BROOKLYN, NY – There is a particular kind of morning every chapter hopes for: clear skies, a full parking lot, and old friends greeting one another before the first tee. On June 19, that is exactly what the morning was like at Dyker Beach Golf Course — one of the oldest public courses in the country — as Brooklyn AHEPA Chapter 41 hosted their 15th Annual Greek Community Golf Outing. By the time the last foursome came in and sat down to dinner, one thing was clear: this was the finest outing in the chapter’s history — their third straight sell-out, biggest turnout ever, and the most they have ever raised.

“I want to share the day with the wider AHEPA family, because what made it work is the same thing that makes AHEPA work everywhere — people coming together,” said Chapter President George Georgaklis.

“Our outing has never been a chapter-only affair,” he continued. “It is, by name and by spirit, a combined Greek community event: parishes, organizations, families, and friends from across Brooklyn who set aside a workday to play, break bread, and give back together.”

A foursome at the pin — four of a record 140, at the 15th Annual Greek Community Golf Outing hosted by Brooklyn AHEPA Chapter 41. Photo: Courtesy of AHEPA

“This year a sold-out field of 140 golfers took to the course — our third consecutive sell-out — with a full house for the dinner that followed,” Georgaklis noted. “We were especially honored to be joined by our local clergy — Fr. Eugene Pappas, Fr. Gerasimos Makris, Fr. Damaskinos Ganas, and Fr. Michael Giavris— with Fr. Evagoras Constantinides sending his blessing by a gracious well-wishing letter.”

“Walking among the tables that evening — grandparents beside grandchildren, longtime brothers next to first-time guests, clergy, and business owners shoulder to shoulder — I was reminded that the scorecards were never really the point,” Georgaklis said. “The fellowship was.”

Faith and fellowship: Ahepan brothers and clergy share a table. Photo: Courtesy of AHEPA

“None of it would have been possible without our sponsors,” he noted. “An extraordinary 84 hole sponsors put their names on signs along the course this year — Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze supporters, most of them local Brooklyn businesses: the diners and restaurants, the real-estate offices, the financial firms, and the family-owned shops that are the backbone of our neighborhoods. Their generosity is what turns a pleasant day of golf into real support for people who need it.”

“I also want to single out our young volunteers — sons and daughters of our members, many still in their teens — who worked the registration table, ran the raffles, and hustled across the course from morning to night,” Georgaklis said. “Watching them serve reminded every one of us why we do this. By evening, over a shared dinner and a spirited raffle, the competition gave way to what the day has always been about: community.”

A field 140 strong — the biggest turnout in 15 years at the Greek Community Golf Outing hosted by Brooklyn AHEPA Chapter 41. Photo: Courtesy of AHEPA

“It’s no surprise that we’ve sold out the Brooklyn Greek Community Golf Outing three years running,” said Golf Committee Chairman Ted Pavlounis, Esq. “It’s a testament to Brooklyn AHEPA Chapter 41’s unwavering commitment to our parishes and our outreach to the local community — simply an epic event, year after year.”

“And we do it for a reason,” Georgaklis added. “Over its 15 years, this single event has distributed more than $750,000 to Greek Orthodox communities, parishes, and students across Brooklyn. Those are not abstract numbers. They are scholarships placed in the hands of local students heading off to college, support for churches and community programs, and a steadying hand for families and causes in our care. Every sponsorship, every foursome, every raffle ticket this June became part of that legacy — and a record year means we can do even more. In the months ahead, our chapter will again direct these proceeds where they matter most: to the students, parishes, and neighbors who count on them.”

Arm in arm — the camaraderie behind 15 years and $750,000 at the 15th Annual Greek Community Golf Outing hosted by Brooklyn AHEPA Chapter 41. Photo: Courtesy of AHEPA

“That is the heart of AHEPA,” Georgaklis noted. “Since 1922, our order has worked to promote the ancient Hellenic ideals of education, philanthropy, civic responsibility, family, and individual excellence through brotherhood, community service, and volunteerism. A day like June 19 is that mission made visible — Hellenism and generosity, side by side, in the middle of Brooklyn.”

“To our sponsors, our volunteers, our brothers, and every guest who joined us: thank you,” he said. “You made this the best one yet. To our fellow chapters across District 6 and the nation: come see us next June. Better still, if this is the kind of work that stirs something in you, find your local chapter — or one of our AHEPA family organizations, the Daughters of Penelope, Sons of Pericles, and Maids of Athena — and get involved. There is always room at the table, and always another tee time.”

View the full photo gallery online: ahepa41.org/past-events/2026-golf-outing.