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Greeks unite to help homeland ravaged by fires

The Panhellenic Federation of Florida starts a fundraising drive to aid villagers.

By ELENA LESLEY, Times Staff Writer
Published September 6, 2007

Priest Kontos Panagiotis carries a holy cross as he walks through the remains of the burned Church of Agia Paraskevi in Greka village in the Pelloponise peninsula in Greece.
	[AP photo]

As Terry Tsafatinos drove from Sparta to the Athens airport in the early morning of Aug. 24, he saw clouds of black smoke blanketing nearby mountains. Then specks of what looked like snow- white ash flakes - began to dot his car.

"I started to panic," he said. "It was unbelievable, like a bad dream."

Tsafatinos considered turning back, but pressed on and made his flight. Though he arrived safely in Clearwater, for the next few weeks he would be preoccupied with Greece and the fires ravaging his home country.

"I called friends to keep track of what was happening," he said. "I read newspapers and listened to Greek radio."

The inferno has destroyed dozens of villages and killed at least 65 people. Government officials are blaming arsonists.

Now that the major blazes have subsided, Tsafatinos has turned his attention to helping fire victims. A past president of the Panhellenic Federation of Florida, he is working with other organization members to raise money.

The federation held its first fundraising drive - broadcast on TV Ch. 48 and WPSO 1500 AM - Wednesday night and will run similar drives every day through Saturday from 4:30 to 7 p.m.

Once it has raised a significant sum of money, the 25,000-member organization, which strives to unite the 150,000 Greek-Americans living in Florida, will hold a meeting to determine how it could best be spent, said vice president Steve Sevastos, 50.

Options they are considering include reforestation or purchasing livestock for needy families.

"Many people lost everything," said Tsafatinos, 64, a real estate investor. "The beautiful mountains were destroyed, animals burned."

With rain coming this month, landslides will probably start soon, he said.

"It's huge devastation," Tsafatinos said. "Greece needs help from other countries."

And given all that they have lost, many people need the confidence and resources to rebuild their lives, he said.

Said Tsafatinos: "Right now, many people are feeling hopeless."

Contributions can be sent to Panhellenic Federation of Florida Fire Relief Fund for Greece, P.O. Box 516, Palm Harbor, FL 34682. Deposits can also be made directly to Bank of America, Account 2290480289, FEI number 59-3138537.

Elena Lesley can be reached at elesley@sptimes.com or 727 445-4167.

Fast facts

Other ways to contribute

- The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has established a Greek fire relief fund. Contributions can be made at www.goarch.org.

- The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA) and Philhellenes have organized a coalition to raise money for fire victims. Donations can be sent to the "Emergency Greek Fire Relief Fund" at www.ahepa.org.

- "Plant Your Roots in Greece," a not-for-profit organization under the auspices of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad and Hellenic American National Council, offers donation opportunities for fire victims or reforestation. Checks can be sent to Chicago Community Bank, 234 S Wabash Ave. FL 2, Chicago, IL 60604. For reforestation, make checks payable to Plant Your Roots in Greece, Acct. 459-0070-59. For victim relief, make checks payable to Plant Your Roots in Greece, Acct. 2000-0394-84.

[Last modified September 5, 2007, 22:01:57]