PANELIAKOS SOCIETY OF NEW YORK
(Πανηλειακός Σύλλογος Νέας Υόρκης)
“The History”
The founding of the original Paneliakos Society of New York is unknown since no records exist as to when and by whom the society was first found. What is known, and told to us by Dionysios Danikas (Amaliada), is that the society existed prior to 1936. Further research revealed that the original society existed over 10
0 years ago in New York. In addition, page 193 of the book entitled by Babis Malafouris, indicates that an Eleian Society was among the 35 Hellenic Societies that existed in 1904 in New York. According to records from the New York State Department of State, on May 09, 1928, the PANILIAKI BROTHERHOOD OF ELION "HERMES", INC. The NYS Department of State records also indicate that the name was changed on May 15, 1951 to ELION BROTHERHOOD HERMES INC. Aside from the aforementioned, we are currently not aware of any more details of those previously mentioned societies. Following the ELION BROTHERHOOD HERMES INC., with an influx of newly arrived Eleians a new society was formed having the name "AMALIAS NUMBER 6". The last two presidents of "Amalias Number 6" were Mr. Georgiou (Pyrgo) and Mr. Milonopoulos (Amaliada). The main supporters and contributors to the society were the famous Greek cinema and theatre executives, the brothers Spyro, George and Kostas Skouras (Skourohori). The members consisted of Jimmy Kabalinis (Amaliada), Socrates Diosis (Sabalia), George and Christos Pappas (Tragano), Konstantinos Lycoyannis (Tragano), Kostas Koubaroulis (Gastouni), Jimmy Mougios (Gastouni) and Father Diodoros Tsekouras (Mahou). Its final meeting took place in 1963. On Christmas 1971, Mrs. Koula Malefaki (Dibri), Mr. George Tsekouras (Mahou) and Mr. Panagiotis Belokas (Pyrgo) (see picture below) using their own funds, placed an advertisement in the Greek Newspaper circulating in New York, inviting all the Eleians to gather together with the goal of re-creating the Society. The first gathering consisted of many fellow Eleians who chose an Interim Board consisting of Kosta Liberi, Nikolao Touna, Konstantinos Lycoyannis, Eleia Tsekoura and Nikolao Bilini. On February 13, 1972, a General Meeting took place in the convention hall of the Holy Church of Saint Demetrios of Jamaica, NY, where the new Constitution/Charter was created. Elections were held on the same day creating the first President (Kosta Liberi), and Board of the newly established Paneliakos Society of New York. It was also decided that the emblem of the association would be the Olympic Flame. PRESIDENTS OF THE SOCIETY 1972-Present
1st Liberis, Konstantinos
2nd Plakoyiannis, Fotis
3rd Tsekouras, Elias
4th Tounas, Nikolaos
5th Lycoyannis, Konstantinos
6th Badounas, Andreas
7th Maritsas, Loukas
8th Badounas, Andreas
9th Konstantakopoulos, Sotirios
10th Argyropoulos, Andreas
11th Lycoyannis, Konstantinos
12th Pappas, Eleni
13th Ladas, Nikolaos
14th Bedenitis, Nikolaos
15th Kokkonis, Spyros
16th Xidias, Haralambos
17th Papadopoulos, Georgia (Xidias)
18th Dimitropoulos, Hleias
19th Konstantakopoulos, Sotirios
20th Kostopoulos, Nikos
21st Konstantakopoulos, Sotirios
