His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros
Notes at Blue Dream
24 August 2024
Dormition of the Greek Orthodox Church of the Mother of God
Southampton, New York
Sisters and brothers,
I cannot stress enough how excited I am to be a part of Blue Dream this year, the amazing ministry of this extraordinary church in the Hamptons, led by this evening’s extraordinary hosts.
Of course, I am speaking of Father Alex, Presvytera Xanthi, Father Constantine and Presvytera Anastasia, and the chairs of Blue Dream: Angela Giannopoulos, Olga Karloutsos and Karen Mehiel, and co-chairs John Catsimatidis and Bruce Mosler, and all those with us tonight whose generous philanthropy makes Blue Dream the phenomenal event that it is.
The Dormition Greek Orthodox Church in the East End is a wonderful example of what it means to serve the community you live in. Blue Dream is a wonderful way to give back in our best traditions of hospitality – φιλοξενία, as we say in Greek – and φιλανθρωπία, which literally means to show your love for your fellow man.
Tonight, we honor three remarkable organizations that serve the needs of children and their families:
East End Fund for Children,
Reach your inner self,
And one that is particularly close to my heart: Ronald McDonald House Charities.
They are all extremely important, but as many of you know, for decades the Ronald McDonald House has offered families from Greece with children suffering from cancer the opportunity to receive the best treatment in the world and a familiar environment in which to live and be cared for by a multitude of wonderful volunteers.
Once again, Dormition Church of the Hamptons leads by example and shows what true sacrificial love is and I thank you all for your generous and selfless support of these most worthy charities.
I close with a blessing for each and every one of you. May God grant you and all you love His gracious gifts for all that you give. And may your own dreams enjoy as much joy and beauty as we once again experience here at Blue Dream.
Hello Polly!
Photo: John Mindala
