People from all parts of Melbourne’s Greek community joined in to celebrate the 12th anniversary of Merimna.
Hosted on Sunday at the Xenia Food Store on Lygon Street, the event was held by the Merimna Committee, which celebrated its successful impact on the community.
Among the attendees were representatives of the the Papaflessas Social Club, historian – and regular Neos Kosmos contributor – Jim Claven, as well as many of the Merimna sponsors, such as the Marble Centre, Eleni’s Kitchen, and Ithea.
The event was also an opportunity for the organisation to raise funds – accumulating close to $7,500 – in order to erect a monument in commemoration of Major George Devine Treloar, who helped the migrants of Asia Minor re-establish themselves in their new homes in Thrace during the incident of 1923.
The Merimna Committee is working in association with the Ballarat RSL Pontiaki Estia and the city of Ballarat, Major Treloar’s birthplace in hopes that this monument will be built by March of next year.
Right now they are in the process of selecting the artist suitable to undertake the task, among a shortlist of three. The final selection will be made in September so that the work on the monument can move on as scheduled.
