Over 700 attendees gathered on May 11 to celebrate the selfless contributions of 73 awardees representing 37 parishes as the Metropolis. Archon Peter Clyde Papadakos served as emcee for the evening, and the dinner hour featured comments by Fr. Joseph DiStefano of St. Nicholas GOC of Youngstown regarding the Metropolis Benefactors program and its impact on the ministries.

His Eminence Metropolitan Savas spoke of the beautiful layering of the awarding of selfless and dedicated volunteers on the weekend when we remember the most dutiful Myrrh-Bearing Women and Sts. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. The honorees were then brought forward by region and parish to receive their commemorative pin and certificate from His Eminence. After describing in summary the accomplishments of the 71 parish awardees, more extensive service commendations were read for the Metropolis honorees, Mrs. Dorothea Zikos and Mrs. Rosemary Nikas.

Many thanks go to the indefatigable committee made up of over 15 individuals working primarily under the direction of co-chair Ms. Mary Doreza of Ypapanti GOC in East Pittsburgh.