Evening star., 1957-12-06
by FRANCES LIDE

Mrs. Stella Kopulos knows
now how Santa Claus feels.
AS an envoy Of the Gen.
eral Federation Of Women's
Clubs. she was a veritable
Mrs. Santa" during a recent
visit to her native Greece.
Her mission--purely on q
voluntary hasis--was to dis
tribute assorted gifts, includ-
ing 1000 scrapbooks. from
$50 federated clubs in Ohio
and Kentucky.
The scrapbooks--the first
ever sent to Greece by the
GFWC--covered a variety Of
topics but all were designed
to depict some phase of the
American way Of life.
The response far exceeded
all expectations of the donors.
When she saw how much
interest they created In young
and old. Mrs. Kopulos hastily
revised her plans so they
could be distributed more
widely.
The recipients OF the scrap
books ranged from colleges to
nurseries.
The youngsters ct q pre-
school in Tripolis. capital Of
Arcadia. clapped their hands
In delight when they received
scrapbooks filled with nursery
rhymes and Walt Disney
cartoons. Mrs. Kopulos re-
called in a report she has
prepared for the $50 clubs
which participated In the
project.
The children in an ele-
mentary school there prom
iSed TO show their apprecia-
ton by sending me q
scrapbook on Greece, which
will be q gift to the General
Federation of Won ems
Clubs" she said.
Some Of the books were
designated for Greek villages
and Mrs, Kopulos was amazed
at the interest that adults
showed in their contents.
They were fascinated and
asked many questions" she
declared.
The head OF Q working
girls center in Athens. simi-
lar to our YWCAs. had still
another reaction when she
saw the scrapbooks. A
GFWc ofiicial. she had
visited this country as q
guest OF the State Depart
ment.
Now I can show the girls
things that I have been tell
ing them about America"
she exclaimed.
The director OF st. Alex
andra's Orphanage In Athens.
who had been kidnapped by
guerrillas when she was
II and kept in q concentra-
ton camp in Poland for
eight years. stayed up until
the wee hours looking over
the books. Mrs. Kopulos
said.
The young woman. who
only recently had been re-
leased kept exclaiming about
the beautiful homes and
kitchens she saw pictured.
The orphanage. which
presently is caring for IS
girls between 5 and Is. also
received enough sewing ma
terials to last a year. so pairs
of stockings. school supplies
and enough candy for each
child to have some.
The director seemed en-
thralled. Mrs. Kopulos said.
that American women would
go to so much trouble and
expense for those Of another
country.
Touched by the young
woman's personal stoyy. Mrs.
Kopulos decided to give her
q present. too. and made up
a package containing stock
ings. perfume. costume Jew
elry. lingerie and various
cosmetic items including lip
stick and creams for her
chapped hands.
When she presented the
gift In the privacy Of the d.
rector's room. tears came
into the girls eyes. Never
in my life" she told Mrs.
Kopulos. have I had so much
for myself"
After her visit to this
orphanage. Mrs. Kopulos
called 1t to the attention Of
CARE which is now helping
out with food supplies. In
addition the United States
Information Service is fur
nishing American films TO be
shown 10 the children.
Just the other day the di-
rector wrote Of her apprecia-
tion. ITO think you came so