The Founder of Heartbeat of Football, Andrew Paschalidis, represented the Greek community on Wednesday as an Australia Day Ambassador for the Leeton Shire.
Mr Paschalidis has been an Australia Day Ambassador since 1996 and this year, his first duty was to meet with several members of the Leeton United Football Club. Leeton won the local Premier League competition in 2020 after a 27 year drought.
READ MORE: Hellsoc UNSW raise money for Heartbeat of Football with annual soccer event.
The next day, Mr Paschalidis attended a breakfast hosted by the Country Women’s Association at Murrami, before heading over to Mountford Park for the official citizenship ceremony.
The ceremony began with a Welcome to Country by a former footballer before 20 migrants were given their newfound citizenship status. A number of local citizens were also honoured under the theme, ‘Persevere to Volunteer.’
READ MORE: Heartbeat of Football receives $10,000 donation from Good Samaritan.
“Feeling proud to be the Australia Day Ambassador for Leeton Shire,” Mr Paschalidis wrote on Twitter after the event.
“The spirit of volunteerism never ceases to amaze me in the country areas of NSW.”
Mr Paschalidis was not the only Greek Australian to be an Ambassador this year, with prominent conductor and award-winning composer, George Ellis, also performing the role for the Cabonne Shire.
READ MORE: George Ellis set to impress as Australia Day Ambassador for the Cabonne Shire.
