ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣThe exhibition, mounted by the Ithacan Historical Society, was launched at the Society’s Clubrooms on Sunday 19 May 2019. Throwing Light on Homeric Ithaca is a product of fif-teen years of research by the late Dimitri I. Paizis-Danias, a passionate amateur Homerist. He was a founding member of the 'Ithacan Friends of Homer Association' and author of numerous publications on Ithaca’s cultural heritage and Homeric history. His hope was that the exhibition would serve to strengthen the irrefutable right of Ithacesians to call them-selves Ithacesians, in the way that Homer marked their race approximately 3200 years ago.

The exhibition was first launched in Stavro, Ithaca in July 2013 and was a labour of love by Dimitri who was supported in his work by a group of volunteers. Lila Kouvara-Alimantiri, a speaker at the inaugural launch says of the exhibition:

This is an exhibition attempting to throw light on Homeric Ithaca for residents and visitors to the island. The need for such a project was very simple but at the same time very important. There just wasn’t any one source of information at hand, either in Ithaca or elsewhere, on the subject of fact and myth about Ithaca. Short of delv-ing into a literally huge amount of dispersed information in libraries, articles, old manuscripts, thesis and papers, there was no way one could obtain a comprehensive pic-ture of Ithaca’s place in history and mythology from one source, and on the island.

It was hoped that Dimitri would come to Melbourne to launch the exhibition, however that was not to be, following his pass-ing in 2015. The Society is fortunate to have received electronic copies of the exhibition posters which are now on display at the Clubrooms.

46th YEARNo: 227

Issue 2 - 2019

www.ithaca.org.au

Publication of theIthacan Philanthropic Society

LAUNCH OF THE"THROWING LIGHT ON HOMERIC ITHACA"

EXHIBITION

Over 80 members and friends gathered at the club rooms on Thursday 16 May for a Biggest Morning Tea event to raise funds in aid of the Australian Cancer Council. Guests viewed a video on the inspirational work being undertaken by Australian medical researchers supported through the funds raised by the Cancer Council. $2,715 was raised on the day and the Ithacan Philanthropic Society contributed $2500 to bring the total contribution to $5,210.

Guests also enjoyed some fun and frivolity. Once again, a highlight of the morning was the trivia competition gener-ating lots of laughs and testing our knowledge of all things Greek and Ithacan. Congratulations to the winning team, from left, front row– Marina Megalogenis, Helen Karame-tos, Nina Black, Niki Portelli, (back row) June Black, Freda

Razos, Jim Morris, Nick and Eva Georgiadis.The success of the day was due to the hard work and sup-port of a number of people. Thanks to the Events Team and to George Coutsouvelis and Paul Caravias for their work behind the scenes; to the sponsors of our raffle fundraiser: Debbie Argyropoulos of Fresh Connection Brighton, and Loula Coutsouvelis; Katerini Manolatos – ‘A Musical Odys-sey’, and Anna Vlass; and to all those who brought home-made sweets and savouries which were enjoyed along with a delicious Devonshire tea.

"ΦΩΣ ΣΤΗΝ ΟΜΗΡΙΚΗ ΙΘΑΚΗ"

ΕΚΘΕΣΗ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΥ ΠΑΙΖΗ - ΔΑΝΙΑΣΤΗΝ ΑΙΘΟΥΣΑ ΜΑΣ

Στις 19 Μαίου ο Σύνδεσμος, με οργάνωση και επιμέλεια του Ιστορικού Σύλλογου, εγκαινίασε έκθεση του αειμνήστου Δημήτρη Παίζη - Δανιά με τίτλο "Φως στην Ομηρική Ιθάκη". Ένα σπουδαίας σημασίας και ενδιαφέροντος έργο, που εκτίθεται στην Αιθουσά μας. Η έκθεση αυτή, έμπνευση και εργασία του καπετάν Δημήτρη που εκτίθεται μόνιμα στο Σταυρό, μας την έστειλε ηλεκτρονικά στον Συνδεσμό μας και για αυτό νοιώθουμε ευγνωμοσύνη. Είναι προνόμιο και τιμή που τα μέλη μας, φίλοι και συμπατριώτες θα μπορούν να θαυμάσουν αυτή την επιτυχημένη παρουσίαση.

Συνέχεια σελ. 5

VCE AWARDS PRESENTATIONThe annual VCE Awards Presentation was held at our Clubrooms on 16 April 2019 together with the Royal Children’s Hospital Fundraiser, with awards presented to nine young descendants of Ithaca who success-fully completed their secondary studies in 2018. (see profile on p. 3). Penny Vakalopoulos, past bursary recipient, was the guest speaker on the day. Her message to the VCE graduates was that it is okay to be uncertain about one's future career. The tertiary years are a time to explore options, to network, to fine tune existing career dreams and discover what you are passionate about.

Dr Spearos Raftopoulos, co-spon-sor of the Panoyiannis Rafto-poulos Awards ($1500 each) pre-sented these awards to the two top performing students based on ATAR. The recipients were Christine Georgopoulos and Christina Paizis. All other appli-cants received the Ithacan Phil-

anthropic Society Awards ($500 each) which were presented by the President Anthony Drakopoulos. We congratulate the group on achieving their VCE and wish them the very best in their future endeavours.

VCE AWARD Recipients: Pictured above, standing from left, Dr Spearos Raftopoulos, Evangeline Metaxas, Zoe Paxinos, Lana Raftopoulos, Christopher Koukouzikas, Georgina Bartlett, Penny Vakalopoulos, Anthony Drakopoulos, seated from left, Emily Kanellos, Chris-tina Paizis, and Christine Georgopoulos.

EXHIBITIONTHROWING LIGHT ON HOMERIC ITHACA

The exhibition is open for viewing atthe Clubrooms,

Ithaca House on the monthly

THURSDAY OPEN DAYSOpen Day dates are published on the website

www.ithaca.org.au

UPCOMING EVENTSJOURNEY TO NOSTOS

Sunday 28 July 2.00 pm at the ClubroomsJoin

Peter Andrews and Peter O’Conner in a stimulating conversation which tra-

verses the mythical landscape ofThe Odyssey.

RSVP Debbie ArgyropoulosMob: 0417 577 901 - Email: debbie.argy@gmail.com

The exceptional voice of mezzo-soprano Katerini Manolatos, accomplished guitarist Paul Chantrill and the mesmerising bouzouki of Costa Vasili, will take you on a nostalgic journey through Greek music composed by Theodorakis, Hadjidakis, Xarhakos and many more.Mια αξέχαστη βραδιά γεμάτη νοσταλγία. Mε μουσική των μεγάλων συνθετών Θεοδωράκη, Ξαρχάκου και Χατζιδάκι. Mε την εκλεκτή φωνή της Κατερίνης Mανωλάτου, τον θαυμαστό κιθαρίστα Paul Chantrill και το μαγευτικό μπουζούκι του Κώστα Βασίλη.Η Κατερίνη Μανωλάτος είναι Επτανησιακής καταγωγής, ο πατέρας της είναι Ιθακήσιος και η μητέρα της από τα Κύθηρα. Θα είναι καλό και αξίζει να υποστηρίξουμε την Κατερίνη με την υπέροχη φωνή.

On Saturday 29 June 2019 at 7:30 pmRenaissance Theatre, 826 High Street Kew East

For bookings go to: https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=470748&

SONGS FROM GREECE

The Ithacan Philanthropic Society gratefully acknowledges the supporters of the 2019 Ithacan Ball

OakleighJames Razos-Grand Hyatt Kristalenia Collins

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ, ISSUE 2 - 20192

Melbourne Social NewsCHRISTENING

WEDDING

BIRTHDAYS

GRADUATIONS

ENGAGEMENTS

On Sunday 10th of March, the Tsalikis family together with the Karabatsos family celebrated the engagement of Elena and Andrew. The much anticipated event was held at Bistrot d'Orsay on Collins where the couple's closest family members and loved ones shared in a barrage of fine French food and bubbling champagne. The couple along with forty of their closest friends, contin-ued the festivities at The George on Collins. We congratulate Elena and Andrew and wish them all the best as they prepare for their upcoming nuptials in 2020.

On 12th August 2018, George Adam, son of Adam and Eleni Tsioutsias was christened at Metamorphosis Tou Sotiros Church in Stavros, Ithaca. Celebrations continued at Rementzo in Frikes. Godparents were Nicho-las and Elizabeth Georgakopoulos. George is the grandson of George and Adriana Bouras and George and Alexandra Tsioutsias. The grandfathers were honoured that their grand-son was named after them. To the godparents, parents and grandparents Να σας Ζήσει.

On Saturday 18 May, Maria Kapotis celebrated her 50th birthday with family and friends at an intimate gather-ing on the 37th floor of Crown Towers. Maria is the daugh-ter of Diamando (Mandy) and the late Fotis Kapotis. Together with her husband, Lucky Vlassopoulos, Maria set off for a ten-day whirlwind trip to Greece, and of course Ithaki, where further birthday celebrations are sure to take place. Congratulations and Xρόνια Πολλά.

Tom Beasley and Laura Whittle exchanged their wedding vows in Shore-ham, in a picturesque setting amidst the trees and overlooking Little Noosa Bay on the Western Port Bay coastline. The inclement weather on the day did not dampen the spirits of what was a joyous yet emotional day. A reception followed at the Merricks General Store where guests enjoyed a night of fine dining and danc-ing. Tom is the son of Liz Beasley and the late Speros Beasley and the grandson of Sia and Reg Beasley. Laura is the daughter of Meg Whittle. Congratulations and best wishes for a wonderful future together.

On 9 December, 2018 the Razos and Tsalikis family hosted a surprise 80th birthday party for the matri-arch of their family, Freda Razos. We have obtained a high-er resolution photo of this wonderful day for publication in this issue.

Congratulations and best wishes to the grandchildren (pictured below) of Eula Col-lins and the late Jack Collins following their recent graduations.

Mark Collins graduated with a Diploma of Business from Swinburne University. Mark is the son of Peter Collins and the late Donna Collins.

Jackie Collins graduated from Deakin University with a Bachelor of Commu-nications (Digital Media). Jackie is the daughter of Peter Collins and the late Donna Collins.

Jordan Moorhead graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in English and Theatre Studies and Screen and Cultural Studies. Jordan is the son of Marlana Collins and Simon Moorhead.

FUNDRAISING DONATIONSGRATEFULLY RECEIVED

ROYAL CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

Maria AntypasOlivia BarlowAndrew BlackNina BlackDiana CailesJoy DoigDenise GeorgopoulosNiki KallinicosToula Kandiliotis & familyVicky, Jim & Christopher KapourelakosHelen KarametosKoula KavadeasGeorgia KoukouzikasLeah KoutsounisPeter & Mary LecatsasMaria Lourantos-EvangelouChristos LourantosChristine & Peter MaroudasRosa McCallMarina MegalogenisGenios & Mary Metaxas & familyNina & Kevin MillsSpiro MoraitisJohn & Therese Paizis & familyPeter PaxinosGerry & Dionysia PolitesNiki PortelliKay & Andrew RaftopoulosNina RaftopoulosSpearos RaftopoulosFreda RazosGeorge RodopoulosEileen & Terry SweeneyEleni, Kristina & Petro TsalikisToni TsalikisAnna VlassAthina & Niko Zafiratos

BIGGEST MORNING TEAOlivia BarlowPhotini BinosAndrew BlackLula BlackTasia DellasToula Kandiliotis & familyVivian KastritseasMary LecatsasSophie MercouliaMarina Petalas

Congratulations to Marika Bisas OAM on the celebration of her 90th Birthday on 25 March 2019. A party for family and friends was held at the clubrooms of the Kastellorizian Asso-ciation Of Victoria.Over the years, Marika has worked tirelessly in the community for nu-merous organisations, on a voluntary basis: the Australian-Greek Wel-fare Society (Pronia), Pnevmatiki Estia and AHEPA, just to name a few. She is blessed with two sets of twins, Eula and Ian and George and Jim and seven grandchildren. Her late husband Jack OAM was her true love and I am sure was with her in spirit on her birthday milestone. Her wish this year is to see her beloved football team Richmond win the AFL Grand Final. Many Happy Returns and Να τα Εκατοστίσεις. Marika is pictured with her children from left to right, George and Jim and Ian and Eula and holding her beloved Richmond guernsey.

Anna Miriklis-Defteros

George and Kristalenia Collins are delighted to announce the engagement of their daughter Emilia to Christopher Zervas. The engagement celebration was held on 30 March 2019, at Green Acres Golf Club, Kew on the banks of the Yarra. A great time was held by all. Emilia is the granddaughter of Andriana and the late George Zervoulis and Yiannko and Milia Callinicos. Christopher is the son of Bill and Regina Zervas. Congratulations.

SEND US YOURSOCIAL, ΤRAVEL NEWS, etc.

for publication in the OdysseusEditorial discretion may be applied

Photos will be returned, butif not required, they will be stored

in the IHS ArchivesPost to: PO Box 311,

Balwyn North, VIC 3104or email news@ithaca.org.au

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ, ISSUE 2 - 2019 3

2018 ITHACAN BURSARIES

2019 ELECTIONS FOR THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ΕΚΛΟΓΗ ΔΙΟΙΚΗΤΙΚΟΥ ΣΥMΒΟΥΛΙΟΥ

PENNY'S ODYSSEY

Georgina Bartlett  is the daugh-ter of Kathryn and Cliff Bartlett and granddaughter of Marigoula Benias of South Africa and the late George Ioannides. Georgina completed her VCE at Haileybury in Keysborough and was the recipient of the presti-gious Barney Allen Award for out-standing achievements in the fields of academia, sports and the arts. Geor-gina was accepted into Monash Uni-versity and is undertaking a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in both The-atre and Film. She hopes to develop her creative talents and become a director of films and plays in the future. She enjoys acting, reading and creative writing.

Charlie Beasley, the son of Liz Bea-sley and the late Speros Beasley and grandson of Sia and Reg Beasley, completed his VCE at Trinity Gram-mar. A keen sportsperson, Charlie is now studying Physical Education at Deakin University. As well as becom-ing a physical education teacher, his dream is to become an AFL football player. He is currently playing for Port Melbourne in the Victorian Football League.

Christine Georgopoulos is the daughter of Denise and Andrew Georgopoulos and granddaughter of Maria Paxinos and the late Jerry Antypas. Christine completed her VCE at East Doncaster Secondary College and is now at RMIT under-taking a Bachelor of Fashion Design Honours. Her goal is to develop and express her creative voice and see where it leads her in the fash-ion industry. Christine’s interests include art, design, photography, fashion and musical theatre.

Emily Kanellos  is the daugh-ter of Terry and Stav Kanellos and granddaughter of John and Evan-thia Kanellos (nee Coutsouvelis). Emily is studying a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Melbourne after completing her VCE at Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School. Her career goal is to become a psycholo-gist. A highlight of her secondary schooling was spending three weeks in Vietnam on a Leadership Chal-lenge program. She enjoys caring for animals and watching her favourite AFL team, the Hawks.

Christopher Koukouzikas  is the son of Georgia and Peter Kouk-ouzikas and the grandson of Sotiria and the late Nikos Vrettos. Christo-pher completed his VCE at Emman-uel College St Paul’s Compass and was successful in gaining entry into a

Commerce degree at the University of Melbourne. He plans to specialise in economics and work in the field in the future. He has a mixed bag of interests which include travelling, entrepreneurship and cardio fitness.

Evangeline Metaxas  is the daughter of Genios and Mary Metaxas and granddaughter of the late Rita and Evangelos Metaxas. Evangeline is completing a double degree at the Australia and Catholic University in psychological science and exercise and sport science after completing her VCE at Balwyn High School. She hopes to be a counsel-lor in the future. Evangeline enjoys keeping fit and healthy and has reached black belt level in Karate!

Christina Paizis  is the daughter of John Paizis and Therese Swee-ney and granddaughter of the late Themis and Christina Paizis and Eileen and Terry Sweeney. Christina completed her VCE at McKinnon Secondary College and is now study-ing a Bachelor of Science at Monash University majoring in areas she is passionate about – ecology, conser-vation biology as well as zoology. Her career dream is to save as many flora and fauna as possible from extinction. Christina loves exploring and learning about new cultures and environments and is looking forward to her holiday in Iceland, Finland and Russia in July.

Zoe Paxinos  is the daughter of Joanne Paxinos and the late Dr Anastasi Paxinos and the grand-daughter of Peter and Georgia Paxi-nos. Zoe completed her VCE at Cau-field Grammar and is now studying a Bachelor of Design - Communi-cation and Design at RMIT Uni-versity. Her career dream is to have her own graphic design company so she can pursue her creative abilities. Her 2018 Visual Communication Design Folio was shortlisted by TOP DESIGNS for their 2019 exhibition.

Lana Raftopoulos  is the daughter of Matthew Raftopoulos and Rebekah Raftopoulos and the granddaugh-ter of the late Marino and Stathoula Raftopoulos. She completed her VCE at Rowville Secondary College and this year is talking a gap year to com-plete an Associate Diploma with the AMEB. Lana is talented musically and an accomplished pianist. Her career dream is to be a music teacher and perform in the music industry espe-cially in theatre productions. She also enjoys writing music and is currently learning to play the clarinet.

Past VCE award recipient profile, Penny Vakalopoulos, shares with us her journey since finishing VCE.

I graduated year 12 in 2016 and, thirsty for travel and cross-cultural immersion, spent 2017 on a gap year in Indone-sia and Europe. Using my proficiency in the Indonesian language, I volunteered teaching English in Indonesia and also helped with translation and editing in the office of a not-for-profit organisation. I lived with local families in small villages, fully immersing myself in local ways of life, learning the Javanese and Sasak dialects, and participating in local traditions like Ramadan. I then travelled in Europe, including Greece, visiting the three areas where our family has roots - Ithaca, Aegion and Thessaloniki - and trying to absorb as much of the Greek language and culture as I could.

In 2018, I commenced a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Melbourne, majoring in Indonesian Studies, with a con-current Diploma of Arabic. I am now attempting to arrange a second major or diploma in Greek language and culture, studied online cross-institutionally with Flinders University, as I am determined to continue to reconnect with my heri-tage and to eventually speak the language proficiently. I hope one day to spend time living, volunteering and/or working in Greece, potentially utilising both my Arabic and Greek lan-guage skills in cross-cultural mediation and interpretation.

I am also heavily involved in multicultural communities in Melbourne, and particularly in spaces working with new migrants. I have been volunteering for a year and a half with an organisation called Free to Feed, which is a not-for-profit social enterprise cooking school that empowers refugees and asylum seekers by providing meaningful employment opportunities and by facilitating inter-cultural exchange to allow new migrants to forge meaningful connections with the local community. Using my languages and cross-cultural competence, I see myself potentially forging a career path-way in community development, social work or within the not-for-profit sector. I hope to work in a space that tackles social issues by uniting people from culturally, ethnically and socially diverse backgrounds through inter-cultural exchange.

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At the recent Annual General Meeting of the Ithacan Philanthropic Society, eleven nomi-nations for election to the Executive Com-mittee were received. As the number did not exceed the number of positions to be elected, the nominees were duly elected. Officebear-ers were elected at the first meeting of the new committee.

Κατά την πρόσφατη Ετήσια Γενική Συνέλευση του Συνδέσμου, παραλήφθηκαν 11 υποψηφιότητες. Καθιώς ο αριθμός δεν ξεπέρασε το όριο των απαιτούμενων θέσεων, οι υποψήφιοι εκλέχθηκαν δεόντως. Οι υπεύθυνες θέσεις καθορίσθηκαν στην πρώτη συνεδρίαση του νέου συμβουλίου.

Spyridoula Digaletou-Coutsouvelis takes on the role of president after three decades of service to the Society. She is the second female president of the IPS, the first being Anastasia (Sia) Andrews in 1991. Spyridoula has served as a member of the IPS Executive Committee

for twelve years. She is a member of the Odysseus Editorial Committee and the Events Committee and coordinates the popular Thursday Bingo at the Club

Antonios Drakopoulos steps down from the role of president which he held from 1992 to 1995 and in recent years from 2012 to 2019. Antonios will con-tinue as Vice President. His passion for and commitment to the Club is acknowl-edged by all. Other officebearers remain the same.It is a delight to welcome new member Marguerite Metaxas, the daughter of Genios and Mary Metaxas, who will bring the voice of youth to the commit-tee. Also returning to the committee is Dennis Katsamas. Retiring member, Elly Symons, is thanked for her contribu-tion; she will continue to support the IPS in a range of cultural endeavours.

PresidentΠρόεδρος

Spyridoula Digaletou-CoutsouvelisVice PresidentΑντιπρόεδρος

Anthony DrakopoulosTreasurer

ΤαμίαςEugenia Vlass-TsalikisAssistant Treasurer

Βοηθός ΤαμίαTania SoulisSecretary

ΓραμματέαςTania Soulis

Assistant SecretaryΒοηθός Γραμματέα

Peter PaxinosCommittee Members

Μέλη ΣυμβουλίουPeter Andrews

Kristalenia CollinsCosta KaimakamisDennis Katsamas

Marguerite MetaxasAndrew Raftopoulos

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ, ISSUE 2 - 20194

ITHACAN BUSINESSES SERIES

Dr Spearos Raftopoulos writes about his enterprising maternal grandfather, Spearos Gera-simos Raftopulos (Balatsikos) and his father Panoyiannis (Peter John) Raftopoulos. As well as being a successful businessman, Spearos Gerasimos was the first Treasurer of the Ithacan Philanthropic Society, appointed in 1916, and President of the Greek Community from 1940-41. Peter, who took over the management of the established Raftopulos family business, was a long-standing Secretary of the Ithacan Philanthropic Society (1938-1949 and 1953).It is interesting to note the different spelling of the surnames: Spearos Gerasimos spelled his name Raftopulos while Peter spelled it Raftopoulos.

Ithacan Historical Society

Spearos Gerasimos Raftopulos was born between 1880 and 1883 in Stavros, Ithaca. He was the third of five brothers. The oldest was Constantine, then Arthur, Spearos, Platon and Dimos. He also had two sisters Evgenia and Efthalia. Documentary evidence suggests he came to Western Australia to join his brothers in 1896. He probably returned to Greece for a while as we also have a record of him arriving in Fremantle or Albany in 1903. He was naturalised in 1904.

Very little is known about what the brothers did in Western Australia but anectodal family history says they may have worked in some capacity on the goldfields in Coolgardie. They were certainly in Melbourne early in the twentieth century. It is known that Spearos, probably with his brothers, ran two cafes. The first called the Regal Café was in Swanston Street. The exact address is unknown. The second was at 198 Chapel St Prahran opposite a café run by Denis Flocas at 199 Chapel St. Windsor.

Spearos married Katina Dracoulis in Melbourne in 1921 and after the birth of their daughter Evgenia (my mother), the family left for Greece in 1924. It appears that their intention was to stay in Greece permanently but for unknown reasons they returned to Melbourne in 1925. On his return from Greece, Spearos joined three of his brothers, Constantine, Arthur and Platon, to start Raftopulos Brothers, presumably as partners initially, a business which was the main family business until 1974. Dimo worked occasionally in the business but was never a partner.

The business packed and supplied glazed and crystallised fruit and nuts to various businesses, under the brand name Minerva, right up until the business ceased to trade a few years after it was sold in 1974. It appears that Constantine had the business acumen which enabled the brothers to commence a different business to the usual cafes, fruit and vegetable shops, fish shops or milk bars operated by many of the early Greeks. The business also operated as a wholesale grocer until sometime in the 1960s when my mother worked out that this side of the business was not paying. The business imported its nuts mainly from India and California. My father used to say that the Californian nuts had little documentary certification but the product was clean and well packed. The Indian product, on the other hand, had copious certification but the standard of packing and product was not as good! The main customer for the fruit and nuts was for many years S. E. Dickens which became New World and then Coles supermarkets. The grocery side of the business supplied most of the Greek cafes and some others in the CBD and in the suburbs. I have personal memories of going on the rounds and helping Percy Wharton, our long- time storeman and driver. He worked with the business for many decades with great loyalty and he and my father became great friends. I learnt a lot about life from him. We were together listening to the radio when Toparoa won the Melbourne Cup in 1955, just beating Rising Fast which had won the Melbourne and Caulfield Cups and the Cox Plate the previous year, and had won the Caulfield Cup again.

Not long after the business started, there was a major falling out between Constantine and the other brothers

Spearos’ life. He now became Managing Director of the Regal Trading Company.

From sometime in the late 1920s, Spearos also had the concession or franchise to run the refreshment stall at the Capitol Theatre. The theatre was, of course, founded by A. J. J.Lucas and Spearos was the first Treasurer of the Ithacan Club. Presumably it was this link that enabled this to happen. My mother had strong memories of serving behind the counter when she was old enough. In her old age, a non-Greek friend of mine gave me a Christmas gift, a book called Australia In The 1920s which had a magnificent photograph of the Capitol Theatre with its famous ceiling and another photo which I thought may have been of the refreshments stall (see below). I

showed it to my mother and she recognised it. It was a delightful moment for both of us. The irony was that the photo was clearly taken AFTER 1936 since it featured a photo of King George VI and should not have been in the book about the 1920s at all! Lucky us!

I have in my possession a complete record of the AGMs and directors’ meetings of the Regal Trading Company right up until 1974. There is reference there to Spearos being authorised to sell the Capitol Theatre franchise in 1941 which presumably happened. Perhaps the franchise was regarded as part of the company business.

In 1942 it was arranged that Panoyiannis (Peter John) Raftopoulos would marry Spearos’ daughter Evgenia.* Born in Romania but raised in Ithaca, Peter had arrived in Australia in 1937 after serving in the Greek Navy. They were married on 1943 at the Evangelismos Church. At some point in this period Peter began working at the Regal Trading Company. Spearos had arranged that Peter be relieved of duty with the labour battalion for which he had been conscripted in World War 11 so he could work with the company. The couple had two children. Loula was born in1944 and I followed on 1947.

Spearos passed away in 1949 aged sixty-eight years. Peter now became Managing Director of the Regal Trading Company. He continued to run the company, until he retired in 1974 at my mother’s urging. Peter

probably over money. Constantine left the firm and returned to Greece. He did not return to Australia and I do not know whether the brothers ever reconciled.

The business was incorporated as a proprietary company under the name Raftopulos Brothers Pty Ltd on 5/7/1929. The name was changed to Regal Trading Company Pty Ltd on 1/7/1934. The address from before the incorporation was 29 William Street in the CBD right opposite what is now the administration building of the Immigration Museum. The building no longer exists and in fact the building currently on the site is the second built there since 1959. The company moved to 50-52 Dow St South Melbourne in 1959 and remained there until it ceased to trade. I have strong memories of both these buildings. 29 William St was a pokey and rather dingy place with two corridors but it did enable my father to walk from the building to the Ithacan Club to have lunch.

Dow St. was much more spacious and modern but we had endless problems with the Council, particularly when we tried to get permission to build a small car park for the business. I often worked there on weekends and over the summer break packing bags of nuts and mostly working the filling machine and the sealing machine. Sometimes I had to do all three tasks myself if there was no one else to help me. I actually preferred that because it provided more variety performing what was otherwise a series of fairly monotonous tasks. My most vivid memories are returning from the store (which is what we always called the business) one Saturday morning reading the banner headlines that JFK had been assassinated and one day listening on the radio when Dennis Lillee bowled the Rest Of The World side out and took at least one further wicket all before lunch!

Spearos' brother Platon passed away in 1936. The brothers had a plaque erected in his memory at the Evangelismos Church which was still in place prior to the fire in 2016. Arthur was Chairman and Managing Director until he passed away in 1940. At about this time the family moved to 4 Cairnes Crescent, East Malvern where I still live. Arthur’s passing and the move to Cairnes Crescent brought about a great change in

worked very hard and often long hours to keep the business running, dealing with bad debts (usually from the wholesale grocery side) and always worrying that he would lose his biggest customer S. E. Dickens (Coles). Fortunately, the latter never happened. He would work long hours with hot cooking oil to cook the cashew nuts. Fresh cashew nuts were always a great favourite of ours and he always made sure we had a supply. I never knew what a stale cashew nut tasted like until Dad retired!

Evgenia, and even her mother Katina, would sometimes pitch in and help in the business when needed. Eventually, when Loula and I grew up, our mother Evgenia came to work full-time in the business as

secretary (she was a self-taught typist). As earlier indicated, I also would help from time to time. Katina and Evgenia were also directors and shareholders as were Cora Milne, the widow of Arthur, and Platon Varvaregos who had married my grandmother Katina’s younger sister Loula Dracoulis. Loulou, one of Platon and Loula’s three daughters, worked for some years in the business performing what later became my mother’s role as did Gwyneth, one of my mother’s close school friends.

Peter and Evgenia lived a mostly happy retirement watching the younger generation grow up until Peter passed away in 2004 aged ninety-three. Over a period of ten years in his retirement, Peter would volunteer as a Greek interpreter at the Royal Children’s Hospital. Evgenia struggled with various ailments for many years before passing away in 2010 on her sixty-seventh wedding anniversary, aged eighty-seven. Most sadly of all, my sister Loula passed away after a massive stroke in 2013 aged sixty-eight, the same age as her grandfather.

*My mother Evgenia was born a Raftopulos and married a Raftopoulos. They were not related.

THE FAMILY LEGACY

My father, Peter suggested the creation of the Ithacan Philanthropic Society’s VCE Awards. Two of the awards now bear his name, I am now honoured to sponsor the two Panoyiannis Raftopoulos VCE Awards and intend to do so for as long as I can and the Club wishes to continue them. My sister Loula also made an enormous contribution both to the community and to Victoria as perhaps the first fully qualified social worker from an “ethnic” background. The Victorian Womens’ Trust, which she was instrumental in establishing, now has a sub fund in her name to sponsor young women writers and to help women recovering from mental health problems, both areas which were of very great interest to her in her lifetime. RMIT, which now owns the Capitol, is now raising funds to restore the building which is such a part of Melbourne’s history and a part of the Greek and Ithacan community heritage as well as my family’s. I wish them well and have made a contribution towards the restoration. I hope I am still around when it is complete.I am very proud of my family legacy.

Dr. Spearos RaftopoulosFamily photo c1949, standing centre Spearos Gerasimos Raftopulos. Seated from right his wife Katinia (nee Dracoulis), his daughter Evgenia and son-in-law Peter (Panogiannis) Raftopoulos with their chil-dren Loula and Spearos.

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ, ISSUE 2 - 2019 5

Ο Δημήτρης Παίζης ήταν γιος των Ιωάννη και Σπυριδούλας Παίζη. Γεννήθηκε στο Κιόνι το χωριό του πατέρα του, του γιατρού Δανιά, όπως όλοι τον ξέραμε, αλλά μεγάλωσε στον Πλατρειθιά το χωριό της μητέρας του. Ακολουθώντας την Ιθακήσια κληρονομιά, έγινε καπετάνιος και εργάσθηκε για χρόνια στην εταιρία του Ωνάση με επιτυχή σταδιοδρομία και ακόμη πλοιάρχησε ένα από τα μεγαλύτερα δεξαμενόπλοια του κόσμου του Olympic Thunder. Από το 1965 ασχολήθηκε με ναυτιλιακές επιχειρήσεις, υπηρετώντας τα δεκαπέντε τελευταία χρόνια της καριέρας του ως διευθυντής και για ένα διάστημα ήταν τακτικός εκπρόσωπος της Ένωσης Ελλήνων Εφοπλιστών στο ΝΑΤΟ με αποστολές στα κεντρικά γραφεία στο Πεντάγωνο στην Ουάσιγκτον.

Στα χρόνια του 80 επισκέθφηκε την Αυστραλία και πάντοτε αναφερόταν με όμορφες αναμνήσεις για την επισκεψή του στο κλαμπ και τη συναντησή του με τους εδώ Ιθακησίους.

Από το 1998 και μετά τη συνταξιοδοτησή του ασχολήθηκε ερευνητικά με την Ομηρική, παραδοσιακή και ναυτική Ιθάκη, γράφοντας βιβλία σχετικά με αυτά τα θέματα και δημοσίευσε πολλά άρθρα σε παννελήνιες και τοπικές εφημερίδες. Επίσης εκυκλοφόρησε βιβλία με αναμνήσεις και ιστορίες της Ιθάκης που του εμπιστεύθηκαν οι δημιουργοί και απογονοί τους και με πλούσιο φωτογραφικό υλικό. Πολλά από τα βιβλία του βρίσκονται στη βιβλιοθήκη του Συνδέσμου μας.

Η αγάπη του για το νησί του ήταν αμέριστη και πάντοτε αγωνιζόταν για την διατήρηση της Οδυσσειακής κληρονομιάς της Ιθάκης. Το 2013 εμπνεύστηκε, σχεδίασε και παρουσίασε στον Σταυρό μόνιμη έκθεση στην ελληνική και αγγλική γλώσσα με τίτλο «Φως στην Ομηρική Ιθάκη» η οποία εκτίθεται στο Πολιτιστικό Κέντρο Σταυρού (παλιό ιατρείο), και επίσης αυτή η έκθεση παρουσιάσθηκε και στο Μέγαρο Λόγου και Τεχνών Πατρών από τον εκεί Συλλογο Ιθακησίων.

Ο Συνδεσμός μας είχε καλέσει τον αείμνηστο Δημήτρη να παρουσιάσει στην Αιθουσά μας την έκθεση ως έναρξη των εορτασμών της εκατονταετηρίδας του Συνδέσμου, ο οποίος εδέχθηκε με ευχαρίστηση και το εθεώρησε μεγάλη του τιμή. Δυστυχώς και κατά την περιόδο των προετοιμασιών της αφιξεώς του στην Μελβούρνη, ασθένησε κια έφυγε για πάντα απο τη ζωή το 2015. Τα έργα του όμως θα μείνουν για πάντα.

ΕΥΧΑΡΙΣΤΗΡΙΟ

Αξιότιμα μέλη του Συνδέσμου Ιθακησίων, σας ευχαριστούμε θερμά για την τόσο ευγενική σας χορηγία για την αποπερά-τωση του ιερού ναού του Αγίου Ελευθε-ρίου. Έτσι με την πολύτιμη βοηθειά σας, κατορθώσαμε να τοποθετήσουμε την στέγη του ναού, κεραμοσκεπή, ούτως ώστε να προστατευθεί ο εσωτερικός χώρος από τις καιρικές συνθήκες του χειμώνα. Χωρίς αυτή την βοηθειά σας θα ήταν αδύνατη η τοποθέτηση της στέγης.

Σπυρ. ΜαρούληΑικ. Καραβασίλη, Αλ. Δέτσιμα

ΦΙΛΑΝΘΡΩΠΙΚΕΣ ΕΚΔΗΛΩΣΕΙΣ

Η Επιτροπή Εκδηλώσεων οργάνωσε στην Αιθουσά μας δύο εκδηλώσεις με μεγάλη επιτυχία. Στις 14 Απριλίου έλαβε χώρα ένα ωραίο απόγευματινό τσάι προς συγκέντρωση χρημάτων για συμβολή στον ετήσιο έρανο του Νοσοκομείου Παίδων Μελβούρνης (RCH Good Friday Appeal). Την ημέρα αυτή απονομήθηκαν και τα βραβεία του Συνδέσμου στους απόφοιτους του Γυμνασίου, VCE AWARDS. Συγχαρητήρια στα παιδιά και ότι καλύτερο στη ζωή τους.

Η δεύτερη εκδήλωση ήταν στις 16 Μαίου, πρωινό τσάι (Biggest Morning Tea) για βοήθεια του Αντικαρκινικού Οργανισμού. Ένα ευχάριστο πρωινό και με επιμέλεια της Άννας Βλασσοπούλου, απολαύσαμε παιχνίδια, τρίβια και στην οθόνη έγινε προβολή μικρού φιλμ με πολύ σημαντικές πληροφορίες για την αντιμετώπιση του καρκίνου.

Ευχαριστούμε θερμά όλους που υποστήριξαν και τις δύο εκδηλώσεις, σε όσους πρόσφεραν δωρεές, γιά τα ωραία γλυκά και φαγητά που έφεραν οι κυρίες. Εκτιμούμε την πάντοτε συμβολή σας στις εκδηλώσεις μας. Μαζί με τις δωρεές του Συνδέσμου, στάλθηκαν τα ποσά των $8693 στο Νοσοκομείο Παίδων και $5210 στον Αντικαρκινικό Οργανισμό.

2019 ITHACAN BALL

Despite the wet and rainy start to the evening guests at the 2019 Ithacan Ball were definitely in the mood to party. The evening commenced with pre dinner drinks and there was a real buzz in the room with guests min-gling and catching up with friends and relatives.Tia, daughter of Elizabeth Bouras and grand-daughter of Andriana Black and George Bou-ras, entertained the crowd with some beautiful jazz/blues numbers (pictured above). Guests later wined, dined and danced the night away. The dance floor was jumping throughout the evening to the sounds of two amazing bands, ENVY and UNick, who performed favourite Greek numbers and classics of the 80s and 90s, helping to create a great party atmosphere.

Ithacan Ball photos can be viewed at www.ithaca.org.au/gallery

"ΦΩΣ ΣΤΗΝ ΟΜΗΡΙΚΗ ΙΘΑΚΗ" συνέχεια από σελ. 1

2019 IPS PICNIC - View more photos at www.ithaca.org.au/gallery

ROYAL CHILDREN'SHOSPITAL

DONATIONS

$8,693IPS donation to theGood Friday Appeal

+ $1,310.10 Annual Picnictin collection

2019 ANNUAL PICNIC RACE WINNERS (in first, second, third order): Babies Race 3 and under: Tatiana Demcesun, Mia Lagana, Francesco Pirera 50 me-tres 4-5 mixed: Louisa Razos, Iraklis Raftopoulos, Siena Maglis 50 metres 6-7 mixed: Marcus Wells-Jansz, Harry Kondelos, Dion Raftopoulos 50 metres 8-10 girls: Alexandra Coutsouvelis, Ava Critelli, Zara Techera. 50 metres 8-10 boys: Yianni Vasilopoulos & Thomas Raftopoulos (equal first), Nicholas Kondelos 75 metres 11-14 girls: Nikita Michael & Sienna Techera (equal first), Maritsa Tripatzis 75 metres 11-14 boys: Joshua Drake, Ignatius Andrews, Simon Tripatzis 100 metres 15-40 women: Paula Oude-Vrielink, Raya Defteros, Victoria Hronis 100 metres 15-40 men: Stephen Oude-Vrielink, Jeremy Angeloudas, James Byrgiotis 100 metres open 40 plus mixed: Alexander Kaimakamis, Athena Connock, Bill Zervas 400 metres (around the oval): Jeremy Angeloudas, Stephen Oude-Vrielink, Nick Rosamilia.

Το εκκλησάκι αυτό (φώτο άνω) βρίσκεται 600 μέτρα περίπου έξω από τον Σταυρό προς στο δρόμο που πάει στην Ανωγή, στην πρώτη απότομη στροφή δεξιά αρχίζει ένας χωματόδρομος απο αριστερά. Πρόσβαση με τζιπ αλλά καλύτερα παρκάρισμα και συνέχεια με περπάτημα, περίπου 750 μέτρα. Οι εργασίες για την αναστήλωση συνεχίζονται.

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ, ISSUE 2 - 20196

DIMITRIOS (JAMES) KANDILIOTIS ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΣ ΚΑΝΔΗΛΙΩΤΗΣ

1927-2019

Ο Δημήτρης Κανδηλιώτης γεννήθηκε στο Βαθύ Ιθάκης, τέκνο των Χρήστου Κανδηλιώτη και της Ευρυδίκης Ανδριανάτου, αδελφός των Ιωάννη, Νίκου, Μαρίκας και Διονύση. Ο Δημήτρης είχε ανέμελα και χαρούμενα παιδικά χρόνια αλλά μεγάλωσε και στις δύσκολες οικονομικές και πολιτικές καταστάσεις στην Ελλάδα και βίωσε την Ιταλική Κατοχή. Ακολούθησε και αυτός τη μοίρα τόσων Θιακών στο επάγγελμα του ναυτικού. Μπαρκάρισε σε εμπορικά πλοία και ταξίδεψε γύρω στον κόσμο. Τελικά ήλθε στην Μελβούρνη στο θείο του Ηλία Ανδριανάτο και αδελφό του Διονύση. Από την αρχή της αφιξής του στη Μελβούρνη ο Δημήτρης συμμετείχε εθελοντικά σε πολλές κοινωνικές δραστηριότητες όπως την ομάδα Ελλήνων Προσκόπων, στον έρανο του Νοσοκομείου Παίδων, κλπ. Ήταν παλαίμαχος υποστηριχτής και μέλος του Συνδέσμου προσφέροντας την ακούραστη εργασία του για την πρόοδο του οργανισμού. Υπηρέτησε στο Διοικητικό Συμβούλιο ως μέλος, πρόεδρος, ταμίας, γραμματέας και ο Σύνδεσμος τον τίμησε με τον τίτλο του Επίτιμου Ισοβίου Μέλους.

Στο κλαμπ συνάντησε την Λία Συκιώτη και παντρεύτηκαν το 1955. Απόκτησαν δύο τέκνα, τον Χρήστο και την Βίβιαν. Εργατικός, δραστήριος, καλός οικογενειάρχης και υπερήφανος παππούς. Αξιώθηκε πολλές φορές να γυρίσει στο νησί του που τόσο αγαπούσε.

James (Jim) Kandiliotis was born 26 August 1927 in Vathy, Ithaca to Christo Kandiliotis and Evrithiki Andrianatou, the second of five siblings: Ioanni, Niko, Marika and Dionysi. His childhood, by all accounts, was happy and carefree. How-ever, as was common for children of his generation, he grew up in a time of eco-nomic and political upheaval which had a profound effect on his future life.

The depression meant that the family had to tighten their belts financially and the war prevented him continuing his second-ary schooling, beyond intermediate level, which he regretted all his life. During the Italian occupation of Ithaca, Jim and his friends took delight in stealing chickens and food from the Italian soldiers whilst they looked the other way. The children learnt that the German soldiers, on the other hand, were less accommodating!

As his father could afford to send only one child to university, Jim and his other siblings were left to fend for themselves. Like many Ithacans before and after him, he joined the merchant marines travelling to Scandinavia, North and South America, through the Panama Canal and to Turkey and the Black Sea. He visited cousins in New York and worked on the Brooklyn Bridge, but was unable to get his green card. Eventually, he landed in Melbourne to visit his Uncle Elias Andrianatos and brother Dionysi (Dennis).

On arrival in Melbourne, Jim soon became involved in many community activities. He volunteered his time to the Good Friday Appeal and joined the 1st Mel-

bourne 1st Greek Scouts group, helping the committee and driving scouts to camps at Diamond Creek. He became involved with the South Melbourne Soccer Club, the Ithacan Club and the Freemasons of which he was a member for many years. In the early years in Melbourne, he worked at Fisherman’s Bend, then at his uncle’s café before taking over the Acropol, the recep-tion venue on the 2nd floor of Ithaca House in Elizabeth Street. On the passing of his father-in-law, Costa Sikiotis, he took over Pullars Dry Cleaners in Rathdowne Street Carlton for about twenty years before opening a fruit shop in Greythorn and then a drycleaners on the same site.

A long-lasting love was the Ithacan Philan-thropic Society, a relationship that was to last thirty-five years during which time he served as President, Treasurer, Secretary and committee member. His commitment and passion for the Club was rewarded with Honorary Life Membership. He organised balls, dances and picnics as well as barbecues in members’ homes, includ-ing his own, to raise funds for the Club. Together with Sotiris Sikiotis they catered for many events and guided the Club through financially difficult times. For him, and for many Ithacan emigrants, the Ithacan Club was a surrogate home away from home, full of stories of past lives and longing to return; Ithaca was not just a place, but a state of mind – the past pulling them back to the mist-shrouded, mythical land of their childhood - in the words of F. Scott Fitzgerald we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past. The yearning to return home was strong although many did not fully appre-ciate that their journey was at an end – there would be no return.

It was at the Ithacan Club that he met Lea Sikiotis; they married in 1955 and had two children, Chris and Vivienne. In 1966, the family settled in Ardgour Street North Balwyn where Jim spent the remainder of his life.

Jim was an avid South Melbourne Hellas Soccer fan; he was not that interested in football but supported Carlton as it appears that Geoff Southby was a cus-tomer at the drycleaners and Jim thought he was gentleman worthy of support. He enjoyed going to Bacchus Marsh to shoot rabbits with Sotiris Sikiotis. Eating the rab-bits was a challenge on occasion when you bit down on a missed pellet! He enjoyed gardening and growing his vegetables and roses. Although stubborn, strong-minded, forthright in his opinions and short tem-pered on occasion, Jim was also loyal and generous. He was gregarious but also liked his privacy. He had a novel way of teaching you how to do things; he would watch you do something, tell you off for not doing it properly, and then do it himself!

Jim’s was a typical migrant story, stoically do what you can do, work hard, provide for your family, muddle through and hope for the best. On retiring he managed to visit his beloved Ithaca a number of times. He loved his family in his own way and they loved him. He admired his daughter- in-law Sophie and was proud of his grand-children, James and Elizabeth and all that they had achieved. He will be missed.

ΓΕΩΡΓΙΑ ΚΑΡΑΝΤΖΗ

Με μεγάλη λύπη πληροφορηθήκαμε τον αιφνίδιο θάνατο αγαπητού μέλους του Συνδέσμου, Γεωργίας Καραντζή, κατά την αφιξή της στην Αθήνα από την Μελβούρνη, με σκοπό καλοκαιρινών διακοπών στο όμορφο χωριό της Κιόνι στην Ιθάκη. Στον συζυγό της Νίκο, τέκνα της Ιωάννη, Λάνα, Νικόλαο και εγγόνια τα πιο θερμά και ειλικρινή συλλυπητήρια.Εγκώμιο αείμνηστης Γεωργίας στην επόμενη εφημερίδα.

DENNIS LIVITSANIS

The Society was informed of the passing of esteemed member Dennis (Demostenis) Livitsanis of Ballarat on 6 April 2019.  Dennis was the son of former member Andrew Livitsanis of Kandila, Greece and Dionisia Mavromati of Exoghi, Ithaca, and the loving brother of Chris, Stan (dec) and Leah (dec). Dennis was a Senior Teacher with many years experience in education in Ballarat and Melbourne, as well as over-seas in Alaska and the USA. Dennis leaves behind his wife of fifty-three years, Valerie, their three sons, Peter, Chris and Michael, daughters-in-law Tracey and Natasha and his grandchildren, Imogen, Astrid and Finn.

JEAN SIKIOTIS (ΣΥΚΙΩΤΗ)1926-2019

Απεβίωσε στην Μελβούρνη στις 11 Μαίου 2019 μέλος του Συνδέσμου, η Jean Συκιώτη, ετών ενενήντα. Η εκλειπούσα ήταν σύντροφος του αειμνήστου Διονύση Συκιώτη του γνωστού Ιθακήσιου περιβαλλοντολόγου. Είχαν δύο γιούς, τους Πάνο και Φίον. Η Jean μαζί με τον Διονύση αγωνίστηκαν για πολλά σημαντικά ζητήματα, όπως για την Κύπρο και την Ελλάδα ιδιαίτερα την εποχή της δικτακτορίας. Επισκέφθηκε πολλές φορές την Ιθάκη και ιδιαίτερα τον Σταυρό όπου ήταν το χωριό του Διονύση και ο οποίος είχε αποσυρθεί στο σπίτι του εκεί. Ο Σταυρός θα είναι και ένας από τους τόπους αναπαυσεώς της.

Our mother Jean Sikiotis, who passed away aged ninety on 11 May 2019, was born Jean Ryan in Perth, Australia. After grad-uating from university, she 'came east' in the early 1950s and met Dionysios (Denis) Sikiotis at Camp Eureka. Together they were involved in many left-wing causes of that time, including campaigns focused on Greece and Cyprus. Jean and Denis lived in St Kilda and then Elwood and enjoyed the cosmopolitan lifestyle of the area and its vibrant and diverse community. Mum practised as a child psychologist but later stayed home to look after the two of us, born in the early sixties. We grew up in a house with no car, TV or gadgets but rich in discussion, books and holidays.

When a military dictatorship seized power in Greece, Denis and Jean threw themselves into efforts to restore democ-racy in its birthplace, with a very active committee based in Melbourne employ-ing tactics including concerts, sit-ins and an economic blockade. While the Junta remained in power our family was unable to visit Greece, so our first trip there – including memorable summer months spent in Ithaki – came in 1975.

Denis longed to return to Greece and finally did so following early retirement in 1986. He was based for many years in Lesbos lecturing at the University of the Aegean. Mum decided not to live full-time in Greece, as she had a wide circle of friends and family and many involvements here. Nevertheless she visited Greece numerous times and spent many happy

months in Lesbos, Athens and Ithaki, par-ticularly after Denis finally retired, having built his own house in Stavros.

Jean reached her ninetieth birthday in October 2018 and was still enjoy-ing an active social life, despite mobil-ity problems. As late as March this year she attended the Rebetiko Festival at the Recital Centre and enjoyed every minute. Soon after that she was hospitalised twice with a minor leg infection, but was dis-charged home each time. A third hospital stay revealed more serious symptoms and from that point she declined rapidly, pass-ing away just six days after confirmation of a diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Mum died peacefully, without pain and surrounded by family, which was exactly as she wanted it; she was completely calm throughout her final weeks.

Jean was remembered and farewelled in a beautiful service at Victorian Funerals. She asked that following cremation her ashes be shared between Melbourne, Perth and Ithaki – three places of great significance in her life. In time her remains will mingle in Stavros with those of Dionysios, the Ithacan man she met in Melbourne and with whom she shared a rich and long life.

Mum was proud of many things – her family and her Irish ancestry, her radi-cal politics and longstanding connection to Greece, and not least of being a social member of the Ithacan Philanthropic Society.

Panos and Fionn SkiotisMelbourne

JAMES (JIM) SCOTT 1926-2019

Jim was an intelligent and humane person, a man of many talents who had the respect and affection of all that knew him. A great lover of sport, Jim was a member of the Old Scotch/Hawthorn Hockey Club and played a record 1038 games between 1951 and 2000 while well into his seventies; a much loved team-mate, mentor and respected father figure. Jim’s speed on the field saw him nar-rowly miss selection for the 1956 Mel-bourne Olympic squad while running for the Coburg Harriers and having at some stage received coaching from the great Percy Cerutty who coached champion miler, Herb Elliott. He attained a senior rank in Freemasonry and always main-tained a lifelong charitable and compas-sionate instinct for those less fortunate.

Born on 28 February 1926, Jim belonged to that early generation of the community, who were born, raised and educated in Melbourne at a time when multicultur-alism was yet to be embraced and where he and his peer group would consciously reflect a more assimilated and non-ethnic character. Jim did not reject his heritage, it was simply a separate compartment of his life. Jim was devoted and deeply loyal to his family, particularly when his younger brother Spero was tragically taken from the family by illness at a young age in 1948. Jim, his parents Elpiniki and Vasili and daughter, Tase, never forgot the vacuum that was left behind, hardly being able to utter his name, simply referring to, 'The Brother' in conversation.

Tragedy struck again when in 1974, Tase’s husband and father of Gerald and Kay, Andrew Lucas passed away at the young

DEATHS

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ, ISSUE 2 - 2019 7

age of fifty-one. Jim, already embedded in the ethos of his family would as always, unobtrusively provide consolation and generous support for his sister and her family until the day that he passed. Having no family of his own, Jim displayed sensi-tive paternal qualities toward the family quietly complementing, without usurping, Andrew’s legacy.

Jim was talented academically and was to achieve the honour of Dux of the School at Collingwood Technical School in his final year. His education was then inter-rupted by his enlistment in 1944 to serve in the RAAF during World War II. Jim had a passion for flying and joined the Air Sea Rescue Unit as a Leading Aircraftman in Papua New Guinea. He flew on Catalina aircraft during that time and with his com-rades helped rescue the wounded as well as retrieving the fallen. Jim did not dwell on his war service, only to very rarely, regale us with an occasional amusing anecdote.

In July 2017, Jim was honoured by the Greek Branch of the RSL, led by returned service-man and author, Steve Kyritsis OAM in a ceremony held

at the Victorian State Parliament to launch his book ‘Kokoda’, that honoured  Greek Australian participants in World War 2. Despite his reticence over the years to consciously mark his war service, Jim was genuinely touched by the gesture and felt truly honoured to be acknowledged.

Following the war, Jim undertook stud-ies at Swinburne that gained him quali-fications in the area of technical draft-ing and civil engineering, that lead to a distinguished forty year professional career with the State Electricity Com-mission of Victoria. Forever busy, even in retirement, Jim launched himself into what became a consuming passion that gave him huge pleasure and creative satisfaction until his recent illness. Ever the ‘Renaissance‘ man, Jim turned to his prodigious drawing skills, to produce in excess of 320 works created with a skilful eye and confident hand. As a young man he professed to his parents that he wanted to be a career artist. Predictably, con-cerned about his future material security, his parents sought to dissuade him and Jim made the ‘responsible’ choice, always harbouring his artistic passion that was to bloom late in his life.

Notably, in the sunset of his life, Jim, always a good conversationalist, struck up a friendship and re-connected with Ithacan contemporaries, Dennis Gabriel, Nick Pappas, Angelo Petalas and occa-sionally, Peter Paxinos in a regular coffee/ luncheon club focussed on the North Balwyn Village. Jim loved these ses-sions and looked forward to them. Since early this year and frustrated by ill health, he missed these days greatly. Our family appreciated the positive effect they had on him in his latter days and sincerely thank the group for their caring attitude and warm friendship towards Jim in that precious time.

Andrew Raftopoulos

IN MEMORY - ΕΙΣ ΜΝΗΜΗ

$50 Ioakim Megalogenis and family in memory of Jim Scott$50 Toula Kandiliotis and family in memory of Dimitrios Kandiliotis$80 Maria Rodopoulos and family in memory of beloved mother Loula Rodopoulos (nee Raftopoulos)$200 Joyce Vlass (Sydney) in memory of beloved husband Panos Vlassopoulos, and grandson Stratos Andrianatos

CON CASTAN MEMORIAL LECTURE

On 20 March 2019, Dr. John Vasilakakos, an award-winning and bestselling Mel-bourne author and academic, presented the Con Castan Memorial Lecture on behalf of the Solomos Society, Greek Aus-tralian Cultural Association in Brisbane. The lecture titled Con Castan: A Reformer in the Field of Greek Australian Litera-ture referred to Castan’s writings as pro-moting and propagating Greek-Australian Literature in the wider Australian Cul-

ture. Con was described as a brilliant aca-demic and emi-nent scholar of Greek Austra-lian Literature, 'one of the most authoritative', according to

Dr Vrasidas Karalis, Associate Professor in Modern Greek Studies at the Univer-sity of Sydney. Apart from being a promi-nent scholar, he was also 'a nice, remark-able, dignified and loveable person, a close friend, who together with another late Philhellene and intellectual, Phillip Grundy, constitute the most important pillars of Greek letters in the Antipodes'.

Vasilakakos expressed the sentiment that the Greek community of Australia, espe-cially those who benefitted from Con’s scholarship such as D. Tsaloumas, D. Tzoumacas, V. Kalamara and Vasilaka-kos himself, are indebted to Con and will always remember him with respect, love and gratitude for his invaluable legacy. Dr. Con Castan, OAM, is the late husband of Dr. Voula Castan who is Vice-President of the Ithacan Society of Queensland.

CHARITY EVENT

On Sunday 5 May, 150 loyal and gener-ous supporters of the Ark of the World Aegean (Kivoto tou Kosmou) gathered in the Olympus Room of The Greek Club in Brisbane to raise funds for the orphaned children on the island of Chios. The char-ity event was organized by Dialecti Helios and Mary Paradissis with the assistance of Voula Castan and Barbara Vasdekis.

The Ark of the World Aegean was launched in September 2014 in Chios Greece by Father Antonios Papanikolaou. It currently accommodates thirty children and its numbers are constantly increasing. The Ark’s home in Chios aims to provide protection, warmth, love and comfort to all wounded and suffering children of the Aegean.

In addition to the funds raised through the charity event, the Ark will this year receive donations from a number of individuals and associations in the Brisbane Greek community and beyond. At the afternoon tea Voula Castan presented a cheque for $2000 which will be an annually recur-ring donation from AHEPA Queensland. Generous donations were also received from the Greek Ladies Philoptochos of St George, the Ladies Auxiliary of St George, the Chios Association of Queensland and the Kastellorizian Association of Brisbane. These donations and all funds collected at the charity event will be presented to Father Antonios in June 2019 when Dia-lecti Helios, Mary Paradissis and Voula Castan will travel to Chios.

The Brisbane supporters of Ark of the

World Aegean provide more than mon-etary support. Dr Voula Castan, has cre-ated a personal resilience program called Dream Big to Achieve to share with the psychologists and teachers who work with the children of Kivoto.

SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY

On March 22 2019, the Courier Mail reported the development of a new test by University of Queensland, Associate Professor and Microbiologist, David Whiley that is designed to quickly iden-tify antibiotic-resistant mutations of gon-orrhoea, a sexually transmitted bacteria, to better guide treatment options and to eventually help slow the spread of infec-tion. The research is now published in the Journal of Antimicrobial and Chemother-apy. David is the husband of Dr Melanie Syrmis whose family members are foun-dation members of the Ithacan Society of Queensland. Congratulations David on this discovery and the good it will bring to people diagnosed with the condition.

BIRTHDAY GREETINGS

Spiro Livanes celebrated his seventeenth birthday on Australia Day 2019. He is the youngest son of George and Aphrodite Livanes. Spiro has 100 percent Ithacan her-itage as all his late grandparents were from different Ithacan villages. Grandmother, Mary Paxinos, was the founding president of the Ithacan Society of Queensland. In the family photo above. Spiro is pictured centre with sister-in-law Giselle Livanes, and father, George Livanes to the left, and mother Aphrodite Livanes and brother Costa Livanes to the right.

Spiro is currently completing year 12 and hopes to study in the field of emergency medicine either as a doctor or paramedic. Spiro’s passion is life saving and is pictured above doing what he loves best. At the time of writing he has rescued forty-eight people from the surf at Main Beach on the Gold Coast.”

SAD NEWS

We were saddened to hear of the passing of Constantinos (Con) Kolas, on the 19 Feb-ruary, 2019. Sincerest condolences to his wife Helen, a former committee member of the Ithacan Society of Queensland, and to his children and grandchildren.

Constantinos (Con) Kolas was born 10 June 1925 in Thessaloniki, Greece. When Con was about six years old and with his older brother Nick and two younger sisters Helen and Georgia, the family moved to Cyprus, his father’s birthplace. In Cyprus, there were

four more additions to the family, Christaki, Chloe, Maroula, and Evangelia.

The family lived in Limassol, and close to their one-room home, his father ran a small periptero where he sold souvlakia. At twelve years of age, Con was sent to work at the Keo factory where Commandaria (Cypriot sweet dessert wine) is produced, working mostly in the laboratory. Con talked about how his father cried because he couldn’t send him to high school. He joined the Brit-ish Army during the second World War after the German forces began bombing Limas-sol. He joined to fight but became a Physi-cal Training instructor, something the family is grateful for as who knows what his fate would have been otherwise. After the war he returned to the Keo factory.

In 1949, with a group of friends, Con left Cyprus to migrate to Australia. The Yallourn Power Station in Victoria was under con-struction at the time and the company was recruiting men to train as builders on the project. The company’s offer to the group who went to Yallourn was that if they were willing to make the tea and coffee, they would receive training. Con accepted the offer and became a builder/carpenter.

Before moving to Brisbane in 1952, he worked in a glass factory, and for a brief period he and his friends owned a banana farm in Murwillumbah. In Brisbane, Con met the love of his life Helen Elefantis, daughter of Georgia and Arthur Elefantis. Helen’s mother, Georgia (nee Zambati), was born in Stavro, Ithaki and came to Australia in 1928. Con and Helen married in October 1954 and had two children Francine in 1957 and Milton in 1959.

Con worked as a builder/carpenter in Bris-bane and later bought a fish shop in Ash-grove. Former customers still talk about the quality of food he and Helen prepared. After selling the shop at Ashgrove they ran a number of small businesses, until their semi-retirement when they helped their daughter Francine in her business.

Con was a long-term member of the Diony-sus Solomos Greek Australian Cultural Soci-ety including a time on its executive. Con and Helen were well known for the sumptu-ous suppers they provided to Solomos. Con was a man who could turn his hand to almost anything. He built beautiful cabinetry, was a fabulous cook and loved reading. He would read whole encyclopedias and any other ref-erence book he could get his hands on.

Most of all, Con was a kind and gentle man, a true gentleman; a man of strong prin-ciples, maybe a little stubborn, at times. A man who loved and lived for his family. And a man who was loved. Con will be sorely missed by Helen, his loving wife of sixty-four years, his daughter and son, Francine and Milton, their partners Chris and Maria, his grandchildren Brioney, Ryan and Eleni, Brioney’s partner Luke and his great-grand-children Henry and Efrosini.

Tribute to Con Kolas

Thank you for your warmth and precious tight hugs,Thank you for being loyal, kind, patient and considerate,Thank you for showing me as a child to be inquisitive and questioning,Thank you for your skills and passion for cooking such yummy foods,Thank you for always taking time out to talk and share your life experiences from your beloved Cyprus,Thank you for your willingness to please,Thank you for your sincerity and generosity of spirit,Thank for your LOVE and just being YOU!Love you always.

With small kindnesses people can make Big differencesFor othersWithout everKnowing

Penny Pippos Helen Kolas’ sister

NEWSFROM

BRISBANEBy

Dr. VoulaCastan

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ, ISSUE 2 - 20198

NEWSFROM

NEWCASTLEBy

DimityMegalos

NEWSFROMPERTH

ByMary

Raftopoulos

ΝΕΑΑΠΟ ΤΟΣΙΔΝΕΥΓράφει ηΑντωνίαΚαραβία

Celebrating her 18th birthday is Athena Nicolas, pictured above with her mother, Nikki. Athena is the granddaughter of Effie (nee Davias from Lefki) and Stewart Roach. Nikolas Sykiotis also celebrated his 21st birthday on the same weekend. So it was a busy, fun-time for lots of our young Ithacans. Taki, the beach manager from Poli, came for the two events as did others from Melbourne and Sydney. It’s just won-derful to see these Ithacan friendships and family ties grow and strengthen. Athena has plans to be in Ithaki this summer.

VISITING FROM SOUTH AFRICA

Nina Raftos (Cominos) and her first cousin Nick Paxinos from South Africa together for the first time since 1956!!! Of course with surnames like Paxinos and Cominos their heritage is Lefki, the beau-tiful balcony of   Ithaca. It was lovely to have him visit Newcastle.  It happened to be the same weekend as the visit to New-castle by the Melbourne Ithacans, so lots of “I think we are related … What’s your family nickname … Which clan is that …” Lots of Ithacan connections!

ENGAGEMENT

VERY exciting news with the engagement of Jonathon Megalos and Aliki Drako-poulos in London. Jonathon is the son of Con and Dimity Megalos (Raftos) and Aliki is the daughter of Yianni and Kat-erina Drakopoulos (Mavrokefalou).  Their families in Newcastle, London, Athens and Ithaki are ecstatic with the news.

WEDDING

Chrystalla Georgiou, a granddaughter of Anastasia Nicolau (nee Lecatsas) of Stavro married Adam Maskos at a ceremony officiated by Rev. Elpidios at the church of Constantine and Helen, Perth   on 4 January 2019. Chrystalla is the daughter of George and Marina Georgiou of Johan-nesburg. Adam is the son of Sam and Eliz-abeth Maskos of Fremantle. An enjoyable reception was held at Fraser,s Kings Park with guests from South Africa, England, Cyprus and Sydney.

BELIEVE THERE IS HOPE FOR A CURE

In December 2015, Mimika (Raftopou-los) Xanthis and Natalie (Raftopoulos) Raftopoulos (pictured from left) lost their beloved older sister to breast cancer after battling the disease for nine months, They knew that she would have wanted to make a difference to others with the same condi-tion and to families suffering the devastat-ing loss of a loved one. They were inspired by the work of the National Breast Cancer Foundation and so participated in Triath-lon Pink. They hope that by 2030 there will be zero deaths from breast cancer. In Aus-tralia, fifty people are diagnosed everyday with breast cancer and eight people die daily from the disease.

Mimika and Natalie had to swim 600m, ride 18km and run for 6km. Their target was to raise $3000 but, with the kindness of family, friends and acquaintances, they raised $7615.69. A big thank you to all for the gen-erous donations and beautiful messages.

 

ΓΙΟΡΤΕΣ - ΕΠΕΤΕΙΟΙΗ 25η Μαρτίου εορτάσθη κι' εφέτος όπως κάθε χρόνο με μεγάλη επισημότητα. Το πρωί έγινε η καθιερωμένη δοξολογία εις τον Καθεδρικό Ναόν του Ευαγγελισμού της Θεοτόκου. Μετά η επιμνημόσυνος δέηση και η κατάθεση στεφάνων εις Martin Place, παρουσία θρησκευτικών και πολιτικών επισήμων και πλήθους κόσμου. Ακολούθησε η παρέλαση των μαθητών των κολλεγίων και όλων των σχολείων μέχρι το Opera House, όπου το απόγευμα τελείωσε με λόγους καθώς χορούς και τραγούδια από τα διάφορα συγκροτήματα.

Με κατάνυξη και μεγαλοπρέπεια, εορτάσθη και εφέτος στο Σύδνει το Άγιο Πάσχα. Οι εκκλησίες μας ασφυκτικά γεμάτες κόσμο για την μεγάλη εορτή της Ανάστασης του Κυρίου μας, ο οποίος εύχομαι να δίνει υγεία και περαστικά στους αθενείς μας που βρίσκονται στα νοσοκομεία.ΓΕΝΕΘΛΙΑΘερμές ευχές και χαρούμενα γενέθλια, στην χαριτωμένη δισεγγονή μου Αναστασία Costa, της Αντωνίας και του Σπύρου, η οποία έκλεισε τον πρώτο χρόνο της με ένα ωραίο παιδικό πάρτι.ΘΑΝΑΤΟΙΑπεβίωσε στο Σύδνει πλήρης ημερών ο αγαπητός Αντώνης Κοντομίχαλος, των Γερασίμου και Ευγενίας από το Πέραχωριό της Ιθάκης. Στην Αυστραλία ήλθε σε μικρή ηλικία, αργότερα ενήλικος, παντρεύτηκε την αγαπημένη του Χριστίνα και απόκτησαν δύο αγόρια, τον Βέλιο και τον Γεράσιμο. Έζησε πολλά ωραία χρόνια με τις οικογενειές τους και απέθανε σε ηλικία ενενήντατεσσάρων χρόνων. Εκηδεύθη από τον ιερό ναό Αγίου Σπυρίδωνος, παρουσία πλήθους συγγενών και φίλων και ενταφιάσθη στο κοιμητήριο του Botany Bay. Στην συζυγό του, παιδιά του οικογενειακώς, σε όλη την πατρική του οικογένεια, αδελφές και αδελφό του οικογενειακώς τα θερμά μας συλλυπητήρια.ΤΑΞΙΔΙΑΑρκετοί πατριώτες αναχωρούν και εφέτος για διακοπές στην Ιθάκη και άλλα μέρη. Ας τους δώσει ο Θεός καλή υγεία, να διασκεδάσουν και να γυρίσουν πίσω με το καλό.

ΠΑΙΔΙΑΌποιος εγέννησε παιδιάδεν ξέρει τι θα γένεικαι τι σημαίνει Γολγοθάςκαι τι τον περμένει.Γιατί οι γονείς παλεύουνενα βγάλουν τα παιδιά τουςκι' αν χρειασθεί καμιά φοράδίνουν και την καρδιά τους.Μα σαν οι γονείς γεράσουνεκι ασπρίσουν τα μαλλιά τουςδεν έχουν θέση άλλο πιάμαζί με τα παιδιά τους.Σαν το σκουπίδι θα βρεθούνσε κάποιας γης την άκρηνα περιμένουν μοναχοίτο τέλος τους για ν'άρθει.Μα πριν ναρθεί το τέλος τουςκαι πριν να βγει η ψυχή τουςδεν θα ξεχάσουν οι γονείςνα δώσουν την ευχή τους.Αλ' όποιος φέρθηκε άσχημακι' άπονα στον γονύ τουνα ξέρει ότι η σειράθαρθεί και η δική του.Όλα στον κόσμο είναι μάταιακαι τίποτε δεν μένειόλα τα σβήνει ο κακόςο χρόνος που διαβαίνει.

Το παν μεταμορφώνεταιτο παν πεθαίνει σβήνειμόνο στις διαλεχτές ψυχέςδεν σβήνει η καλωσύνη.

Αντωνία Καραβία

NEWCASTLE TRIPIn late March, a group of Melburnian Ithacans visited beautiful Newcastle; a trip which included the scenic Hunter Valley and Nelson Bay. They also met up with their Novocastrian counterparts getting together at a Tavern Night at the Hellenic Community Centre followed by a sumptuous afternoon tea at the home of Dimity and Con Megalos. It was a most enjoyable trip and we thank our No-vocastrian friends for their generous hospitality

Pictured at the afternoon tea held at the home of Dimity and Con Megalos, from left – Freda Lucas, Effie Galatis, Lola Sklavos, Nina Raftos, Tasia Aryiris, Tasia Dellas, Helen Karametos, Rosa McCall, Lula Black, Christina Barcham, Nina Teterin, Alan Teterin, Eugenia Vlass-Tsalikis, John Tsalikis, Olga Black, Loula and George Coutsouvelis, Marigoula Raftopoulos, Georgia Raftopoulos, Kiara Paxinos, Fotine Triantafillou, Niki Raftos, Eugenia Cominos and back row Dimity and Con Megalos.

BIRTHDAY