A Warrior for His Community and the World

This month’s Antonios Kounalakis Award winner is Savvas Fotiadis, whose nominator shared with us that Savvas emigrated from Greece to the United States to achieve “The American Dream.” He received a degree in mathematics and went on to teach at Northeastern University. Savvas has also made a number of trips to Africa to support communities there in setting up schools, building homes, and establishing medical facilities. His nominator declares him “a strong believer in the power of community,” one who has contributed immeasurable time, energy, and money to both local and international efforts to assist people facing challenging circumstances. “In addition,” Savvas’s nominator shares, “despite owning a very large and thriving restaurant and banquet facility, he takes the time to shuttle children and their families from Boston to Springfield, Massachusetts — each of which are an hour away from his home and business — for treatment at the Shriners' Hospital for Children. Besides offering transportation to and from the hospital, he translates and advocates for these families, who often do not speak English.” But that’s not all. Savvas is also the founder and leader of his parish's expanding “feeding ministry,” which twice monthly offers a hot meal to anyone seeking it. And as if that weren’t enough, he is also an active member and former president of his local Rotary Club, partnering with his fellow members to serve thousands of people each year. Savvas, we are grateful for you and we humbly THANK YOU for the multitude of actions you take day in and day out to serve others.