WELCOME

Maria Karalis, Chapter President

Dear Philoptochos Sisters and Friends,

As we begin 2026, I am filled with gratitude and excitement for the energy, commitment, and fellowship within our Ascension of Our Lord Philoptochos community. Your Board is enthusiastic and ready to kick off a very full and meaningful year ahead.

Our next Chapter Meeting is Thursday January 29th. We are honored to welcome our guest speaker, Dr. Amelia Bartholomew, who will present “Ancient Wisdom Confirmed by Modern Science.” Her talk thoughtfully bridges Orthodox Christian tradition with modern scientific understanding, offering insight into stress, sleep, healing, and whole-person wellness. This evening is open to Philoptochos members and non-members alike, and we encourage you to bring a spouse, family member, or friend.

We are especially excited to host our first-ever Meatfare Sunday Macaronada Luncheon on February 15. This is a wonderful opportunity to gather as a parish family before the Lenten season begins. Reservations will be required, and tickets are expected to sell out quickly, so please be sure to secure yours early.

Preparations are also underway for our Bake Sale and Lambades fundraising initiative. We will soon be ordering candles and craft supplies, and we invite anyone who would like to help assemble Lambades to reach out to me. This is a behind-the-scenes way to support our philanthropic efforts while enjoying fellowship with one another.

Our Board has also begun thoughtful discussions around the charities we will support during this ecclesiastical year. A special thank you to Faye Kopplin, Andrea Rogers, and Jessica Hallam, who have done an outstanding job digitizing our annual disbursement process, making it more accessible and streamlined for our members. Please click the link on our website for more details on how to nominate a charity for consideration.

On February 27, we invite you to join us for a hands-on Koliva (memorial wheat) workshop. This meaningful event will guide participants through the tradition of preparing koliva as a way to honor and remember a loved one. Please consider bringing a friend—this workshop is open to all.

Looking ahead, preparations are already well underway for our Pascha Glendi, to be held on Friday, April 17 at the Concorde Banquets. This joyful celebration will include children’s activities, raffle prizes, music, dancing, and wonderful fellowship. Ticket information will be coming soon, so please be on the lookout.

Thank you for your continued support, participation, and enthusiasm. It is truly a blessing to serve alongside such a dedicated Board and membership. I look forward to all that we will accomplish together in the months ahead.

With gratitude and excitement,

Maria Karalis. President, Ascension of Our Lord Philoptochos
mariamkaralis@gmail.com

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Philoptochos Donation Request for Annual Disbursements

Dear Philoptochos Sisters,

At the end of each year, Ascension Philoptochos distributes funds raised throughout the year to philanthropic organizations that align with our mission.

To support this process, we use an online Ascension Philoptochos Donation Request Form for Annual Disbursements to gather the information needed for thoughtful and prayerful disbursement decisions.

If you would like to recommend a charitable organization that is meaningful to you, please complete the online form using this link: https://form.jotform.com/253143486143051

Before submitting your recommendation, we ask that you review the organization on the Charity Navigator website to ensure the information needed for evaluation is available.  Charity Navigator is a free, independent tool that helps you evaluate nonprofits by reviewing their financial stewardship, accountability, and impact. You can use it to quickly research charities to ensure their support aligns with Philoptochos’ mission of responsible, faithful stewardship. The donation request form includes a direct link to Charity Navigator along with brief instructions to assist you.

As you consider a recommendation, please keep in mind our Philoptochos mission (included on the form) and the National Philoptochos initiatives, which include Veterans Outreach, Human Trafficking, Operation Classroom, and the IOCC Partnership Program. Additional information can be found on the National Philoptochos website at https://www.philoptochos.org/.

All submissions are due by March 26, 2026. Approved disbursements will be made in May 2026. While we are grateful for every recommendation, please note that we may not be able to fulfill all requests.

If you have questions or need assistance with the form, please contact Andrea Rogers at abrogers3@gmail.com.

With love in Christ,
Faye Kopplin and Andrea Rogers
Philanthropy Co-Chairs

Recommend a Charitable Organization

National Philoptochos Website

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A YEAR IN REVIEW

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