Around & about British Columbia
By Dimitrios & Katerina Angelatos
Paying
tribute to a philhellene
George
S. Storey
You do not have to be born a Greek to appreciate and love Greece,
its people and its culture. All around the world there are many
philhellenes and of course Vancouver has its share of them. George Storey
is one of many.
Over twenty-five years ago George Storey fell in love with the
Greek culture and Greece. That love is still evident today as George and
his wife, Karin, can always be seen at the various Greek cultural events
around Vancouver.
George Storey was born in Vancouver in 1922, educated in the
Vancouver school system and attended the University of British Columbia.
He spent over three years in the Canadian Airforce before graduating as an
engineer in 1950. He was employed as a professional engineer by BC
Electric/BC Hydro in the Railroad department until 1956. Then he joined
the Gas Division where he worked until his retirement in 1984.
George had a love for athletics since early childhood. As an adult
he coached gymnastics, baseball and Canadian football. He was involved in
various athletic associations, taking on various responsibilities. He was
also involved in theatre as an actor, stage manager, director and lighting
manager.
His love affair with Greece began in 1977.
George and his wife took a ten-week holiday to Europe, with the
majority of the time spent in Greece. Before that trip the couple attended
a Greek Language course at Langara College. It was there that they met
John Stratos who introduced them to PHAROS, the Canadian Hellenic Cultural
Society. George has been involved with PHAROS ever since. He even served
as president from 1989 to 1995. He
still continues to play an active part in PHAROS. He is also a strong
supporter of the Hellenic Studies at Simon Fraser University. He has also
on occasion stated his opinion that Greek day schools should be
established in the Vancouver area. George
strongly feels that the Greek history and language should be taught to
young Greek-Canadians so that their ties to Greece and their rich culture
will never be lost. George also feels that a library and museum would
benefit not only the Greek-Canadians but also all the Philhellenes and
anyone else interested in history.
It was their high interest in Greece that led the Storeys to form a
travel company, which operated from 1981 to 2000. Almost every year they
took a group on a three-week tour, often with an optional one-week
extension. The tours were to Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, and
Egypt and concluded with a Rhine cruise in 2000. The majority of the trips
were to Greece. Usually, after sending the group home, George and Karin
would return to Greece. In their thirteen trips to Greece since 1977 they
made many lasting friendships.
George says his fascination with Greece is not only with the
history, the monuments, the climate, the culture and the music, but also
with the strong “family” feeling one gets from Greece. George and
Karin have many wonderful memories of Greece and of course also have a
great number of humorous tales to tell. It is through their participation
at the various Greek cultural events in Vancouver that those memories are
kept alive and reinforced.
PHAROS
lecture
A
joint venture
“Architectural
agon: The Parthenon and the Temple of Zeus at Olympia”
PHAROS held its first lecture of the 2003 on Friday, February 7.
The lecture was moved from the normal end of the month, in this case
January, in order to accommodate the guest speaker’s time schedule. This
lecture was jointly sponsored by the Department of Classical, Near Eastern
and Religious Studies at UBC, PHAROS, and the Archaeological Institute.
The Pharos lectures are usually held in the upper hall at the Hellenic
Community Center in Vancouver but this time had to be moved to the main
hall to accommodate all the people in attendance.
The guest speaker for the evening was Professor Jeffrey Hurwit who
teaches at the University of Oregon. He is a leading authority on Greek
art and architecture. He also recently wrote a book on the Athenian
Acropolis.
On this occasion he gave the inaugural Dorothy Burr Thompson
Memorial Lecture. Dorothy Thompson is the widow of Professor Homer
Thompson, UBC’s most distinguished classics graduate, who directed
excavations in the Athenian Agora for over 20 years. Those excavations
began in 1931. Dorothy Thompson wrote extensively about the Greek
terracotta figurines unearthed in the Agora during those times.
He discussed both the Temple of Athena (the Parthenon) in Athens
and the Temple of Zeus at Olympia. While there were many similarities
between the two, there were also many differences. While the Temple of
Athena was very similar in style to that of the Temple of Zeus, the older
of the two, the Temple of Athena was much more elaborate.
While most of the ancient architecture on the Athenian Acropolis
and at Olympia has been destroyed, enough of it remains for us to see the
mastery of those ancient builders. Greek art and architecture have
influenced architects all over the world, in ancient times up to the
present. One needs only to take a trip across Canada and the United States
to visit the provincial legislative or state capital buildings to see the
influence that Greek architecture has on them. An example of the excellent
workmanship of those ancient craftsmen can even be seen today by visiting
Memphis, Tennessee. There stands a replica of the Parthenon, not as that
ancient monument is today, but rather how it would have looked like in
ancient times in all its glory and splendor.
PHAROS has done an excellent job since its beginning over
twenty-five years ago to educate people on the rich cultural heritage of
Greece and its people. It is ironic that often there are very few Greeks
at these free to the public PHAROS meetings.
In particular, the leaders of the Greek communities and
organizations are not very evident at the PHAROS functions.
People who are not of Greek descent are more interested in the
culture of the Greeks than are the Greeks themselves.
War
between the Muslims and Byzantines
Pharos
lecture
The second Pharos lecture of the year, the fourth of the 2002-03
lecture season, was held on Monday evening, February 24th at
the Hellenic Cultural Center. “Conflict
in the Eastern Mediterranean: Byzantium and Islam 635-717” was the topic
covered by Dr. Niall Christie. Dr. Christie teaches medieval history and
religious studies at Langara College, UBC and SFU.
He received his undergraduate, master and doctoral degrees from the
University of St. Andrews in Scotland.
Dr. Christie used examples of historical sources for the period to
show the wars from both the viewpoints of the Byzantines and the Muslims.
The Muslims, followers of Mohammed, exploded out of the Arabian Peninsula
in 635, trying to conquer the two great empires of the Persians and
Byzantines. The Persian empire soon collapsed before the Muslim advance.
The Byzantines however were beaten back to Constantinople but they finally
managed to halt the Muslims at the city walls in 717.
“Greek fire” played an important role in the defense of the
city. This newly discovered
liquid was hurled or pumped onto the ships of the invaders and burst into
flames on contact. It was inextinguishable and burned even on water,
cutting off escape for those who managed to jump off the burning ships.
The exact composition of this Greek fire remains unknown as its formula
was a secret that was handed down to only a few over the centuries.
After medieval times the formula seems to have been lost.
The accounts of the conflicts between the Byzantines and the
Muslims show us that neither propaganda nor chemical warfare is modern day
novelties They have been used through the ages. The panic and dread the
introduction of “Greek fire” inspired can be compared to the
demoralizing influence the introduction of nuclear weapons had in our
time.
On March 27, another lecture will be held, on the topic of the
Ottoman expulsion of the Greeks in Pontos and Asia Minor in 1922. In
April, the last of the Pharos lecture series, Richard Spratley will talk
on Cretan Food and Hospitality.
Again,
these lectures are open to the general public and will be held at the
Hellenic Cultural Center in Vancouver.
Women’s
soccer team scores big
The “HELLAS FC” women’s soccer team had its first ever
playoff game on Sunday, Feb. 2. They
won that game 8-0. The team is in Division 4b of the Women’s Metro
Soccer and is coached and managed by Nikos Karapidakis. Not all the team
members are Greeks but the team is sponsored by the Hellenic Community of
Vancouver and by other Greek businesses.
Scoring two goals each for the team were Georgia Kapetanakis and
Crystal Hincks while Kathy Theodoridis, Kia Hondronikolis, Georgina
Gerontas and Cece Maine each scored one goal.
Well done, girls!
The team also won its next two playoff games, entering the next
round undefeated and in first place.
On Sunday, March 16, they were set to play their first ever
semi-final game at Quilchena Park in Vancouver.
CAPTION:
The “Hellas FC” women’s soccer
team of Vancouver, British Columbia
Greek
restaurant celebrates 28th anniversary
The Greeks came out in large numbers on Saturday, March 1 to
celebrate the 28th anniversary of “Cosmos” restaurant in
White Rock. There was not an empty seat in the place during the height of
the celebrations. People came out to enjoy all the good food, the music
and the hospitality of the present owners, Demetre Theodosakis and George
and Christina Zambus.
Cosmos Restaurant in White Rock was among the first Greek
restaurants established in the area. It was 28 years ago that the
restaurant was first opened by John Manolopoulos. It changed hands for a
short time before John took it back. Eventually it passed on to the
present owners. The restaurant has gone through a number of renovations
and expansions over the years. A number of years ago it sustained severe
flood damage, as did a lot of other businesses along the beach. This
provided the opportunity to give the restaurant a completely new look.
The owners have featured many “Greek days” at the restaurant
during the many years. Every August they hold one as part of a larger
city-sponsored celebration. The street beside the restaurant is closed for
that day so the Greek celebrations can be moved outdoors. The restaurant
is also a good place to be to watch the long electric-light parade during
that evening as it is near the beginning of the parade route. Over the
years the owners have held fund-raisers at their special Greek events
which have been used to benefit the local hospital. This latest event also
contributed to those funds.
The people of White Rock have shown their appreciation of the
support the owners of the restaurant have given to the community. Cosmos
has become a very popular dining spot as a result and a good ambassador of
the Greek culture.