BIDDEFORD — A local organization with a strong educational component as part of its mission closed its doors after more than 70 years.

After selling its Saco clubhouse, the Biddeford-Saco chapter of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association, known as the Order of AHEPA, used the proceeds to set up scholarships at Biddeford High School, Thornton Academy and Old Orchard Beach High School.

In 1922, Greek immigrants formed the AHEPA, which is a national organization with chapters around the country. The local chapter was organized in the 1930s.

Although Greek immigrants founded the organization, its membership is not limited by ethnicity or heritage, and AHEPA counts American presidents among its many members. The founding of the organization dates back to a dark part of America’s past. According to a history of the group by James Scofield, a past supreme president of the AHEPA, the organization was formed in response to the revival of Ku Klux Klan.

According to Scofield, the KKK, which had gained political power in some parts of the country and numbered an estimated 3 million members, was terrorizing minorities and immigrants across the country. Greek Americans were among their targets of violence and intimidation.

The response of the Greek immigrants was to form their own national organization. Goals of the group were to create better relations with non-Greeks through assimilation, cooperation and non-violence.

American citizenship, proficiency in English, active participation in the civic mainstream, economic stability, social unity and, most importantly, the pursuit of education were among the goals of the group and its members, wrote Scofield.

Locally, the once-active AHEPA chapter had formerly been a must-join group for most Greek-American men and others in the area. But in recent years, it’s had a dwindling and aging membership.

The group has been inactive for a number of years, and it was in the position of potentially losing the building it owned for unpaid taxes.

Instead, President John Poli and Treasurer Charlie Cotsis negotiated for the sale of the AHEPA property on Pleasant Street to the Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution.

The building was demolished and the bank is using the property to expand its parking lot.

As a result of the sale, the AHEPA had $69,000 to spend and decided the most fitting use, said Cotsis, was to create scholarships at local schools.

Last week, Cotsis and Poli presented checks of $22,000 to Biddeford High School, Thornton Academy in Saco and Old Orchard Beach High School. In addition, they gave artifacts from the group and approximately $3,300 to the Saco Museum.

“This was a very generous gift of $22,000 from the Order of AHEPA to benefit seniors graduating from Thornton Academy who plan to enter a four-year college or university,” said TA Chief Financial Officer Paul Kelly. “We are honored that the Order thought of our students when they extended this kindness, and we look forward to awarding the scholarship.”

“They wanted to give money to the community they serve to have something extend beyond them,” said BHS Principal Jeremie Sirois about the AHEPA members.

“I’m excited we got a sum of money that will last for a very long time,” he said.

Scholarships are very important to students to help them defray the cost of their education, said Sirois.

“It’s commonly known the cost of education is increasingly high, and this is becoming a national crisis,” said OOB Principal John Suttie.

All scholarships help graduating students, he said.

“Old Orchard Beach High School is incredibly grateful for this generous donation,” said Suttie.

— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.