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‘Moving forward with confidence,’ says Fronditha Care President after strong turnaround

The Greek Herald
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‘Moving forward with confidence,’ says Fronditha Care President after strong turnaround

Jill Taylor (Nikitakis), Fronditha Care President and Board Chair, was pleased to inform Fronditha Care members that the organisational performance, since February 2021, had far exceeded expectations and Fronditha Care had reset its course for significant longer-term future growth.

Addressing close to 50 members, who joined the virtual Member Information Session II for the year, Ms Taylor (Nikitakis) said: “The important and necessary measures the Board and CEO, Faye Spiteri Tsolakis and her team implemented, to recalibrate the financial viability of the organisation, have proved to be very effective. We made the difficult decisions swiftly and so far managed to strike the right balance, keeping the care of our residents at the highest quality.”

“We have seen better than anticipated financial performance following a very disappointing year in 2020. Positive sentiment towards our organisation from the community has seen increased demand for Fronditha Care services. We continue to grow with uncompromised service as evidenced by the accreditation of all our facilities,” Jill Taylor (Nikitakis) told members.

Members were advised that the pandemic and compliance requirements have presented significant challenges in the aged care sector. Yet Fronditha Care has continued to lift occupancy rates in all its facilities, sitting at an average of 99%, compared with the industry average of around 88%.

Fronditha Care- Member Information Session II.

Since April 2021, with the release of additional Government packages, there has also been an 80% volume growth of Fronditha Care’s Community Services with more elderly community members requiring assistance at home and choosing Fronditha Care due to its credibility, culturally specific care model and the quality care of its service delivery.

Jill Taylor (Nikitakis) added: “Our strategy is definitely working, and we have made great gains in just four months. While we still have a way to go, we are moving forward with confidence towards a surplus result sooner than expected.”

Members also heard that Fronditha Care’s procedures and protocols have been exceptionally effective in keeping its residents and staff safe, healthy and COVID-19 free.

Fronditha Care has facilitated COVID-19 vaccination rollout for all those in its care, staff, volunteers, contractors and the extended Fronditha Care community through numerous vaccination rounds across all its facilities and the Mulgrave Support Hub. The vaccination rate is among the highest of an organisation of its size, with an average of 83% of residents and 82% of staff vaccinated.

Jill Taylor (Nikitakis) informed members that alongside efficiency measures put in place to lift operational performance there was a focus on completion of capital works with the new St Albans facility opening imminent.

“We have made a significant investment of $21.9M, to build a state-of-the-art facility in St Albans to fully cater to all our elderly residents’ needs. Ninety members of our community, many of them with advanced care needs, will be the first to occupy the new and much anticipated St Albans residence from September 2021. We expect the facility to be fully occupied within three months of opening, COVID restrictions permitting. We have also commenced small capital works at our Templestowe and Thornbury facilities, with a total investment of over $2.1 million, as part of our continuous improvement projects.”

Jill Taylor on the day of Member Information Session II.

“We are looking at the future with extreme optimism. We are working on a 10-year strategy and developing a strategic framework to future proof the organisation and provide more choice in our service delivery across the continuum of care for our community. I look forward to sharing more about this in November at our Annual General Meeting. In the meantime, I want to acknowledge and sincerely thank my fellow Directors and our CEO Faye Spiteri (Tsolakis) and her team for their commitment to the work and especially for achieving so much in such a short space of time,” Jill Taylor (Nikitakis) said.

The President was delighted to introduce two newly co-opted Directors, Mr Nicholas Giassoumi and Mr Alex Krassas. She also took the opportunity to thank the previous Treasurer, Mr Kostas Kyrifidis, who recently resigned from the Board, noting he played an instrumental role in the organisation’s financial turnaround.

Jill Taylor (Nikitakis) thanked the members for their continued support.

In response, the attendees congratulated the Board, CEO and Executive team for their hard work and the significantly improved results.

The information session is part of the ongoing commitment of the Fronditha Care Board to continue deeper communication with its members and the broader community.

Stefanos Tsitsipas defeats French opponent in US Open second round

Andriana Simos
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Stefanos Tsitsipas defeats French opponent in US Open second round

Stefanos Tsitsipas has defeated French opponent, Adrian Mannarino, in the second round of the US Open, 6-3, 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-0.

The third seed’s victory took him two hours and 41 minutes, just more than half of the four hours and 49 minutes he needed against Murray.

Tsitsipas broke in his first return game against Mannarino, and seized control from there. The Greek struck a forehand return winner on the full stretch to go up 2-0 in the opener, and that set the tone.

Although Mannarino’s flat groundstrokes and ability to take the ball early trouble many players, Tsitsipas never gave him a chance to control the action.

The Greek used his booming serve to stay on top of points during his service games, hitting a career-best 27 aces and winning 85 per cent of his first-serve points and keeping Mannarino from finding a rhythm.

The Frenchman’s level improved as the match wore on, though. Mannarino cut down his unforced errors and took the third-set tie-break when Tsitsipas missed a wide forehand into the net.

But Tsitsipas returned resurgent after a change of clothes to take the fourth set without conceding a game.

Andreas Embirikos: Greece’s first psychoanalyst

The Greek Herald
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Andreas Embirikos: Greece’s first psychoanalyst

Andreas Embirikos was a Greek surrealist poet and the first Greek psychoanalyst.

Early Life:

Embirikos was born on the 2nd of September 1901 and came from a wealthy family as his father was an important ship-owner.

He was born in Brăila, Romania, but his family soon moved to Ermoupolis in Syros. When Embirikos was only seven years old they moved to Athens.

While he was still a teenager, his parents divorced.

Andreas Embirikos.

Embirikos started studying philosophy at the University of Athens, but he eventually decided to move to Lausanne to stay with his mother.

The following years, Embirikos studied a variety of subjects both in France and in the United Kingdom. It was in Paris where he decided to study psychanalysis together with René Laforgue.

Body of Work:

Embirikos’ poetry can be defined by two major tendencies.

On the one hand, he was one of the major representatives of surrealism in Greece. His first poetic collection, Ipsikaminos, was a heretic book, characterised by the lack of the punctuation and the peculiarity of the language.

Embirikos was the first Greek psychoanalyst.

On the other hand, much of his work also dealt with the “Greek trauma.” With a frenzied sense of humour and well-meant boldness, he always tried to combine what is genuinely imaginary with the simple fact.

Death and Legacy:

Embirikos died in Kifissia, Athens in 1975. His mother preceded him by only two years.

Together with George Seferis, Embirikos was the most important representative of the “Generation of the ’30s.” He contributed greatly to the introduction of modernism in Greek letters and he helped change once and for all the poetic atmosphere of Greece.

Source: poemhunter.com.

Seven people arrested over suspected murder of bikie associate, Kerry Giakoumis

The Greek Herald
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Seven people arrested over suspected murder of bikie associate, Kerry Giakoumis

Seven people have been arrested as part of the investigation into the suspected murder of missing Hells Angels bikie gang associate, Kerry Giakoumis.

The Adelaide man was last seen alive at the Hells Angels clubhouse in Lipton Drive, Thomastown in Melbourne’s north on June 10 last year.

Detectives believe it is likely a dispute took place in the clubhouse on the night the 29-year-old was last seen that may be connected to other members or associates of the Hells Angels outlaw motorcycle gang.

READ MORE: Hells Angels club house raided in search for missing Adelaide man, Kerry Giakoumis.

Police believe Mr Giakoumis was murdered at the Hells Angels headquarters in Thomastown. Photo: AAP / Julian Smith.

Detective Superintendent Paul O’Halloran previously said police believed he was murdered in the clubhouse before his body was disposed of in the Jackson Creek area in Diggers Rest.

READ MORE: Victorian Police search creek for body of missing Hells Angel associate, Kerry Giakoumis.

But despite an extensive search of the creek over the past month, Mr Giakoumis’ body is yet to be found.

Police confirmed a dedicated taskforce set up to investigate his disappearance had arrested six men and a woman in Melbourne on Wednesday morning.

READ MORE: Police hold ‘grave fears’ for missing Adelaide bikie associate Kerry Giakoumis.

Detective Superintendent Paul O’Halloran confirmed the seven arrests. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said officers raided residential properties in Keilor Downs, Mernda, West Melbourne, St Albans, Laverton and Diggers Rest.

She said searches at those properties were ongoing and the seven people would be interviewed by police.

No charges have been laid yet.

READ MORE: Investigation into Hells Angel associate Kerry Giakoumis’ disappearance continues.

Source: news.com.au.

Greek Prime Minister: We do not want a repeat of the “massive migration flows” from 2015

The Greek Herald
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Greek Prime Minister: We do not want a repeat of the “massive migration flows” from 2015

Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said on Wednesday that Greece does not want a repeat of the “massive migration flows” seen in 2015, and that he disagreed with the head of the European Parliament who said that member-states need to do their part in accepting Afghan asylum seekers.

“I would politely disagree with his assessment regarding the decision taken yesterday [Tuesday] by the European Council at the level of ministers regarding Afghanistan,” Mitsotakis said at a panel of the Bled Strategic Forum 2021, in Bled, Slovenia.

READ MORE: EU will vow to stop ‘uncontrolled’ migration from Afghanistan, draft statement says.

“What we said was very clear: that we do not want a repeat the uncontrolled and unregulated massive migration flows we experienced in 2015,” he added.

“I stand by this decision by representing a country that was a victim to a policy which ended up in highlighting significant failures of the European institutions, as we have yet to agree on a common Pact on Migration and Asylum.”

Speaking earlier at the same panel, David Sassoli, who is the European Parliament President, said he was “very disappointed” with Tuesday’s Home Affairs Council conclusions. 

“We have seen countries outside the European Union come forward to welcome Afghan asylum seekers, but we have not seen a single member state do the same,” he told attendees.

“Everyone rightly thought of those who worked with us and their families, but none had the courage to offer refuge to those whose lives are still in danger today.”

Source: Ekathimerini.

Pope Francis confirms plans to visit Greece and Cyprus

The Greek Herald
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Pope Francis confirms plans to visit Greece and Cyprus

Pope Francis is planning to visit Greece and Cyprus as part of a tour in Malta and Slovenia that will possibly take place later in the autumn, according to reports on Wednesday.

“Slovakia is on the program, then Cyprus, Greece and Malta,” the pontiff told Spain’s Cope radio, confirming reports of his visit earlier this summer.

The exact dates of the Pope’s Apostolic Journey “will be announced once it has been confirmed,” a spokesperson for the Vatican told the Times of Malta.

Pope Francis visited Greece in 2016.

“This decision will also consider the Covid situation to ensure the health and safety of the Holy Father, the faithful and all those involved, as the Church has always done in consultation with the health authorities,” the spokesperson added.

Pope Francis travelled to Greece in 2016, visiting the Moria migrant and refugee camp on the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos.

His visit to Cyprus will make him only the second Roman Catholic pontiff to ever travel to the eastern Mediterranean island nation. Francis’ predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI was the first pontiff to travel to Cyprus in 2010.

Source: Ekathimerini.

Grigoris Polychronidis wins silver medal in Boccia at Tokyo Paralympics

Andriana Simos
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Grigoris Polychronidis wins silver medal in Boccia at Tokyo Paralympics

Greece added another medal to its tally at the Tokyo Paralympic Games on Wednesday, bringing the total medals won by the nation to seven.

Grigoris Polychronidis won the silver at boccia, a precision ball sport, similar to bocce and related to bowls and pétanque.

READ MORE: Athletes claim bronze and silver medals for Greece at Tokyo Paralympics.

Polychronidis with his coach. Photo: Nikos Karanikolas / Hellenic Paralympic Committee.

The 39-year-old lost in the final to Adam Peska of the Czech Republic.

Initially, when Peska was ahead 3-0, he forced Grigoris to chase him to the score. In the next three sets, the Greek Paralympian managed to equalise, winning each set 1-0.

The game went to a tie break where Peska won.

READ MORE: Greek father and son Lazaros and Leontios Stefanidis make Paralympic history.

Polychronidis won the silver medal. Photo: Elef Boccia Ramps / Facebook.

Polychronidis has ranked first in the World Ranking List since 2018 and has won four Paralympic Medals (Gold in London 2012, Silver & Bronze in Rio 2016, Silver in Beijing 2008), as well as 35 medals in official international boccia competitions and 18 consecutive Greek Championships.

The other Paralympian medallists so far are Panagiotis Triantafyllou, Demosthenes Michalentzakis, Dimitrios Bakochristos, Antonios Tsapatakis, Athanasios Konstantinidis and Efstratios Nikolaidis.

READ MORE: ‘I found a homeland in Greece’: Syrian refugee on his way to Tokyo Paralympics.

Sydney Olympic begin building their squad ahead of upcoming season

Alex Anyfantis
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Sydney Olympic begin building their squad ahead of upcoming season

The club has announced that five players from last year’s roster will re-join the team, while new signings are soon to follow.

More specifically, defenders Michael Glassock and Ben van Meurs, alongside midfielders William Angel, Brendan Cholakian and Darcy Burgess, have all agreed to remain at the club throughout 2022.

The 21-year-old defender Michael Glassock record\ed 17 appearances and one goal before last season came to a premature end. As for the rest of this group of players, van Meurs has played 26 times and scored twice for the blue-and-whites, Angel has 28 appearances across three seasons, while Darcy Burgess is one short of that. Finally, Brendan Cholakian was quick to gain his position in the team’s midfield, as only last season he was able to score twice in 15 games.

The club’s CEO John Boulous made the following statement regarding the renewal of the collaboration with the aforementioned group of players:

“Over the coming weeks we will be announcing both the players that have re-signed for the Club as well as our new signings that will call Olympic home in 2022.”

“Today, we would like to welcome back defenders Will Angel, Michael Glassock and Ben Van Meurs, while midfielders Brendan Cholakian and Darcy Burgess will be back in Blue in 2022”.

Additionally, club manager Ante Juric pointed out that his team’s potential will greatly increase with the inclusion of this group within the squad:

“These players will again provide a great mix of youth and experience within our squad”.

“As we know the 2021 season was cut short and with a young squad, we were in the top 5 and had qualified for the Round of 32 of the FFA Cup. We are confident we will build on this strong foundation set last season from a squad full of youth, aspiration and enthusiasm for the season ahead”.

‘Tribute to my grandfather’: Leading Aircraftman, Yianni Skoulakis, on his laouto passion

Andriana Simos
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‘Tribute to my grandfather’: Leading Aircraftman, Yianni Skoulakis, on his laouto passion

Yianni Skoulakis has many talents. He’s a proud Cretan, laouto player and a Leading Aircraftman for the Royal Australian Airforce (RAAF).

It’s for these reasons The Greek Herald asked Yianni to perform Cretan music live on our Facebook page on Saturday, August 21 and he definitely didn’t disappoint.

With such a glowing and positive response from our readers, we just had to find out more about this Leading Aircraftman and in his open and humble way, Yianni was more than happy to share where his passion for the laouto and the RAAF comes from.

His grandfather and the laouto:

Originally from Hobart in Tasmania, Yianni was immersed in the Cretan culture from a very young age and always wanted to learn how to play the laouto like his grandfather.

“My pappou Yianni, who died before I was born, he bought a laouto in Crete in 1951 [and brought it to Australia with him]. I never knew how to play it, but we had it because it was the only thing we had of him,” Yianni tells The Greek Herald exclusively.

Yianni’s pappou in 1951.

“This laouto was beautiful. We still have it. It’s nearly 100 years old. It’s got whalebone inscriptions on it. It’s a masterpiece.

“But I grew up all my life hearing Kritika and I’d always see it in the case there at our house and I was always thinking, ‘I would like to learn it’.”

Yianni learnt how to play the guitar first at 11 years old and then two years later, when he was 13, he visited Crete with his family and had ten laouto lessons from Harilaos Vlastakis.

“I learnt ten songs with him, just real basic stuff and he was shocked at how quickly I was picking it up… and I fell in love with it. After the tenth lesson, my mum and dad bought me the laouto that I was playing on,” Yianni explains.

Yianni playing his pappou’s laouto.

“Then we came back down to Tassie and I started playing my pappou Yianni’s one as well. Everything else was pretty much self-taught.”

Since then, Yianni has never looked back. He plays the laouto at home at least two hours every day and can also be seen performing at events hosted by the Cretan Association of Sydney and NSW.

“I’m very passionate. I get very emotional when I play and I think of it like a tribute to my grandfather who I never got to meet,” Yianni says passionately.

“I like entertaining people, especially the oldies, because I play the very traditional stuff from the 30s, 40s, 50s… and I love seeing them get emotional and think of their childhood.”

Joining the RAAF:

When Yianni isn’t entertaining people with his laouto playing, he’s also busy working as an avionics technician with the No. 37 Squadron. He says another family memory ultimately led him to join the RAAF in 2018.

Leading Aircraftman Yianni Skoulakis. Photo by- Corporal David Said.

“It started when I was eight years old. My dad bought a 1949 Cadillac and I remember he had a book on the history of Cadillacs and it talked about that car he had… and said the wings for the fins at the rear of the car were inspired off a World War II aircraft, which was the Lockheed P-38 Lightning,” Yianni explains.

“I was obsessed with that plane and then I got really into World War II and all the other aircraft and innovations and all that, and that led up to me wanting the military life. That was probably around Year 10.”

Yianni says he did initially get ‘a bit of pushback from my family because they always think worst case scenario,’ but that didn’t stop him. He ended up doing a gap year in the navy, before transferring over to the RAAF. 

“I’d say it’s the closest to a family I can get while being away from the family. That’s why I like it. The routine too because I’m a very routine kind-of person,” Yianni says.

“To me, there’s no better feeling serving. It’s like giving back. The Australians helped during WWII and now that we migrated to Australia, well my grandparents… it’s like a thank you, you could say.”

Aerobatics athlete Chris Sperou on six decades of stunt flying

John Voutos
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Aerobatics athlete Chris Sperou on six decades of stunt flying

Chris Sperou, 82, is an adrenaline junkie and has been flying aeroplanes as a stunt pilot for more than 60 years. 

His first flight was just as risky as his next. 

“Basically, I was self-taught,” he grins to ABC News.

”The instructor would say ‘go out and do some revision and come back’.”

“I’d go out and put the aeroplane through its paces, so all the advanced [aerobatics] was self-taught”.

Mr Sperou said he wants to continue flying for as long as he can (Photo: ABC News)

Sperou’s love for aviation began in Ceduna in South Australia’s south and took him on an international stage. 

Sperou has represented Australia in international aerobatic championships several times, along with winning a swag of awards locally, and competed at the World Aerobatic Championships six times. 

“I’ve flown in a formation of three aeroplanes, and we won the Australian title seven times and I’ve been the Australian champion 13 times in solo aerobatics,” he said.

Mr Sperou and his long-time flying buddy, Warren Stewart, 83, say they have no intention of slowing down anytime soon. 

“People ask me that, they say because of your age how do you keep going? Buggered if I know,” Mr Stewart told ABC News.

But Mr Sperou knows that time will come one day.

“When I’ve got to start thinking about it while I’m up there doing it, [it’s time to] give it away,” he said.

“Until then, he’s happy to keep turning his life upside down.” 

Source: ABC News

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