For most of my teenage years, every Sunday morning we would drive across town for Greek dancing lessons run by the Pankalavrytino brotherhood. Both my parents came from Dafni, in the Kalavryta region of the Peloponnese, and my father was on the committee at the time. With no extended family here, our social life revolved around the “syllogo”, established in 1967 by migrants from the area’s mountain villages. There were dinner dances, youth discos, snow trips and annual picnics in Sorrento. Through this community built around ties to places most of us had never been to, we made some great friends and wonderful memories, to a soundtrack of 80s music, tsamika and klarina.
As we grew older, the syllogo became less central to our lives. Some people remained involved through their parents and were active in committees. Others would attend the annual dinner dances or events with their families. But for many of us – and for many reasons – our connection waned over the years.
From youthful traditions to waning ties
Today, like many of the smaller regional brotherhoods from around Greece, the Pankalavrytini are contending with an aging membership. How to engage new members, succession planning and the fate of the association’s assets in the event of dissolution is a growing concern. Current President Jim Dolkas father, Anastasios, was one of the brotherhood’s founders. While he fondly recalls going to functions in his youth, he lost contact for years until 2017, when his father and other surviving founders was honoured during their 50th Anniversary celebration.
When he later learned that there was a risk the brotherhood could cease to exist if they could not get enough people to form a committee quorum of seven required under the constitution, Dolkas put his hand up. The 60-year-old property management executive became president in 2018. His dad passed away the following year.
Former president George Kavellaris has served on the committee since the 1990s and, along with his wife, Anna, has been one of the stalwarts of the brotherhood. At 81, he is one of the youngest of the original members.
“We have lost a lot of people in the last 10 years,” he says. “Most of us are in our 80s and 90s. We all have health issues and we can’t offer much now, many can’t even attend events. Our generation ends here and now we are looking at the second and third generation to keep it going.”
To that end, Dolkas and the largely second-generation committee have worked to modernise and rejuvenate the club, focusing on strengthening governance and digital communications and boosting membership. The traditional annual dinner dances have given way to more intimate member functions. They began holding free lunch events for members and introduced alternative style events at different venues to attract a younger cohort, hosting a regional wine tasting function at Vanilla, and last year’s Paniyiri at Meadowbank Estate with young musicians from the region.
Balancing the needs of older members and finding ways to appeal to second and third generations with connections to the region is a challenge. While they have increased membership up to around 150, they need major renewal and new blood to survive.
Challenges of renewal and the push for engagement
Ironically, the brotherhood’s financial position has never been healthier. For over 10 years, the small reception hall in Huntingdale that has been their home base since 1986 has been leased to the family behind Kentavros, the eponymous restaurant across the road. The brotherhood still holds meetings and events at the hall, but the committee no longer need to manage the property or wash the dishes after functions.
“The years we were in charge, it was different,” reflects Kavellaris. “For us to organise a dance, we needed to raise a certain amount of money, and it was hard work. Now we have the building paid off and an income, but we don’t have the people.”
“I am worried about the future, but because there’s an income, maybe the second generation will value this and try to keep it going for as long as they can,” he says.
With a question mark over the sustainability of these small regional brotherhoods, the future of the many underutilised properties scattered across the suburbs has sparked broader community discussion. As with similar associations, the Pankalavrytino constitution designates the Royal Children’s Hospital, Peter Mac and the Alfred Hospital as beneficiaries should the brotherhood fold. Dolkas notes that while they would continue making annual donations to key mainstream institutions, there is a strong desire for their assets to eventually go to community organisations supporting the elderly and others in need or promoting Greek culture and education.
At the Annual General Meeting held last December, members voted on four potential beneficiaries – Fronditha Care, Pronia, Agapi Care and the Greek Community of Melbourne and Victoria – or a fifth option to distribution equally between them. The outcome of the vote will need to be ratified at the next AGM.
“We have time. It’s not going to get dissolved any time soon, but members are worried. We need new people,” Dolkas says.
The priority – and challenge – is to find innovative ways to bring people together to create a renewed sense of purpose, relevance and community around these regional identities and ties.
Honouring history as a bridge to the future
Apart from local events, Dolkas believes greater awareness of Kalavryta’s history can serve as a shared source of pride and connection.
The brotherhood, whose full name incorporates the famous Agia Lavra monastery considered the symbolic birthplace of modern Greece, has enshrined in its constitution two significant historical events. The first is the 1821 siege of Kalavryta, which marked the beginning of the Greek War of Independence and earned it the distinction of being the first town to be liberated from Ottoman rule. The 200th anniversary milestone was celebrated with a well-attended dinner dance in 2021.
The second is acknowledged every December, when the brotherhood lays a wreath at St Catherine’s church in Malvern in memory of the victims of the 1943 Kalavryta massacre, one of the most horrific Nazis atrocities in Greece during World War II.
“The memorial service is one of the things that can bring us together,” says Dolkas, who grew up with stories of family members executed in the tragedy. “It’s part of who we are. Maybe through this event we can create a spark.”
Dolkas felt that spark when he attended the special commemorative events held in Kalavryta for the 80thAnniversary of the massacre in 2023, where he connected with Kalavrytini from around the world. He is hoping to bring a historical exhibition to Melbourne and is in discussions with local Greek schools.
The brotherhood has also since committed to sending a representative to Kalavryta each year for the memorial events. Last year, the privilege went to 27-year-old Basil Psarakos, the first third-generation member to serve on the committee. Psarakos says the experience cemented a sense of belonging and pride. “They were pretty excited and welcoming. I got invited to all the events, had a private tour of the museum and met the mayor,” he says.
Psarakos’ late grandfather used to take their large extended family to brotherhood events but they stopped after he became ill. He returned to the fold in 2023 after his grandmother told him about the wine tasting event. “It was an opportunity to come and see what it was about after so long, I spoke to Jim and offered my services if they needed anything.” He attended the next AGM and before he knew it, he was on the committee.
“It was a good to come to this syllogo,” says Psarakos. “I have friends and cousins in other community clubs. This was an opportunity to get to know people from my village and region with the same heritage and slowly bring in more youth.
“Initially, it’s like you’re getting dragged along to these things, but we did a couple of events last year that brought a lot more of a younger crowd. It was nice to meet these people. I feel that we are a large community, but we have just never reached out to each other.”
He admits sustaining the brotherhood long-term will be hard but believes his grandfather would be proud that he is trying to keep it going.
At last December’s AGM, Dolkas once again called for new members to join the committee. He was delighted that his daughter, Anastasia, 26, put her hand up – the third generation from his family to get involved.
With the brotherhood approaching its milestone 60th anniversary, there are plans for a gala dinner and opportunities to build new foundations.
“I have to remain hopeful that we can find a way,” Dolkas says of the challenge ahead. “It really is up to us now.”
