The Rethimnian Association of Melbourne - Australia “ ARKADI “ is one of the oldest Associations in Melbourne. It was established in December 1972. Its main aim was to unite all the Hellenic People of Rethimnian descent residing in Melbourne under one umbrella and establish a body were they could meet and interact.
Furthermore the Association was established to pass down to the following generations the cultural background , and way of life of the island of Crete and its people.
The following members have served our Association in the respective positions from 1972 to today :
| President: |
Giorgios Tsourdalakis, Antonis S. Tsourdalakis |
| Secretary: |
Socrates Tsourdalakis, Stelios Giannikakis, Emmanuel Vardakis, Emmanuel Pytharoulios, Constantine Dermentzis, Emmanuel Vandarakis. |
| Treasurer: |
Vangelis Vantarakis, Stavros M. Vantarakis, Giorgos Kambourakis, Nikos Haritakis, Vangelis Alevizakis, Georgios Rerakis, Nikolaos Dendes, Andreas Vourvahakis, Manuel Dendes |
Committee Members : ( Alphabetical order )
Mihalis Apokoroniotakis, Leonidas Bagiartakis, Kostas Batsanis, Georgios Berkis, Tasos Dendes, Spiros Fountoulakis, Stavros Gaganis, Mihalis Giannikakis, Mihalis Haritakis , Stelios Klapsinakis, Georgios Marakis, Christos Papadakis, Nikos G. Polomarkakis, Nikos N. Polomarkakis, Stavros Pytharoulios, Nikos Rerakis, Ioannis Rerakis, Ioannis Selianakis, Georgios Sbokos, Ioannis Tzagarakis, George S. Vantarakis, Stavros G. Vantarakis, Georgios Vardakis, Mihalis Vardakis, Manolis Velonakis, Dimitrios Volitakis, Dimitrios Vourvahakis, Manolis Vourvahakis, Harry Xynomilakis, Sifis Xyradakis,
The Association was given the above name in order to honour the heroes who fell valiantly fighting for freedom during the Turkish occupation at the Holy Monastery of Arkadi in November 1866.
Our Association was the first Association to begin inviting Musical Dance company's from mainland Greece and in particular Crete. Some of the big names our Association has invited include Kostas Mountakis - Athanasios Skordalos – Antonis Apostolakis – Spiros Sifogiorgakis – Ioannis Markogianakis - Mihalis & Nikos Alefantinos - Zaharias Melesanakis - Rodamanthos Androulakis - Manolis Kaklis - Giorgos Papadakis - Nikos Skevakis - Nikos Manias - Vangelis Tsafantakis - Christos Fournarakis - Antonis & Giorgis Xylouiris – Ioannis Psalidis - Giorgos Halkiadakis - Giorgos Manolioudis - Dimitris Vakakis – Alekos Xatzakis - Nikos Zoidakis - Giorgos Karagiorgis – Galatios Mosxonas – Andreas Meladakis – Giorgos & Christos Stivaktakis – Nektarios Samolis – Manolis Saloustros – Sifis Tsourdalakis - Kyriakos Stavrianoudakis.
Its Philanthropic achievements are also many having assisted financially many families that were poverty stricken, financially assisted also the General Hospital of Rethymnon in 1974 by donating beds and surgical equipment to the value of $ 5000 , furthermore donating $ 2000 in 1976 to the Hellenic Navy Forces, In 1984 it donated $2000 to the Holy Archdiocese of Crete and also $1000 to the Australia Hellenic Memorials in Canberra and Melbourne as well as $1000 to the National research foundation 'Eleftherios Venizelos'. Further charity work includes concert proceeds to the Cancer Council of Victoria totalling $ 21,750.00 as well as just over $ 70,000 to the Royal Melbourne Children’s Hospital.
The Associations cultural program over the years has given the opportunity to hundreds of kids to be educated with the traditional Cretan dances, songs and music on a weekly basis. It is a proud fact that several kids now adults play the Cretan Lyra & Lute that were brought up through the ranks of the Association.
Furthermore our Association has a very active Women’s Auxiliary with a group of women supporting the various facets of the Association with the President Mrs. Popi Rerakis leading the way.
Our Association has over the years been in constant communication with the other Cretan Associations around the globe including Greece , Germany , America ,Canada , South Africa , Cyprus and of course Australia having participated in the World Cretan Convention in Hania in August 2003 and in Rethymnon in August 2006.
Our Association is a Founding Member of the Cretan Federation of Australia & New Zealand, a member of the Co-ordinating Committee for Greek National Day, a Founding member of the Australian Hellenic Memorial Foundation, the Macedonian Advisory Council, the Justice of Cyprus Council ( SEKA ) and the Australian Hellenic Council.
YOUTH ASSOCIATION
As with the Dance Instructors the different Presidents of the Youth Clubs have also served the Association with great pride and passion. Below we name the presidents that have served the Rethimnian Youth Club from its inception in 1981.
Stelios Kotronakis
John Vourvahakis
Manuel Bagiartakis
Manolis Pytharoulios
Andreas Vourvahakis
Nektaria Polomarkakis
Manolis Binakis
Mary Vasilakis
Below we list in alphabetical order all the Cretan Members of Rethimnian Descent that have served the Youth Club since its inception in 1981. Please note that in the year 2000 a constitutional amendment was passed to allow non cretan members to serve the committee.
Barbagiannis Georgia |
Mihalakou Helen |
Tsapepas Vanya |
Binakis Harry |
Moridis Toula |
Tsigounis George |
Deves Kostantina |
Papadakis Amie |
Tsourdalakis Linda ( S ) |
Gamiadakis Nikos |
Papadakis Mary |
Tsourdaakis Linda ( G ) |
Haritakis Stelios |
Papatolis Anestis |
Tsourdalakis Mary |
Haritakis Mihalis |
Pantelios Harry |
Vardakis Mary ( G ) |
Haritakis Ioannis |
Poupouzas Michael |
Vardakis Andreas ( G ) |
Helioudakis Nektaria |
Psevdos Christos |
Vantarakis Stavros ( G ) |
Iakovidou Christina |
Rerakis Anna |
Vasilakos Frank |
Karas Andrea |
Rerakis Katerina |
Volitakis Irene |
Lioudakis Georgia |
Saloustros Ross |
Vourvahakis Nikos |
Lioudakis Kostas |
Sirilas Dimitra |
Xanthos Panagiota |
Melambiotis Mary |
Sofronas Anna |
Xyradakis Helen |
Mitsibonas Vasilis |
Sparis Tia |
Zafiris Alex |
Mihalakou Maria |
Stavrinidis John |
|