Peter N. Derzis AHEPA Chapter 438 History

Over 50 years of Excellence

It’s impossible to enumerate all the many things we’ve done or attempted over the last 50 years, however, the short history that follows helps place into perspective who we are...what we’ve done...and what we hope to accomplish in the future.

The Peter N. Derzis Chapter was organized and received its charter on May 4, 1969. Originally designated as the Arlington Virginia Chapter, the name was soon changed to honor Past Supreme President Peter N. Derzis, who was a chapter member and instrumental in its organization. In our short history, we have been honored with nine Chapter of the Year awards and we’ve spawned many elected district and national AHEPA leaders, including seven District Governors, a Supreme President, Supreme Treasurer, two Supreme Governors, a Supreme Counselor, a member of the Board of Directors, a Chairman of the Supreme Convention, a national Controller, and two national Auditors. Our brothers have also fulfilled multiple elected District lodge leadership roles. 

In 1992, the Chapter served as Host Chapter for a very successful National Convention in Washington, DC. Confidence in the Chapter’s organizational abilities was again demonstrated when the Supreme President personally selected the Chapter to host the 37th Biennial Banquet in 2006 with the result being the most successful and well attended banquet in many years. In 2007, the Chapter again renewed its option on excellence by hosting an enormously successful Capital District 3 Convention...a convention that was described as among the best organized conventions ever!

Historically one of the largest Chapters in the country, the needs of our community are always a priority. From the outset, our Chapter became intimately involved in numerous activities within the community – the support of educational activities being principal among them. We became a charter sponsor of the Washington, DC Metropolitan Scholarship Program 50 years ago. This organization, composed of AHEPA and Daughters of Penelope chapters in the Washington Metropolitan area, has recognized many hundreds of worthy students with scholarship awards over the years. In that time, over 1,700 area students have been awarded over $1,300,000 since its inception. For many years, our Chapter sponsored a national scholarship award in memory of Peter Derzis to an outstanding graduating high school athlete at the National Convention’s Athletic Luncheon. The Chapter is also a significant contributing sponsor of the AHEPA District 3 Scholarships for Hellenic-American students and also established a Community Scholarship awarded to a student within the local community who best exemplifies attributes of scholarship and community involvement. We also sponsor and present award certificates and scholarship medals in recognition of academic excellence to Greek School students annually. In 2003, one of our members developed a curriculum and founded a Vacation Bible Camp program at St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church which the Chapter enthusiastically sponsored and remains an ardent supporter to this day. In 2007, along with our friends at the American Hellenic Institute, we co-sponsored the first annual Hellenic American Career Fair to help our community’s young adults learn firsthand about various occupations and job skills in order to make more informed decisions regarding their college and employment options. In 2008, the Chapter became a proud sponsor of the newly established Paideia Bilingual Day Care Center at Saint Katherine Greek Orthodox Church and later fully embraced the Saint Katherine’s Hellenic Education Center. 

Devotion to the local religious community has also been a hallmark of the Chapter’s charitable enterprises. We were proud to donate a new cross atop the dome of St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church and we’ve donated over $200,000 to St. Katherine over the years as well as having supported the establishment of several other churches in the local area including most recently the Holy Apostles Church in Loudoun County, Virginia. It was also the Chapter’s singular privilege and honor to proudly and enthusiastically raise funds in support of an international effort to restore and renovate the Şişli Greek Orthodox Cemetery in Istanbul, Turkey.

The Chapter has figured prominently on the national AHEPA scene as well, sponsoring many charitable events in support of such charities as St. Basil’s Academy, Tournament of Roses Parade, Earthquake Relief Fund for Greece, and the Katrina Relief Fund. When wild fires ravaged Greece, our Chapter mobilized immediately and donated over 2,000 pounds of goods to the relief effort – a sum which constituted 12.5% of the overall national totals.

Additionally, the Chapter has been at the forefront of such programs as the AHEPA Has Heart Defibrillator Program and the National Heart Association’s Family and Friends CPR training program. One of our youngest Chapter members also conceived and championed the concept of an AHEPAcademy designed to identify, educate, inspire, mentor, advance, and network exceptional Greek-American high school students as they progress through their high school, college, graduate and professional careers.

Ongoing projects include establishment of an AHEPA Affordable Housing complex for Senior Citizens and a series of non-partisan Town Hall Meetings designed to establish a dialogue with local, national and international political leaders. We’ve also conducted popular computer seminar programs which have enabled many to increase their computer literacy. 

For many decades, we have worked at local homeless shelters in kitchens feeding the poor. In collaboration with our sisters from the Daughters of Penelope Helle Chapter 283, we’ve sponsored Financial seminars, College Planning seminars, Heart Health Awareness events and provided the community with timely education on the rising identity theft crisis. Multiple local charities have benefitted from the Chapter’s support including support for programs to provide gifts to the homeless on Christmas morning. The Chapter has supported our church’s missions outreach programs in Mexico and Guatemala and materially assisted orphanages in both those countries; many of our Chapter members occupy prominent leadership roles in this most vital ministry within our community. 

In 2017, our chapter conceived and funded the establishment of an AHEPA Seniors Kentro – a facility on church grounds for elderly members of community to gather and enjoy each other’s company in a comfortably furnished space featuring an outdoor patio and Greek cable television broadcasts and other recreational activities.

Our Chapter is proudly embraces our tradition of honoring our veterans who have helped secure our nation’s freedom. It was no accident that AHEPA led the entire nation by selling more war bonds than anyone in support of our efforts to defeat totalitarianism in World War II. We proudly continue that tradition as a means of acknowledging the great debt we owe to our veterans. We are very proud to be one of several sponsors of the Support the Troops Program, which to date, has sent over 8,000 pounds of personal comfort items to our troops in combat zones. Our AHEPA Metro Golf Classic benefitted Fisher House and military families by providing long term housing while their sons, daughters, fathers and mothers recuperated from battlefield injuries. Most recently, we held an inaugural 5K run/1 mile walk in order to raise fun funds for AHEPA’s Service Dogs for Warriors initiative which provides specially trained service dogs to veterans suffering for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. These dogs can literally change the life of a veteran providing a sense of security, calming effects and physical exercise that can make a positive difference in the life of a service member suffering with PTSD. Additionally, each year, on Memorial Day, and in conjunction with our brothers from other local AHEPA Chapters, we gather to honor Hellenic American veterans buried at Arlington National Cemetery by placing American Flags and flowers on their graves.  

As a means of supporting our charitable endeavors, the Chapter has sponsored multiple fund-raising activities including: charity raffles and sale of popular collectible Christmas ornaments. All proceeds go toward our designated AHEPA charities. We are extremely grateful to the many generous benefactors throughout our community and to the many volunteers whose selfless dedication and devotion make our philanthropy possible.

The Chapter was greatly honored to be recognized by Saint Katherine Greek Orthodox Church in 2017 for its legacy of devotion and generous support of the Hellenic and Orthodox community, with a Bronze Memorial Plaque now mounted in the Church Narthex. The award was made at Saint Katherine’s annual Dinner Dance. Pictured opposite at the award ceremony are (l-r) Jim Stoucker, Parish Council President, Reverend Father Konstantinos Pavlakos, Supreme President Carl Hollister and Chapter President Allen White.

There can be little doubt of the pride we derive from our service to the community and what we do for our fellow man. However, no one joins AHEPA because they seek accolades or attention...rather, our motivation is derived by assisting in the betterment of our communities...and we are very gratified to have succeeded thanks to the efforts of all those who have gone before us -- and we pray all those who will follow in our footsteps...just as we have followed in the footsteps of our forefathers!

Pride and excellence are two words most often associated with our Chapter and our efforts on behalf of our fellow man. The members of the Peter N. Derzis Chapter 438 look confidently toward the future, but we remain ever mindful our past accomplishments only serve as stepping stones to future excellence.

AHEPA is a passion. We promote the ancient Hellenic ideals of education, philanthropy, civic responsibility, family and individual excellence through community service and volunteerism. Won't you join us?