Last Thursday, a capacity crowd gathered at the GAS Networking Drinks event in Sydney, marking the organisation’s first social gathering after a brief winter hiatus.
The keynote speaker for the evening was veteran journalist and football commentator Andy Paschalidis, CEO and Founder of Heartbeat of Football.
Paschalidis regaled the crowd with stories about his career, starting as a Greek-Australian cadet journalist at SBS.
He went on to highlight the charity’s efforts over the past decade, particularly in conducting heart and health checks in the community, especially for seniors in sport.
“It’s great to be back,” said George Mpliokas, GAS Secretary and Co-Founder, reflecting on the event’s success.
He thanked Paschalidis “for sharing his professional journey and his personal mission with Heartbeat of Football.”
“Thursday was a great turnout, with plenty of returning GAS members and great to see some new faces and meet new Greek-Australians in the room. It’s proof again that we have the power to shape our community’s future for the better,” Mpliokas added.
The event was the first since the passing of inaugural mentor and Member 0001, Emmanuel Alfieris, who died on the football field from cardiac arrest in July.
“It’s sad to have lost such a dynamic community figure as Manny, but GAS is determined to draw strength from his legacy and make a difference,” Mpliokas said.
GAS members and friends paid tribute to Manny, including his brother Nick, who thanked GAS and made a commitment to supporting young Greek-Australians at GAS to honour his brother’s legacy.
Following his funeral, GAS also confirmed a pledge of $500 to Heartbeat of Football in Emmanuel’s memory, with the intention of deciding a permanent tribute to Member 0001 in due course.
GAS is set to wrap up the 2024 calendar year with events tied to the annual Mentoring Program and end-of-year celebrations.
