Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
| By Marie P. Grady Special to The Reminder In the eyes of a little girl, everything can seem larger than life. A church across the street can appear to be a castle on a hill. Neighbors you never knew can seem like royalty. Stavroulla Mavroudhis-Koetsch might not be royalty in any other realm, but to the little girl in a preschool program in Springfield's North End, Stavroulla is the princess on the hill. So too are over 100 members of the Ladies Philoptochos Society, a women's group at St. George Cathedral. The church happens to be across the street from the New North Citizens Council, a social service agency that serves among the poorest children in the state. The group at the Greek Orthodox church recently adopted the New North Child and Family Center, providing books that are mailed home to children up to age five each month and shared in the classroom. Stavroulla, from the island of Cyprus, recalls the little girl's reaction when she met members of the church for the first time. They may not be princesses, but as members of the Philoptochos Society they are "friends of the poor." Members of the group, many of them daughters or granddaughters of Greek immigrants, know that the ticket out of poverty is education. So, they asked church member Robert Schwarz, chairman of the Hampden County Literacy Cabinet, how they could help. Bob put them in touch with me, and I connected them with Mary Anne Herron, a member of the Literacy Cabinet who also directs education initiatives for the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation. Typically, Herron sprang into action. She told the group that they could spark a lifelong love of learning in children by sending them books through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program administered by the Grinspoon Foundation. For a donation of $30 a child, a book is mailed home to the youngster each month. Herron, a spry, energetic educator, has been spreading the love of learning through the Grinspoons' generosity for years. She is hoping that the generosity of the Greek church group will be emulated by other churches of all denominations across the city. Members of the Philoptochos Society are hoping it's an idea that will take root across the country. Since it was created in 1931, Philoptochos has been the largest organization of Greek Orthodox women in the country. It is the second largest women's philanthropic organization in the United States, eclipsed in total donations only by the Sisterhood of Hadassah, the Jewish women's charitable group. At a recent meeting, group members Cynthia Snow, Marcia Eliopoulos and Denise Reed joined Stavroulla to explain why they felt compelled to do their part to close the literacy gap in Springfield. "All four of us grew up in Springfield and we want to help. Springfield still has a lot to offer," said Reed. "Hopefully, by being read to at an early age, it will help the children develop reading skills and stimulate the desire to read," said Snow. The women, all educated professionals, learned the value of reading early in life from their parents and grandparents. They are hoping it is lesson that will reverberate nationwide. Their project, part of a national service model project presented by chapters of the Philoptochos group, could be adopted by others across the country, resulting in millions of children getting an early start at reading. Other members of the congregation at St. George Cathedral have supported the effort. Snow spoke of a Sunday School book drive for the New North preschool library and plans for a potluck supper to raise funds. The group also plans to read books with the children at the preschool. Michael Denney, executive director of the New North Citizens Council, said the women's generosity shows what can be accomplished when a community cares about its most vulnerable members. "The work of the Women's group from the Greek Orthodox church demonstrates great neighbors working with their neighbors, our child care center and the children and families we serve. We know an early appreciation of and exposure to books lead to reading success for young children. We are very thankful for our Greek church neighbors," Denney said. Dolores M. Mulvihill, director of Early Childhood Services at New North, said the program has generated excitement and a love of learning. "The children love receiving their own mail at their home," she said, adding that the Philoptochos Society has provided the same books to the child care center so teachers and parents can work together to instill a love of books. For members of the Philoptochos Society, who will celebrate Greek Independence Day on March 25 along with others nationwide, education provides freedom in its own right. The group's generosity is also a model with winning potential for a community in desperate need. The program, Denney said, is a "home run for early literacy." Marie P. Grady is director of the Literacy Works Project for the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County Inc. She can be reached at 755-1367 or at mgrady@rebhc.org. |