Annual Report 2014
2014 was another busy year for Greeks in Washington, the Greek-American Historical Museum of Washington State.
A New Look and Easy to Search
Web administrator Ted Maroutsos completed the re-design of the “museum without walls.” Museum visitors are now able to search the exhibits by last name, by cities and areas on maps of Washington State and Greece, by category and with key words. Visitors are also able to respond and comment more readily.
By the end of 2014, the Museum had captured over 150 stories of Greeks in Washington through video interviews. From these interviews 101 exhibits have been included in the museum and may be visited by the public 24/7/365 at www.greeksinwashington.org. The remaining exhibits are either ready for posting, awaiting approval by their narrators or in the editing process. Interviews will continue as long as there are Greeks in Washington willing to contribute their stories to the Museum.
National Exposure
Greeks in Washington was featured in an article by Steve Frangos, staff writer for The National Herald, a weekly publication reporting news and addressing the issues of paramount interest to the Greek-American community of the United States. Frangos’ column, entitled All History, may be the most complete compilation of stories about Greeks in America. Those articles have become valuable additions to the Museum archive.
Greeks Gather by Interests
The weekly gathering of Greek men at different Greek-owned restaurants in the Seattle area continued through the year.
About 20 Greek alumni attended the annual all-class luncheon of Seattle’s Lincoln High School held at the Nile Country Club north of Seattle. Until it closed in 1981, Lincoln High School in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood was attended by many Greeks and Greek-Americans who lived in the neighborhood as it held the largest concentration of Greeks in Seattle at the time.
The second gathering of Greeks on the Streets, a classic car club formed by the Juan de Fuca chapter of AHEPA (American Hellenic Progressive Educational Association), participated in the Greenwood Car Show, the largest car show in Washington State. Fifteen classic Greek-owned vehicles lined the street in front of Pete’s Egg Nest, a Greek-owned restaurant in Seattle’s Greenwood neighborhood.
The annual retreat of the Greek-American Golf Club took place in Lake Chelan, Washington. In existence for over 16 years, club members can be seen walking together at the Northgate Mall in Seattle or on the Edmonds waterfront every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and playing at various courses once a week.
Spreading the Word
The Museum hosted a fellowship hour after liturgy at Seattle’s Church of the Assumption and opened its archives for visitors. This rented site was selected for its central location and because it meets the requirements for archival climate control. This was the first opportunity for Museum supporters and visitors to see the new archival space which houses over 500 items.
President John Nicon and Joann Nicon were invited to the annual meeting of the Pioneer Association of Washington State to speak about the Museum. The event was well-received with many members sharing their stories of relationships with Greek friends, enjoying the PowerPoint presentation and viewing the Museum itself on a large screen.
Greeks in Washington hosted the monthly meeting of the Association of King County Historical Organizations (AKCHO) at the Church of the Assumption in Seattle. A brief presentation about the Museum was followed by a visit to the Museum archive and refreshments.
Contributing to the Community
Items from the Museum archive were included in an exhibit entitled EXPANDING THE GREEK LEGACY: An Historical Odyssey at the University of Washington Suzallo/Allen Library. The loaned items included pictorial panels from the Gus Rakus collection, historical photos, AHEPA publications and Greek War Relief memorabilia.
In December, stories about Greek holiday traditions of the vasilopita (St. Basil’s Bread) and the kalanda (Greek Christmas carols) were presented at Seattle’s MOHAI (Museum of History & Industry) History Café. This presentation was a prelude to “A Place at the Table: Over 100 years of Greek restaurants, culture and entrepreneurial spirit.” Museum staff and supporters have spent the past two years conducting video interviews with restaurateurs and collecting photos and memorabilia for this exhibit which will run from February 7 to May 31, 2015.
Greeks in Washington is thriving with the active support of generous volunteers and donors. Board meetings are held regularly and are open to all interested people. The Museum began the year 2014 with $6974.86 and ended the year with $5495.12. Income is primarily from donations and expenses consist primarily of supplies, archive space rental, recording equipment, dues and subscriptions to supporting and professional organizations.