EASTCHESTER, NY – The 10th Annual Loukoumi Foundation Make A Difference Awards took place on June 6 at the Lake Isle Country Club in Eastchester, NY, and honored Dr. George Yancopoulos, Regeneron Board Co-Chair, President and Chief Scientific Officer, with the Foundation’s Inspiration Award. Twelve Loukoumi Make A Difference Awards were also presented to those who are truly making a difference around the world including: St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at the World Trade Center which was honored with the Beacon of Light Award with Rev. Samuel Davis of St. Simon of Cyrene Orthodox Mission, St. Nicholas WTC Parish Council President Demetri Papacostas and members including Anthoula Katsimatides among those accepting the award; Genevieve Piturro and Pajama Program, Academia de la Inmaculada Concepción School in Mayaguez Puerto Rico; Lil PALS Preschool and Daycare in Indore, India; St Joseph’s Boys’ School from Derry, Northern Ireland, who attended the event in person to accept their award; IS 77 and the Greater Ridgewood Youth Council; Fordham Preparatory School’s Christian Service Immersion; Dr. Annette Keane, who received the inaugural Constantine Katsoris Educator of the Year Award; Darren Ke, Cardinal Spellman High School; The Anne Hutchinson School Dancers; St. Ignatius School, Bronx NY; and The Chapel School’s Aven Spiciarich, Joseph Miller, Christopher Taylor, and Liam Uhrlass. “What started as a simple lesson in a children’s book has now become a global movement that unites over 150,000 children in 30 countries to do good deeds for causes they are passionate about,” said Loukoumi Foundation Founder, President and Executive Director Nick Katsoris. “Since we were here last year, the Loukoumi Foundation has skyrocketed to new heights, in new lands, with children who have made new friendships and changed the lives of others through their global good deed projects, and these children have changed their own lives as well.” Katsoris introduced honoree Dr. George Yancopoulos, noting that the Board Co-Chair, Co-Founder, President and Chief Scientific Officer, “has built and managed Regeneron alongside Dr. Leonard Schleifer since 1989. Dr. Yancopoulos, along with key members of his team, is the principal inventor of Regeneron’s 12 FDA-approved and authorized medicines and important foundational technologies.” “He has been named an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and has been pivotal in creating the science-driven, collaborative and highly productive R&D culture at Regeneron,” Katsoris continued. “In addition to his countless professional achievements, Dr. Yancopoulos also has created a culture of philanthropy at Regeneron, which each year celebrates its Day of Doing Good, a company-wide global day of service. I had the honor of first meeting Dr. Yancopoulos last year when, he helped make one of our Loukoumi Kids’ dream days come true.” Following the presentation of the Inspiration Award to Dr. Yancopoulos, Katsoris presented a new award: “Our next award is very special to me because it is a new award named after my Dad, Constantine Katsoris. Dad or Gus as he is affectionately called is with us here tonight along with my mother [Ann]. Dad is 91 years old, and in the last year he retired from Fordham Law School after being a professor at the school for 60 years, the longest tenure in the history of the school! He has taught and made a difference in the lives of tens of thousands of students and tonight we will be presenting our first annual Constantine Katsoris Educator of the Year Award.” “This year’s Educator of the Year Award is presented to someone that I consider a great friend, Dr. Annette Keane,” he said. “Annette and I have worked together on Loukoumi programming for eight years now and it was Annette who wholeheartedly believed in Loukoumi’s mission making the Anne Hutchinson School the very first school to adopt the Loukoumi Good Deed of the Month Curriculum, which is now used in schools around the world. To present the award to Dr. Keane, we have three of her current and past students with us, Maggie Hynes, Lorenzo Caruso and Tessa Nordone.” Katsoris also thanked everyone for attending and for their support. “Special thanks to actress Elena Kampouris (My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 and 3, Dangerous Liaisons, Children of the Corn) for narrating our video and announcing this year’s Loukoumi Dream Day Winners, who want to be a therapist (Nizhoni Almeida), a marine biologist (Tessa Nordone) and an author (Nylah Almonte),” Katsoris said. “Thank you to Nature’s Cradle Nursery & Landscape Design and Rachel Meadows for leading the students in planting and painting the beautiful centerpieces.” The latest Loukoumi Foundation video, titled ‘Making A Difference with Loukoumi Around the World,’ is available on YouTube: https://shorturl.at/glpzj.
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