Celebrating the Spirit of Philanthropy
The Anthousa Award committee joyfully announces and
congratulates the Anthousa Award recipients of 2011!!!
Father Joe Carroll began his charitable service to San Diego when as a parish priest he was appointed to head St. Vincent de Paul in downtown San Diego in 1982. At the time, St. Vincent’s was a small operation with a daily lunch line and thrift store. But Father Joe had a larger vision in mind: an organization that provided all the services a person would need to transition from life on the streets to stable housing and independence.
In 1987, Father Joe realized his vision with the opening of the Joan Kroc Center, a transitional housing program that also included a health clinic, job training, day program, dining hall, childcare, and school – all under one roof. The innovative approach pioneered by Father Joe would eventually be replicated across the country as the Continuum of Care model of homeless service delivery.
Today, St. Vincent de Paul Village is one of four non-profit partner agencies known as Father Joe’s Villages with 77 percent of its funding coming from private donors. The other Villages include Martha’s Village & Kitchen serving Riverside County and Toussaint Youth Villages serving homeless youth in San Diego. Collectively, Father Joe’s Villages is the largest provider of homeless services in Southern California, serving over 20,000 individuals and families each year, 30 percent of whom are military. The roots of St. Vincent de Paul Village date back to 1950, when volunteers handed out peanut butter sandwiches to the poor. Since then, its footprint and impact have expanded to include providing almost 900 shelter beds nightly, 1.7 million meals annually, 35,000 annual medical, dental and psychiatric visits to the on-site clinic, and providing 500 jobs to San Diegans as staff. Despite his stature in the community, Father Joe’s annual compensation is less than that of a first year teacher.
Active in the Boy Scout since his youth, Father Joe has served as chaplain and holds the honored rank of Life Scout. An avid baseball fan and Padre supporter, Father is also a great cook, blessed with a playful sense of humor, and shares his collection of 700 nativity scenes with the community every Christmas.
In April of 2011, after nearly 30 years as President and CEO, and on the occasion of his 70th birthday, Father Joe Carroll transitioned to the title of President Emeritus. In his new role, Father Joe has stepped back from administrative duties to focus all his energies where he is most needed: fundraising for the Villages.
Patty, a native San Diegan and youngest child of Frank and Emily Demetre, has always “gotten involved with things.” Her parents, active supporters of St. Spyridon’s Greek Community from its inception, shared their enthusiasm for volunteering with Patty. She remembers her mom regularly baking Prosforon, teaching Sunday school and participating in the Daughters of Penelope and AHEPA. The day Patty was born, she was named Miss AHEPA during an event. It’s the only beauty pageant she would ever win.
As a teenager, Patty volunteered over 600 hours as a Candy Striper at Sharp Hospital, served as a GOYA officer, sang in the choir, and taught Sunday school. She was the first woman Parish Council member and one of four council members to chair the annual bazaar. Fellow council member George Garris introduced Patty to her future husband, Bill Moises, his brother-in-law, and the architect remodeling the church and building the education center.
Their move to north SD County brought them to Saints Constantine and Helen. They sang in the choir and helped the community grow. With the help of her husband and the rest of her family, she put on an annual spaghetti dinner supporting the Sunday School, which evolved into the annual Palm Sunday dinner that they sponsored for many years. She served as a Sunday school teacher and St. Helen Philoptochos Elpis Chair and continues to assist with luncheons and the making of festival pastries and pastistio.
During her more than 35 years as an elementary school teacher in the Chula Vista School District, she held annual spaghetti dinners and created the “Gotcha Program,” which encouraged positive behavior and good academics.
After retiring from teaching, she joined the Meals-on-Wheels organization, serving on the North County advisory board and with the Greater San Diego MOW while delivering meals to seniors. She twice chaired the annual gala, and, with her husband, was instrumental in securing the new fleet of vans for the nonprofit organization. She and Bill continue to serve meals today. She joined Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary, working as recording secretary, the Women of Dedication Secretary and SAWA’s VP. As she learned more about the good this organization does throughout the world, her involvement increased. She is now serving as SAWA’s President, participating in as many of The Salvation Army’s programs as time permits.
Patty and Bill are firm believers in “giving back.” The Salvation Army, San Diego Foundation, Rady Children’s Hospital, SD Hospice and several other organizations enjoy their support. Along with membership in the SD Women’s Foundation, Patty actively volunteers at the Polinsky Center for Children, and The Doris A. Howell Foundation and The Gold Diggers get her attention whenever possible. One of Patty’s guiding beliefs is that one simple act of kindness can change a person’s day for the better.
At ninety-six years young, Laura Pantazoplus has continued to answer the call of service to others throughout her lifetime. You’ll see her smile, and receive her warm welcome as she serves, these days, as a greeter at Saint Gregory of Nyssa Church, in El Cajon. Born in Sioux Falls, North Dakota to a mother from Holland, she lived part of her young life in Hollywood, working at Van de Kamp Bakery, where artists asked to paint her portrait in the charming Dutch Girl costume the shop girls wore. She has made San Diego her home since arriving in 1947, serving her country as a Storekeeper First Class in the WAVES before women were an official part of the United States Navy. It was then, during her tour of duty, that she met and married her husband, Pete, and settled in Lemon Grove, where she embraced a life of faith and community.
Starting from her young married days at St. Spyridon, she was a tireless supporter of her church, active in the Greek Festival, and serving the Philoptochos Society on the board and many committees, where she worked to raise funds to assist those in need of medical, physical, or spiritual care across the San Diego community. She served on the Sunday school board of the Parent Teacher Organization. Embracing the phrase “It’s all Greek to me!” she also nurtured cultural life as a member of the Daughters of Penelope, where she held leadership roles on the board.
Laura entered fully into the community life of Lemon Grove, active in the Woman’s Club, where she served as President, as well as in the Historical Society and Little League Baseball. Continuing to show her great love of country, she worked many elections at her polling place. Laura drove for Meals on Wheels for eleven years, where one day she was able to save the life of a man she discovered injured in his home on her route.
A great mom and supporter of public education, she served as PTA president at her sons’ school, and was recognized as an honorary lifetime member of the California PTA. Laura’s cheerful attitude and can-do spirit remain a great example to anyone striving to use their talents to the glory of God and the betterment of our world. She continues to inspire her friends and family, especially her sons, Nick and Ted, and her two grandchildren and great grandson.
“There but for the grace of God, go I,” is a profound perspective that Connie Ralph has used to guide her actions and contributions toward her native San Diego. From singing God’s praises in her church Choir or performing with the Robert Shaw and Roger Wagner Chorales, to volunteering with Little League Baseball or The Old Globe Theatre, she exemplifies a woman of faith and dedication. It is through such love for her Orthodox Christian faith that led her to teach Sunday school, work in the Greek Festival, and currently instruct Oratorical Festival Participants with communication skills. Following in the footsteps of Saints Cosmas and Damianos, she has served as Chapter President of the San Diego Loma Linda Medical/Dental Auxiliary, Trustee on the Paradise Valley Hospital Foundation Board, President of the San Diego County Medical Society Alliance, Regional Director for California Medical Association Alliance, and as member of the UCSD Medical Auxiliary. Her projects have included the starting of a metal bank abroad to assist doctors entering third world countries with biomedical supplies, initiating the opening of a women’s half way house helping women re-enter society after treatment, and promoting legislation for effective health care. Ms. Ralph has also worked protecting the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through Arc of San Diego.
The Mastorakos women have been models of philanthropy, as both mother and daughter have served as Philoptochos Chapter Presidents, and on the Board of the San Franciscio Metropolis Philoptochos where Connie co-chairs the Women’s Health and Wellness Program. In fact, “Making San Diego a better place to live,” is the motto which was coined by Connie when she co-founded and co-chaired En Vogue.
We often hear that “Beauty is only skin deep.” However in the case of Connie
Mastorakos Ralph, she exhibits beauty on the inside and out as shown with winning the titles of Princess of Mother Goose Parade and Miss La Mesa. She has also promoted the beauty and culture of her Greek heritage through her active membership in the Hellenic Cultural Society and the Pan Arcadians. Always an encourager, Connie helps others find the best in themselves. She will drop whatever she is doing to listen to a friend. Through God given gifts, Connie is truly an inspiration and model to her son, Paul, daughter, Kristin, six grandchildren and extended family.
WELCOME ~ PRESS RELEASE ~ RESERVATIONS ~ MEDIA ~ COMMITTEE ~ AWARD ~ PREVIOUS RECIPIENTS ~ GIFTING ~ CONTACT ~ KIDS KAMP ~ DRAWING
Father Joe Carroll
Patty Moises
Connie Ralph
Laura Pantazoplus
