Salute to Women

Salute to Women

The Salute to Women was founded by Past Grand President Honorable Betty Athanasakos and Past Grand President Joanna Panagopoulos Merakos. The idea was conceived in 1965 to promote the Daughters of Penelope as a major National and International Woman's Philanthropic Organization.

Since the Daughters of Penelope had proven to be a dynamic force in their local communities and was making a stir throughout the U.S., Canada, and Greece. Past Grand President Athanasakos recommended the Daughters of Penelope recognize an outstanding woman outside of the organization. Four years later, Grand President Merakos adopted the idea to honor a woman who represented and possessed the goals and ideals of the Daughters of Penelope and the "SALUTE" became a reality.

The first Salute to Women event was held at the Sheraton Park Hotel in Washington, DC. The Salute to Women is awarded biennially and is presented at a reception held during the AHEPA Family Supreme Convention.

Distinguished Honorees

1970  Senator Margaret Chase Smith
1972  Dr. Sarah E. Smith
1974  Brigadier General Elizabeth Hoisington
1974  Brigadier General Ann Mae Hays
1976  Former First Lady Betty Ford
1978  The Honorable Lindy Boggs, Louisiana Congresswoman
1980  Ambassador Shirley Temple Black
1982  The Honorable Olympia Snowe, Maine Congresswoman
1984  Betty White, Actress & TV Personality
1984  Matina Horner, President, Radcliff College
1986  Helen Boosalis, NE Mayor & Sandra Day O'Connor, Supreme Court Justice
1988  Helen Thomas, White House Correspondent
1990  Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Special Olympics Founder
1992  The Honorable Barbara Spryridon Pope
1994  Elaine K. Schocas
1986  Dr. Zoe Papadopoulos Couloumbis
1998  Kathryn Calogrides Coumanis, PhD
1998  Julia K. Terzis, MD, FRCS, PhD
2000  Thalia Assuras, CBS News Anchor
2002  Dr. Christine Warnke, Political Figure & Talk Show Host
2004  Maria Pappas
2006  The Honorable Dora Bakoyannis
2008  The Honorable Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis
2010  The Honorable Eleni Bakopanos, PC
2012  US Representatives Shelley Berkley & Dina Titus
2014  Cat Cora, World Renown Chef
2016  Shannon Miller, Olympic Gold Medalist
2018  Distributing Dignity
2022  Janet E. Petro, Deputy Center Director, Kennedy Space Center
2023  Yanna Darilis, Media Producer, Executive Producer, Writer, Director