A Message from the President – August 2017

Dear friends,

I am writing this message while vacationing in Greece. Regardless of the present difficult economic situation, it remains a blessed and breathtaking land, with remarkable beauty and unique ambiance which make it one of the most popular travel destinations in the world. This year, our country has been drawn by tourists, offering them our well known Greek hospitality while boosting the Hellenic economy.
The end of the summer holidays is approaching and the students will soon find themselves sitting at their desks in their new classrooms. The HCGM staff worked tirelessly all summer long, so that the “Socrates-Démosthène” School will be well prepared to welcome new and returning students. Furthermore, with the some changes made to the curriculum of our Saturday schools, the quality of education will be significantly improved.
We are greatly pleased to announce that our Socrates-Démosthène School has made history once again. Not only did we receive the Ministry of Education permit for the 2nd cycle of high school, which brings us up to Secondary V, but we also received the 3 year permit renewal for all our educational services. This has not happened in the last 20 years. This decision reflects the trust shown by the Ministry in the HCGM and our School, and for which we are honoured. Furthermore, we continue our effort to secure funding for our high school services. I want to thank all those who have helped in this all important process and in particular Chris Adamopoulos, the School’s General Director and his team.

More than a hundred children of our community participated in our summer camp where memories were made and lifelong friendships forged. Congratulations to our Sports Director, Steve Frangoulis, and his team for designing this summer camp for everyone, with the emphasis on fun and safety.
The reconstruction of Koimisis Tis Theotokou Church is coming to completion. Even though it was an enormous and expensive project, it brings us closer to the inauguration of our beloved church, with a small delay.
St. George’s Greek Orthodox Cathedral restoration project has already begun. Phase 1 of the restoration project is to be completed by the end of the summer and includes the reconstruction of the pedestrian bridge, new retaining walls, and drainage to protect the foundations of our cathedral. I wish to extend my gratitude to St. George’s new fundraising committee and encourage every one of you to contribute to this great project.

The HCGM always stands by all the members of the Greek community, in all stages of their lives; with our schools, churches, cultural and sports activities, and specialised programmes for the elderly. Many of these programmes for our senior citizens have been enriched to cover their current needs. Eleni Fakotakis, HSSQ Director, presents the necessity of these courses in helping seniors keep up with the modern world.
In closing, I regret to announce the cancellation of this year’s Evangelismos Panigiri “La flamme hellénique” due to the new security regulations, as required by the police. Unfortunately, these were circumstances beyond our control but we intend to make next year’s Panigiri even more spectacular.

sincerely,

Nicholas T. Pagonis

President