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