Dina Skouras Oldknow

We proudly honor the Seventh National Philoptochos President, Mrs. Dina Skouras Oldknow. The following reflects on her tenure as National President from 1990 through 1994.

Mrs. Oldknow was appointed to the National Board of Philoptochos in 1977, though she was philanthropically and civically involved in Los Angeles from the age of twenty-two.

While attending the National Convention held in Washington, D.C. in 1990, Archbishop Iakovos whispered to her “I’d like to talk to you about something”. She was nervous and thought she had done something wrong. It was there that he asked her to serve as the Philoptochos National President. The Archbishop told her with a smile on his face “I asked your husband first”. She was moved and extremely humbled to accept the office of National President.

Mrs. Oldknow traveled to New York approximately every ten days during her two consecutive terms as National President and visted every Diocese, as well as Canada and South America, in the jurisdiction at the time.

The Children’s Medical Fund was established under Mrs. Oldknow’s first term as president. During her second term, IOCC was introduced to the National Philoptochos.

In 2007 Mrs. Oldknow was asked by her parish priest, Father John Bakas to take the helm once again as Chapter Philoptochos President of St. Sophia Cathedral in Los Angeles, where she served from 2007 – 2011.

Mrs. Oldknow passed away on October 28, 2014. May her memory be eternal.