On Saturday, 18 March close to 300 members and guests of the Society of Kalamata “23 March” came together to celebrate the organisation’s 40th anniversary at a gala dinner.
Held in honour of the 202nd anniversary of the Liberation of Kalamata on 23 March 1821 and the beginning of the Greek War of Independence; the event attracted guests across all generations of our diaspora.
In attendance were Vice-Consul of Greece in Melbourne, Dimitrios Linardos and family, themselves proud Messinians from the village of Valira; alongside GCM president Bill Papastergiadis.
Founded in 1983, the seminal idea for the Society initially came about during a family gathering at the house of Nikolaos Marantos.
On 19 June 1983, 63 people attended the church hall of Sts Constantine and Helen in South Yarra to vote in the so called “foundation committee.”
In due course and after “many months of sleepless evenings,” the clubs constitution was created.
Finally, on 13 November 1983 the Society of Kalamata “23 March” formally came to be, when its first official committee was elected at the club’s inaugural annual general meeting.
This year’s celebratory gala dinner was reportedly a fun filled night full of festivity, attendees treated to a musical backdrop by DJ John Mav, accompanied by the familiar tones of the bouzouki throughout the evening.
“We were thrilled with the outcome of our gala dinner dance. The success of the functions organised by the committee shows that if you have a quality event the members will support it and encourage their family and friends to participate,” said Sam Vlachos, the Society’s president.
The event received positive feedback from attendees, who congratulated the Society’s committee on organising such a successful night.
“The committee of the Society of Kalamata “23 March” worked hard from the beginning to ensure a quality event for the enjoyment of all attendees from the youngest through to the oldest,” said the Society’s secretary, Katy Karabatsos.
“The gala dinner dance was a great success and the committee is dedicated to bringing high quality events for all to enjoy and participate in over a long-term basis,” she concluded.
Plans for next year’s annual dinner dance are apparently already underway, one the Society says “promises to be a bigger and better event.”
