As of Jan. 9, the Kalanda Singers had collected $9,345 in direct electronic donations and $1,450 in checks to be cashed. It is the first time the group broke the $10,000 mark, with many of the overseas donations still pending, Dr. Vassilis Zannis, Kalanda’s long-time organizer said.
Several families had recorded their renditions of kalanda, while others sang “live” during the Zoom call. Facebook carried the call via its Facebook Event portal. The whole event was recorded and is on Youtube here:
Boston Metropolitan Methodios, Consul General Stratos Efthymiou and Greek Foreign Ministry Secretary General John Chrysoulakis were the first to welcome the carolers. Then Founding Fathers Drs. Nicolaos Madias and Vassilis Zannis reminisced about the start of the tradition, while members of the first children’s group Markella Zanni, Christopher Madias, Alki Lappas and John Zannis offered their perspectives on the early days.
Hellenic Cardiac Fund Founder Bess Pappas thanked the group for its 40 years of raising funds and described how she and her late husband, Chris, came to start the project. Chris died last year.
The Zoom project was organized by Meletios Pouliopoulos, head of Greek Cultural Resources.
The call and fundraising were covered by both The Boston Globe
and Ethnikos Kirix (see part of the coverage in the photos below).
Χρόνια Πολλά και Καλή Χρονιά σ' όλους
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