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The Best Cultural Community Unit of 2018 St. Patrick’s Day Parade Is…

The annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade Award Dinner Dance was held last Saturday, April 7, 2018. HCGM’s École Socrates-Démosthène was invited to receive the award for the best Cultural Community Unit of this year’s parade.

Our leading parade specialists, Alex Fragakis and Odysseas Falagaras, the School’s drummers, received the award from Paul Loftus, President of the United Irish Societies of Montreal. The UIS is organising St. Patrick’s Day parades in Montreal since its founding in 1928.

Odysseas and Alex spent a very good evening eating, drinking and talking: “The Irish are known to be extremely welcoming hosts.”

Congratulations to everyone who participated in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. This trophy is yours too!

Alex Fragakis and Odysseas Falagaras in their own words:

It finally happened.
 
After leading the Soc Dem Drum Corps for four years, we were finally awarded a parade prize for our delegation by the United Irish Societies of Montreal for the best Cultural Community Unit in the 2018 St-Patrick’s Day parade. 
 
The delegation we brought to the parade was made up of 50 drummers, 15 flag bearers as well as other students, previous graduates, parents and Soc Dem administrators. 
 
On Saturday April 7th, we were invited to attend the parade award ceremony and banquet. The Irish were ecstatic to see two young men represent the Montreal Greek community and to receive the award. This is the first time the Greek Community wins an award in the St-Patrick’s day parade since 1995!
 
After the award ceremony we attended the cocktail and gala where we were able to mingle with many different Irish Societies. They really did welcome us with open arms as many of their leader’s came directly to us to ask us about our community. 
 
The parade director herself went out of her way to tell us she was amazed at the amount of people we brought to the parade and how well the drummers were playing for elementary school children. She also told us that she expects to see us again next year at the parade and the banquet!
 
Time to get back to practice!
 
 
Alex Fragakis & Odysseas Falagaras
Drumming Instructors/Parade Coordinators