The 16th St George Community Awards honoured several Greek Australians on Thursday 29 October. Oatley MP and Shadow Minister for Multiculturalism, the Hon. Mark Coure MP, hosted the annual event.
Mr Coure said the 16th St George Community Awards were about celebrating “outstanding residents, businesses and organisations”. In total, the event featured 84 awards across nine categories.
Individual Volunteer Achievement Awards
Glenn Anthony, Anastasia Theodoropoulos and Nia Gitsas received Individual Volunteer Achievement Awards.
Anastasia Theodoropoulos has served the Australian Hellenic community for many years. For the last seven, she has been President of the Pan-Macedonian Association of NSW. During her presidency, she also established the annual Vevi Commemorative Lecture at the Anzac Memorial in Hyde Park. The lecture commemorates the Second Generation Anzacs who fought at the Battle of Vevi on 11–12 April 1941. It was the first time Anzac soldiers fought Nazi troops on mainland Europe.
Earlier this year, Ms Theodoropoulos also joined the organising committee of the 12th International Summer University. The University of New South Wales hosted the conference, which featured more than 100 presentations. As a result, it became the largest Hellenic Studies conference ever held in Australia.
Service to the Pontian Association
Glenn Anthony is a long-serving volunteer with the Pontian Association of NSW “Pontoxeniteas”. Over the years, he has given hundreds of hours to the association. He has done volunteer construction work at its clubhouse and also set up for functions. In addition, he has run the barbecue at the clubhouse and at Bunnings Rockdale.
As well as his volunteering, Mr Anthony and his wife, Maria, have organised fundraisers for the mental health charity Black Dog Institute. In total, they have raised more than $50,000 for its work.
The awards recognised Nia Gitsas for her service as Vice-President and President of AHEPA Sydney and NSW Inc. over the past few years. Highlights of her terms include supporting the 2024 visit of the Hellenic Presidential Guard in the association’s 90th year. In addition, she supported the “Ode to Freedom” exhibition of works by artist Angela Kiki at NSW Parliament House earlier this year. The exhibition marked the bicentenary of the Exodus of Mesolonghi. Finally, she represented the association on the organising committee of the 12th International Summer University at UNSW last month.
Senior, Youth and Sporting Achievement
Terry Calacouras received a Senior Volunteer Achievement Award for his work with the Bayside Men’s Shed, where he makes wooden toys by hand and donates them to children in need overseas.
Evan Hatzigeorgiou received a Youth Achievement Award for his efforts, including the World’s Greatest Shave and debating. Likewise, Sofia Hatzigeorgiou received one for her work with the charity Cook for Good, as well as public speaking and school sport.
Sporting Achievement Awards went to Katerina Andis and Zara Carageorge of Connells Point Netball Club. Similarly, Georgie Latanis won one for her efforts with St George Little Athletics.
Multicultural Communities Award
In the Multicultural Communities Award category, the award went to the Kogarah School of Greek Dancing of the Orthodox Parish of the Resurrection of Our Lord, Kogarah. In particular, the award recognised its work in promoting Hellenic culture. Lead Instructor Kosta Papoulidis and Instructor Ioanna Diamadis accepted the award, alongside dancers Deanna and Jeremy.
Keynote Address
The keynote speaker was Andy Paschalidis of the Heartbeat of Football Foundation. He also told guests that defibrillators had enabled 64 Australians to return home alive after suffering heart attacks on sporting fields over the past decade.
By Dr Panayiotis Diamadis
