school. The teachers wanted her to take the state board exam, even thoughshe didn’t think she knew enough English. She earned second place, how-ever, and also got on the honor roll.

She learned quickly.“I skipped second grade, then went to fourth grade, then to sixth grade!”

she exclaimed.

By ELIZABETH REGAN

Continued on Page 6

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serves. He was an attorney for thePeekskill City School District andalso ran a private law practice inPeekskill. Peter completed hiscareer just this year as an arearepresentative for AFSCMECouncil 66 and the City EmployeeUnion of Rochester.

Peter had a gift for entertain-ing people. Throughout his life heloved playing piano and singingjazz standards at many establish-ments including cruise ships,Marie’s Crisis in NYC, and locallyat Tara’s. Peter served on manyboards including The TsintzinianHistorical Society of America ofCeloron, NY.

Continued from Page 5Honored and Remembered

Cleo James ChelekisGorant of Canfield, Ohio diedFriday, June 22, 2012. She was

born inYoungstown,Ohio on Au-gust 7, 1920,one of eightchildren ofAnna andJ a m e sChelekis. Shewas preceded

in death by Charles ConstantineGorant, her husband of 46 yearsand co-founder of Gorant Can-dies, and her daughter MarianneCharlene Gorant. She is survivedby two daughters, Connie GorantFisher (Robert) and DeniseGorant Gliwa (Kevin), threegrandchildren, Catherine GorantGliwa, Charles Gorant Gliwa andSamuel Robert Fisher, a sister

Cleo Chelekis Gorant

Continued on Page 7

Her love for the United States grew as exponentially as her educa-tional learning.

“I love the United States. I did not want to go back to Greece,” be-cause she saw when she did go back in the 1970s, nothing had changed.Still no running water, no electricity.

Life in AmericaShe also noticed other cultural differences between Greece and

America: the role and dress of women.“In Greece, women had to wear skirts,” she said. And here, women

worked. “I was surprised women worked here.”So she decided to make her own way, too.“I was a hair dresser for 38 years,” she said

as she rubbed her knuckles, knotted from use.“This is from work!” she exclaimed, pointing toher hands. “I gave my customers scalp mes-sages.”

She also bought stock in Columbia Gas,from her brother’s advice. When her motherheard about it, she laughed.

“My mother laughed at the name because“kolo” in Greek means rear-end!” Nancy said,cracking up.

She told her mother, “Well, that’s what I have, Mom!” Her mother thenadvised her not to tell her father because he would want to take it and giveit to the family, to help them. But it was her money, her mother said, andshe should use it.

It was fortunate she chose that stock-it skyrocketed.“Then the stock went sky high, and I was a rich girl!” Nancy expressed.It was after the war she married and went from Nancy Nickels to Nancy

Gregory. She met her future husband, Demetrios (translated as Jimmy)Gregory, in Jamestown, N.Y.

Jim explained that the people of those two Grecian villages formed anassociation, now called Tzintsina Heritage Society, and have met inJamestown the third weekend in July ever since they immigrated. “It’s one

Continued from Page 5

Continued on Page 7

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Continued from Page 6Honored and Remembered

Bess Canelos, and many niecesand nephews (and grand-niecesand nephews) who she loved likeher own children. A longtimeBoardman resident, Cleo was amember of St. John Greek Ortho-dox Church where she taughtSunday School and actively par-ticipated in the LadiesPhiloptochos.

Bill L. Carlos, formerly ofNew Concord, passed away July31, 2012 in New Bern, N.C.

He was a former postalworker before retirement.

He was born Feb. 2, 1928,son of the late Louie and AngelineCostianes Carlos.

In addition to his parents, aninfant sister and brother, George,preceded him in death.

He is survived by his Uncleand Aunt, Nick and FranCostianes of Albion, Mi. andmany cousins; a niece, GloriaGoodwin and her husband Dickof New Bern, N.C.; great-niece,Stacy Fichter, her husband Rick,and their daughter, Madison ofCumming, Ga.; a great-nephew,Steve Goodwin, his wife Sara,and their son Fisher of Leland,N.C. Bill adored his nieces andnephews. He will be greatlymissed by each of them.

Mr. Carlos was an accom-plished artist and drew maps forthe New Concord Post Office andfire department. His artwork isalso at the John Glenn Museum.He spent many hours creatingartwork for others.

Bill L. Carlos

of the oldest ethnic associations in the country,” he said.

Married lifeAs fate would have it, that is also where she met Jimmy.After they married, they lived in Wilmington, Del.“That’s where my beauty salon was. Mrs. Dupont (of DuPont Chemi-

cal Solutions Enterprise) was one of my customers. They were just ordi-nary people, no Cadillacs,” Nancy said.

After Wilmington, they moved to StateCollege, where Jimmy had lived, and spentthe next 10 years there. Her brother-in-lawhad opened a Holiday Inn, now the RamadaInn, and Nancy was a cashier there. “StateCollege has grown!” since she was firstthere, she said.

It was for their 25th wedding anniver-sary they went to back to Greece the firsttime in the ’70s; the second time was in1995. By then, their village was no longerquite so antiquated. Every house had run-ning water, toilets, electricity.

For the next 25 years, Nancy wouldtake care of her brother-in-law George Gregory and his wife Catherine;Catherine had Alzheimers.

Catherine was an artist, and played violin, even after she lost hermemory, she said. And Nancy was just the medicine Catherine needed.

“I spoke Greek with Catherine, and she felt like she was living again,”Nancy said, tears in her eyes.

She drove them to Florida in the winter, and back to Pennsylvania inthe summer, every year.

Jim laughed, picturing it. “Can you imagine this four-foot-eleven womandriving a Cadillac from Florida? She had to look through the steering wheelto drive!” he said.

Jim paused, now more sober.“And as history takes its turn, we are now her caretaker,” he said.

“She does really well with many people around her....She’s very happytaking care of people in Nightengale’s.”

True to his word, as the ladies shuffled into the dining room for hercake, Nancy helped her friend. “Uncross your legs. Good. Now lean onyour cane to stand up,” she instructed.

A rich heritageThough her parents are gone now, she has fond memories of them.Her father fought in the Spanish-American War.“He was wounded and got a pension, a tiny, tiny pension, and that

kept us going until things got better (in the Great Depression),” she said.He made candy in Bellefonte in Talleyrand Park where they rented a

Continued on Page 8

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storefront. He called it Candy Land Restaurant. “All the brothers workedthere when they first arrived; they eventually went their own way, like fami-

lies often do,” Jim said.Her mother was a midwife in Greece,

and a housewife here. She was very skilledbecause of the practical experience shegained in Greece, Jim said.

Her parents would use their house inGreece to help people.

“Our house in the village was huge. Ithad a big balcony. Our house could be usedto help sick people,” Nancy remembered.

In America, even with Nancy’s quicklearning pace, her parents insisted she stillspeak Greek at home so she wouldn’t forgether heritage.

Now, all her family in her generation are gone but two sisters-in-law,one in Florida, the other in Ohio.

Nancy’s still going strong, noting her grandma lived to be 104.“We were proud of our people,” she said.She still has some family, though, and Jim is very close to her. He too

immigrated in 1952 at age 8. His father was “killed during the war,” he said.His father was Nancy’s brother-in-law, and hisadopted father was another brother-in-law.

“Nancy wanted to adopt me, but the el-ders in the family (wouldn’t allow it),” he said.He looked at her. “Many years later, I’veadopted her.”

He loves everything about her.“Nubby’s a pistol. She never met a

stranger, is extremely charming and energetic!”he said.

The family and residents at the homegathered around to cut the cake. As Nancylooked at her 98th birthday cake, her eyes grew wide and she shook herhead.

“Can you imagine being that old?” she whispered to one of her care-takers, then asked, “Do you know anyone that old?”

“You!” the caretaker laughed.And all sang Happy Birthday to the woman they love, admire, and

cherish.

Continued from Page 7 More Greek TraditionalSuperstitions

KnivesGreeks never hand knives to

someone who asks for it for theyconsider that if they do that theywill have a fight with the person.Therefore they set it down on thetable and let the other person takeit.

PriestGreek Orthodox priests

(popes) are very revered and thecustom is to kiss a priest’s handin respect when meeting one; to-day this custom is only followedin villages. But it is believed thatseeing a black cat and a priestduring the same day is bad luck.

SpitingSome Greeks believe that

spitting chases the devil and themisfortune away. That is whywhen someone talk about badnews (deaths, accidents, etc…)the others slightly spit three timessaying “ftou, ftou, ftou”. Anotherexample is that someone thatcompliments a baby, a child oreven an adult for its beauty, hasalso to spit three times on thecomplimented person.

Tuesday the 13thUnlike the western belief, in

Greece the unlucky day is Tues-day the 13th and not Friday the13th.

“You can go anywhere and Greek Dance:Only in Jamestown one dances

with History.”

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Make Checks payable To: Tsintzina Society c/o Peter Sfikas1206 South Street SEWarren, OH 44483

PLEASE PAY YOUR DUES AND HELP OUR SOCIETY!

Tsintzina Society Membership FormLast Name: First: Middle:

Address:

City:

Spouse:

Phone:

State: Zip:

Family: $60.00 Individual (Age 21+): $40.00

Amount Enclosed:I am planning on attending the 2013 Convention.

Benefactor: $100.00

Father's Name:

Mother's Maiden Name:

The benefactor dues category gives Tsintzinians an opportunity to give more freely to help the organi-zation with finacial concerns. All benefactors will be duely recognized for their extra contributions.

Come to the Tsintzina Society ReunionJuly 25 – July 28

Dues are an important part of maintaing our clubhouse and our Society.Please pay your dues.

You can pay your dues, donate money, or pay your registra-tion fee for the Reunion using Paypal on our website at http://

www.tsintzinasociety.com.

Tsintzinian Chronicle703 Summit RoadMarion, Ohio 43302

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