Greeks celebrate independence in Warren

WARREN - For Bill Axiotis, attending a parade commemorating the independence of Greece is greater than simply being a yearly priority: It’s a family tradition.

“We’re proud to be Greek Americans,” said Axiotis, of Howland. “We love this country as much as we love Greece.”

Axiotis came to the eighth annual Greek Independence Day Parade and Celebration on Sunday with his three daughters, Eleni, 7, Kayla, 14, and Arianne, 15, all of whom marched in the parade.

Axiotis said he’s tried to raise his daughters to learn and appreciate their language and heritage. The girls have been to Greece on four occasions to visit family, he added.

A brisk wind and sunny skies greeted the few hundred adults and children who took part in the parade, set up to honor the country’s independence from the Ottoman Empire after nearly 400 years of oppression under Turkish rule. Many Greeks recognize March 22, 1829, as the start of the modern Greek state.

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.