- Saint Basil
Academy is the Greek Orthodox
- Archdiocese
home for children in need. Purchased
- in 1944 by
the National Philoptochos Ladies
- Society, the
former Jacob Ruppert estate is
- nestled
among a lush green forest along
- the Eastern
Bank of the Hudson River
- directly
opposite the United States West
- Point
Military Academy, and with in an
- hour’s
drive from New York City.
- Serving as a
philanthropic center
- of the
Church, the purpose of the
- Academy is
to provide a loving Christian
- environment,
where resident children are
- nurtured
into adulthood.
- Although
children are brought to the Academy for
- various
reasons, the common thread of all the resident
- children is
the inability of a parent or guardian
- to
sufficiently care for them. Operating 24 hours a
- day, seven
days a week, the Academy serves
- Orthodox
children from all areas of the country
- including
Arizona, Illinois, Massachusetts,
- Connecticut,
New York, and New Jersey. The
- children are
referred to the Academy through
- parish
priests and Philoptochos, and most recently
- through
referrals from departments of social
- services in
Massachusetts and New York.
- Focusing on
the total child, each child’s spiritual,
- emotional
and material needs are addressed and
- provided for
in chapel, recreational, and family
- type
settings. Academically the children are
- strongly
encouraged to meet their goals while
- receiving
their formal education from area school
- systems. The
children are fully integrated within
- their
schools.
- When not in
school, the children are the responsibility
- of the
Residential Life Counselors. The
- Residential
program, which is administered by the
- Residential
Life staff, promotes individual growth
- and
development. Within the dormitory type
- setting, the
Residential Life staff is responsible for
- maintaining
discipline, teaching personal hygiene,
- and teaching
responsibility through the assignment
- SAINT BASIL
ACADEMY
- of specific
chores. Recreationally, activities such
- as
volleyball, baseball, soccer, softball, arts
- and crafts
and cooking are promoted. Overall,
- the children
have a variety of programs to
- choose from
in order for them to find and
- develop
their own creative outlets.
- The
spiritual aspect of the program
- beautifully
enhances all that the
- children
learn at school and at the
- Academy.
After the daily afternoon
- chapel
service there is a catechetical
- sermonette
where the children learn
- about their
faith. Sunday mornings the
- children
sing the entire Divine Liturgy and are able
- to share the
joy as one family. The importance
- of the Ortho
dox faith is always accented. That,
- coupled with
the diverse activities and outside
- schooling,
is what allows the children to grow up
- to be
healthy, whole some, and well-rounded
- Christian
individuals.
- The Academy
is able to provide this safe family
- environment
and home thanks to the generosity
- and prayers
of many of its stewards. Educating,
- housing, and
clothing a single child is quite costly,
- and the
costs are always increasing. Caring for
- the
children, the first and foremost priority, in
- addition to
maintaining over 260 acres and 25
- buildings,
is a task of tremendous proportion.
- However,
over the years, the generosity of the
- Ladies
Philoptochos, AHEPA, Daughters of
- Penelope,
various church communities, individuals,
- volunteers
and others who have given of
- their time,
talents, finances and love, is what
- sustains the
children’s mission.
- Throughout
the course of the past year, hundreds
- of
individuals and many groups have visited.
- Retreats and
conferences are often held at the
- Academy,
including GOYA retreats, Philoptochos
- retreats,
and visits from the Young Adult League,
- AHEPA and
Daughters of Penelope. Saint Basil
- Academy
always has been and will continue to be
- a safe haven
for Orthodox children in need.
- However, in
an effort to accommodate the many
- visitors,
and expanding on the current mission, there
- are
plans for a new Retreat and Conference Center,
- which
will be a spiritual haven for all Orthodox Christians,
- young
and old. The future is exciting and the
- potential
for ministry is tre mendous...all
- this for
the Glory of God and His children.
- If you
would like information about volunteering or if
- you are
considering Saint Basil Academy for your
- estate
plans, please contact the Executive Director.
- SAINT
BASIL ACADEMY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
- Chairman
- His Eminence
Archbishop Demetrios
- of America
- Executive
Director
- Rev.
Constantine L. Sitaras
- President
- Evellyn
Tsiadis
- Vice
President
- V. Rev.
Arch. Constantine Moralis
- Treasurer
- James
Youlios
- Secretary
- Christine
Karavites
- MEMBERS
- Elaine
Cladis
- Eve Condakes
- Dr. Steven
Gounardes
- Ike Gulas
- Supreme
President, AHEPA
- Peter
Kakoyiannis
- Georgia
Kaloidis
- Aspasia
Melis
- Vivienne
Papadatos
- Peter
Papanicolaou
- John Poniros
- Rev.
Demetrios Recachinas
- Evangeline
Mekras Scurtis
- Georgia
Skeadas
- Karen
Stamatiades,
- Grand
President,
- Daughters of
Penelope
- Joanne
Stavrakas
- Constantine
Theokas
- Kalliope
Tsitsipas
- Georgia
Vlitas
- Lea
Zervoulias
