ΝΕΑ ΑΠΟ ΤΗ ΝΕΑ ΖΗΛΑΝΔΙΑ
Γράφει η Περιστέρα Καραντζή

Σε προηγόυμενη ανταποκρισή μου είχα αναφερθεί στην χειροτονία του νέου παππά στην Ελληνική Κοινότητα, του Πατήρ Ιωακείμ και κατά κόσμο Νίκο Ραυτόπουλο από Ιθάκη καταγόμενο, του Κώστα Ραυτοπούλου και της Βασιλικής Ράζου (Ανανία).

Υπό την αιγίδα της Μητροπόλεως, στο ηλιόλουστο Hastings αγοράστηκε εκκλησία με το σκοπό να μετατραπεί σε Ορθόδοξη στη χάρη του Άγιου Δημητρίου. Για τον σκοπό αυτό θα χρειαστούν αρκετά χρήματα και κάθε προσφορά από ευσεβείς χριστιανούς είναι δεκτή. Ο Σύλλογος των Ιθακησίων πρωτοπόρος πάντοτε διοργάνωσε χορό τα έσοδα του θα διατεθούν γι’ αυτό τον σκοπό.

Για χρόνια στο Hastings εκκλησία δεν υπάρχει, όλες οι χριστιανικές ανάγκες της παροικίας εγένοντο σε ξένες εκκλησίες. Γνωρίζουμε όλοι μας ότι υπάρχουν και Ορθόδοξοι από άλλες φυλές που ζουν σ’ αυτά τα μέρη. Σήμερα βλέπουμε δύο φωτογραφίες, του Ναού και ο Σεβασμιώτατος Μητροπολίτης μας κ. κ. Αμφιλόχιος με τον Πάτερ Γεώργιο και τον νέο Ιερέα Ιωακείμ, στα αριστερά του εις μια λειτουργία στον ναόν της Μητροπόλεως Wellington.

Η διεύθυνση του Πατήρ Ιωακείμ είναι στο Hastings με την παράκληση κάθε είδους προσφοράς να στέλνεται στον ίδιο.

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FATHER JOACHIM RAFTOPOULOS
304 McLEAN STREET
HASTINGS
NEW ZEALAND
PHONE 06 878 5580

NEWS FROM BRISBANE
By Dr. Voula Castan

BAD NEWS:
The Executive and Committee Members of the Ithacan Society of Queensland, as well as all Ithacans, wish to convey their deepest condolences to the family of Gerassimos Raftopoulos, who passed away in Brisbane on the 22nd September 2007.

On the 26th September 2007, the funeral service of Gerassimos (Gerry) Raftopoulos took place at the Greek Orthodox church of St. George. Many friends, relatives, staff and residents from St. Nicholas Nursing Home attended the service to pay their respects. But Gerrasimos was not laid to rest in Brisbane. It was his wish to be buried in Ithaca, with his parents, in the cemetery of “Ton Aghion Taxiarchon” in Platrithias. His family made sure that his wish was fulfilled when, on the 1st October 2007, his coffin was flown out from Brisbane on the long journey back to his beloved Ithaca. The burial service took place on the 4th October, in the presence of his children Elias, Effie and her husband Peter, friends and close family members.

The family of Gerassimos Raftopoulos have requested that their thanks be conveyed to each and every one in Australia and Ithaca for the support and sympathy shown to them.

NEW COMMAND:
Congratulations to Lieutenant Commander Gerry Savakis RAN, who has taken command of an Armidale Class Patrol Boat, Nuship Marborough. Gerry and his crew are currently stationed in Darwin N.T. and are making preparations for Nuship Maryborough to make her voyage to Brisbane, where the ship will be commissioned into naval service on the 8th December, 2007. After it is commissioned, HMAS Maryborough will be employed in conducting operations in support of Australia’s Maritime Interests in the North, including Fisheries and Immigration Patrols as well as Drug and Law Enforcement Operations.

TALENTED MUSICIANS:
We congratulate the talented musicians in our midst and the contribution that they are making to the Greek Community. On the 22nd September, the Greek Orthodox Youth Orchestra of Brisbane, as well as other artists, performed at a concert to aid the Youth Orchestra, Estia Disability Group and the Fire Victims of Greece.

Among the performers were Adrianna Mageros (violin), Renee Pippos (violin), George Pippos (violin) and Geordie Pippos (bouzouki), all grandchildren of the late George and Tsambika Pippos, whilst their son Manuel Pippos was compere for the evening. George Pippos also transposed the music for all the various instruments in the orchestra. He is also a member of the Queensland Youth Orchestra.

Other performers were cousins, Eleni and Christala Pippos, who sang their own compositions. Eleni has attended the Conservatorium of Music and studied Voice, while Christala is a member of the youth choir at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. They are both grand-children of Eleni and Jim Pippos.

Katerini Manolatos, daughter of our President, John and his wife Konstantina, also sang. Katerini has studied at the Conservatorium of Music in Voice and has her Masters in Music Therapy from the University of Queensland. She has regularly supported the Greek Community by singing at many of their fundraising events. She is currently teaching singing and music therapy in Cairns.

50th STATE HIGH SCHOOL REUNION:
Victor Syrmis flew in from the United States of America to host a classmates and friends 50th year school reunion celebrations. It was the class of 1957-61 which celebrated coming together to share their memories of the past and present, and to reconnect with faces and stories that they had lost contact over the years. This celebration occurred at the Brisbane Polo Club on Saturday, 27th October, 2007. Lots of tributes and thanks were made to Victor and his wife Pam for making that night such a successful one.

A SPECIAL VISIT TO A LOVED AUNT:
Spyro Paxinos and his wife Esther and her three brothers, Denis, Victor and Des made special visits to their aunt Marianthe Syrmis who has been critically ill and is in the nursing home at St. Nicholas. My special thanks are given to these wonderful folks who found and made time to give mum priority listing, and flew from the U.S.A., and Melbourne to visit their Aunt every day over their stay from the 24th-28th October, 2007. Their visit gave my mother such a surge of adrenalin flow that it has kept her on a happy keel, days after they have returned home. We all have been deeply indebted to such a show of love in action and her family thanks them warmly from the bottom of their hearts.

GERASSIMOS RAFTOPOULOS

Gerassimos Raftopoulos passed away in Brisbane on 22nd September 2007, aged 95. He was born in Frikes, Ithaca, in 1912, the sixth child of Ilias Apostolou Raftopoulos from Kioni and Angeliki Gerassimou Petalas from Exoghi. He attended primary school in Frikes and later learnt joinery and cabinet making, working at his trade as well as helping his parents manage their property and tavern.

In 1941, Gerassimos married Trisevgeni Efstathiou Paxinos (Lyris), who was from Anoghi. By then the island was occupied by the Italian army, who requisitioned their food needs from the islanders. Gerassimos put his life in danger when he refused to give wine and oil to the soldiers and consequently was imprisoned in Kefallonia. Luckily, he never went to trial and was released after Trisevgeni, relatives and lawyers pleaded for his life.

By the end of World War II and the Greek Civil War, Gerassimos had three young children, Effie, Leo and Bob. During those post war years, making a living in Ithaca was not easy and so in 1950, just like his father had done some 50 years earlier, Gerassimos left for Australia in search of work. He met up with his two brothers, John and Nicholas, who were then living and working in Melbourne. Gerassimos found work in General Motors but he did not enjoy life without his family. He was ready to return to Ithaca when the 1953 earthquake changed his mind and he decided to bring his wife and children to Australia instead.

In December 1953, the family arrived in Brisbane where Gerassimos had, by now, joined his brother-in-law, Jim Paxinos, in a thriving mixed business. Gerassimos worked long hours, seven days a week with a view to achieving his aim of buying his own home and educating his children, whose number increased to four with the birth of Kon. He was a good business man and with his savings and bank loans he invested in property and shares, which allowed him to become financially independent in no time at all.

In 1977, when Gerassimos retired, he went back to Frikes determined to repair the family home, which had been ruined by the earthquake. He commuted annually to Ithaca, briefing contractors and doing many of the repairs himself. Up to about the age of 90 he was still seen walking to the nearby villages, dancing at the panigyria, swimming, gardening, climbing step-ladders, adjusting roof tiles and cleaning gutters. He was an energetic, serious but sociable man, who enjoyed swapping stories about the past with his fellow Ithacans.

In 2002 he became ill and went to live in St Nicholas Hostel, the Greek care home in Brisbane, where he was a resident until his death. Gerassimos leaves behind Trisevgeni, his four children and nine grandchildren. His brothers and sisters Eleftheria, John, Nicholas, Irene, Tassia and Andrew, predeceased him. May they all rest in peace.

Με λύπη σας αναγγέλουμε ότι απεβίωσεν είς Βρισβάνη την 26ην Σεπτεμβρίου, ετών 95, ο Κος Γεράσιμος Ραυτόπουλος από Φρίκες Ιθάκης, υιός του Ηλία από το Κιόνι καί της Αγγελικής Πεταλά από την Εξωγή. Η κηδεία έλαβε χώρα στον Ιερόν Ναόν του Αγίου Γεωργίου στην Βρισβάνη. Όπως όμως ήτο η επιθυμία και η εντολή του εκλειπόντα, η σωρός μετεφέρθη εις την αγαπημένη του Ιθάκη εις την εκκλησία και κοιμητήριο των Αγίων Ταξιαρχών στον Πλατρειθιά. Εν παρουσία των παιδιών του Ηλία και Ελευθερίας, ετάφη την 4ην Οκτωβρίου στον οικογενειακό τάφο, μαζύ με τους γονείς του. Πολλοί γνωστοί, φίλοι και συγγενείς παραστάθηκαν εις τας τελετάς εις Βρισβάνη και εις Ιθάκην γιά να εκδηλώσουν το σέβας τους, την τιμή τους και να αποχαιρετήσουν τον μεταστάντα. Αιωνία του η μνήμη.

ΝΕΑ ΑΠΟ ΤΟ ΣΙΔΝΕΥ
Γράφει η Αντωνία Καραβία

Κατά πρώτον στον αγαπητό Διονύση Κατσαμά που επανεκλέγη πρόεδρος, θερμά συγχαρητήρια καλή του χρονιά με πρόοδο και υγεία. Επίσης στον αποχορούντα πρόεδρο κύριον Πάνο Παξινό, ύστερα από τόσα χρόνια αρίστης προεδρίας, καλή ξεκούραση και παν ποθητόν σ’ αυτόν και την οικογενειά του.

Εκδηλώσεις: Στις 9.9.07 εις τον Ιερόν Ναόν της Αγίας Τριάδος ετελέσθη όπως κάθε χρόνο η καθιερωμένη αρτοκλασία της εορτής των Καθαρών όπου πολλοί Ιθακήσιοι με κατάνυξη παρακολούθησαν. Στο τέλος της θείας λειτουργίας έγινε η περιφορά της εικόνας γύρω του ναού και όπως πάντα στο χωλ δίπλα, το Δ. Συμβούλιο είχε ετοιμάσει μεζέδες και ποτά και όλοι ευχηθήκαμε η Καθαριώτισα να δίνει υγεία σ’ εμάς και τις οικογενειές μας.

Στη 21.10.07 η Αδελφότης μας διοργάνωσε ημερήσια εκδρομή με λεωφορείο εις το Alpacas and Tuscany Farm με μεγάλη επιτυχία. Ο πολύ ωραίος καιρός και η παρουσία πολλών Ιθακησίων βοήθησε να περάσουμε μια πολύ ευχάριστη και χαρούμενη ημέρα.

Η 28 Οκτωβρίου εορτάσθη και εφέτος όπως κάθε χρόνο με Δοξολογία εις όλους τους ιερούς ναούς και παρελάσεις των Ελληνικών σχολείων και κολλεγίων.

Επίσης η μεγάλη στοά της ΑΧΕΠΑ εόρτασε την Εθνική μας Εορτή εις το ιδιόκτητο κτιριό τους με την παρουσία πολλών επισήμων των παλαιών πολεμιστών και πλήθος μελών και φίλων. Χρέη τελετάρχη ετέλεσε ο δικηγόρος Κος Victor Bizanes και η βραδιά πέρασε υπέροχα με ελληνικούς χορούς κι όπως πάντα μεζέδες και αναψυκτικά.

Ταξίδια: Από ταξίδι αναψυχής επέστρεωαν στο Sydney ο Κος Σταύρος και Λούλα Βλάχου ο Θανάσης και Νίκη Λυγούρας και το ζεύγος Terry και Katrina Στεφανάτου από το ταξίδι του μέλιτος με τις καλίτερες εντυπώσεις τους και κυρίως από την Ιθάκη που τους ενθουσίασε.

Θανάτοι: Εις Βαθύ γήρας απεβίωσε στο Sydney ο αγαπητός πατριώτης μας Κος Σπύρος Λιβάνης. Στα παιδιά του, αδέλφια του εδω και στην Ιθάκη και σ’ όλους τους συγγενείς τα θερμά μας συλλυπητήρια.

Επίσης θερμά συλλυπητήρια στην αγαπητή πατριώτισσα Δέσποινα Αντώνη και οικογενειά της για τον θάνατο του συζύγου της Νικολάου Αντώνη.

Με τον ερχομό του 2008 εκ μέρους μου, της οικογενείας μου, του Δ. Συμβούλιου και των μελών την Ιθακησίας Αδελφότητος Sydney εύχομαι να φέρει υγεία, αγάπη και παν ποθητόν εις όλους μας.

NEWS FROM PERTH
By Mary Raftopoulos

TRAVELS
Poppy and Spiroyianni Artelaris went to Ithaca in September. They make this journey to their beloved Island, every year. They spend their time in Vathi, where Spiro was born. They meet up with a lot of friends and reminisce about the good old times. They can be found sipping their coffee at the Niritos Cafe every morning.

Spiroyianni Artelaris (pictured in the centre) having coffee in Vathi with his classmates and friends Mitso Vlismas and Yiannis Kandiliotis.

Gerry and Mary Raftopoulos also visited the island of their forefathers. Ιn fact they met up with Spiroyianni and Poppy and had coffee with them at the Niritos Cafe. Gerry’s parents are from Platrithia and Mary’s family are from Anoghi (the Maroudas family).

BIRTHS
Spiro and Natalie Raftopoulos welcomed the arrival of their beautiful little girl, Marina, on the 25th October. Να σας ζήσει.

Grandparents Costa and Cathy Raftopoulos (Kioni) and Gerry and Mary Raftopoulos (Platrithia) are thrilled with their new granddaughter.

DEATHS

LULA VENTOURAS (1914-2007)
Lula was born in Kioni on the 6th April, 1914. Her parents were Rothomanthi and Panayiotis Paizis. She married George Ventouras in 1936 and left Ithaca to embark on a new life in Perth. They settled in the lovely suburb of Cottesloe. There, in 1944, they built their first and only house.

Lula bore two sons, Jerry and John. Lula was deprived of a formal education, due to the isolation of the island, but had a thirst for knowledge. She taught herself to read and write English and was very well read. Her community spirit was very generous and she donated many hours of voluntary work at the Sir Charles Gardiner Hospital. She was a long serving member of AHEPA.

Lula is survived by her two sons, Jerry and John, their wives, Christine and Chandra, five grandchildren and six great grandchildren. The Society extends its sincere sympathy to the family of Lula Ventouras

GERASIMOS PAIZIS
Two weeks before Lula Ventouras passed away her brother Gerasimos passed away. He is survived by wife Evanthia, their two sons and grandchildren.

POETRY

ΓΛΥΚΙΑ ΜΟΥ ΙΘΑΚΗ

Γλυκιά μου Ιθάκη
είσαι η πιο όμορφη πατρίδα μεσ’ τη γη
δεν είχε άδικο ο Οδυσσέας που’ ρθε πάλι
και όταν τα σπάρτα σου ανθίζουν την αυγή
με ευδωδιές γεμίζουν όλα σου τα κάλλη.

Μα εγώ είμαι εδώ, μες’ την Αθήνα τη γλυκιά,
που ώρες-ώρες όμως γίνεται κακιά,
και με αγχώνει από το πρωί ίσαμε το βράδυ
και νοσταλγώ τη γαλανή σου αγκαλιά
να με γεμίζουνε τα κύματα φιλιά
και η αρμύρα στο κορμί μου να’ ναι χάδι.

Γλυκιά μου Ιθάκη
είσαι γλυκό μαράζι και καημός μες στην καρδιά μου
είσαι το γέλιο μου, η ελπίδα της ζωής
είσαι ο μακρύς ο δρόμος, όπως λέει κι ο ποιητής,
μαζί κι απέραντο λιμάνι στα ονειρά μου.

Θέλω κοντά σου πάλι να βρεθώ,
και στη γαλάζια σου αγκαλιά να κοιμηθώ,
στις παραλίες σου και στ’ άσπρα σου ακρογιάλια.
Θέλω να’ ρθώ κι εκεί στα ξέπνοα τα κύματα σιμά
να νιώσω ανάλαφρη με βλέφαρα χλωμά,
κι η ανακούφιση να μ’ εύρει αγάλια-αγάλια.

Σίτσα Βαρβαρήγου
Αθήνα