Ahepa and Men's Club

Whether or not you have heard of AHEPA (American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association) or the Men’s Club, you may wonder why each exists and what they do. The following is some helpful history and information about these philanthropic organizations. We encourage all men at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church of Kansas City (AGOC) to join both AHEPA and the Men’s Club. 

AHEPA is the largest and oldest Greek-American fraternal organization, founded in 1922 to promote Hellenic ideals of integrity, education, philanthropy, and familial and civic responsibility while combating discrimination against Greek immigrants. Its worldwide chapters focus on community service, scholarships, cultural preservation, and supporting Greek heritage. It is open to men (18 and over) of good character, including non Greeks. The ‘AHEPA Family’ also includes the Daughters of Penelope (women's group 18 and over) and junior orders for youth (under 18): Sons of Pericles and Maids of Athena.  

Application for membership is open to anyone who believes in the mission of the organization. AHEPA at Annunciation participates in many activities throughout the year. Here are some of our most recent projects: 

• Provide a $100 scholarship to the Senior and Junior winners of the annual Oratorical Festival. 

• Prepare the parish dinner in celebration of The Feast of the Annunciation and Greek Independence Day. 

• Provide the Reception following church services on Pascha (The Resurrection, or Easter). 

• Host Coffee Hour once a month after church services on Sunday with the help of Daughters of Penelope. 

• Assist other parish organizations with special functions whenever possible. 

• Help with landscaping church grounds by trimming bushes and cutting tree limbs. 

• Prepare the parish's Thanksgiving Dinner. Proceeds from this dinner are used to provide our youth scholarships to Camp Emmanuel. 

• Parish recycling program collecting bottles, cans, and paper. 

Official website: www.ahepa.org.  

The AGOC also has a Men’s Club with similar objectives of fraternity and service; however, while AHEPA is an international organization, the Men’s Club is focused on our local community. Specifically, we are dedicated to fostering fellowship among the men of our congregation while providing opportunities to serve the needs of our church and its communicants. While there is some overlap between AHEPA and the Men’s Club, all money and time donated to the Men’s Club is devoted solely to our local church and community.  

We welcome new members and encourage all men (18 and over) to get involved with the goal of improving the church and its surroundings, enhancing your personal life, and adding to the social and emotional support of the men in our community. Some examples of Men’s Club activities: 

Fellowship 

• Monthly breakfast 

• Bowling 

• Darts and/or pool at local establishments  

• Pool Party 

• Pub crawl 

• Wine/Beer/Scotch tastings 

• Fishing tournament 

• Shooting range (pistol/skeet/archery) 

• Top Golf or Tap-in (putt-putt) 

• Family Dinner at church (cook-out or cook-in) 

• Ment’s retreat at local monastery 

Service 

• Landscaping of church grounds 

• Church cleaning before and after major events 

• Playground maintenance 

• Kitchen maintenance 

• Parking lot painting and minor repairs 

• Valentine’s Day party 

• Annunciation dinner  

• Anastasis buffet (after the midnight Pascha service) 

• Elevation of the Cross 

• Theophany 

• All Saints Day (All Hallows Eve) party 

• Thanksgiving dinner 

Official website: www.annunciationkc.org