History of the Club

Hellenic Club of Canberra, how it all began.where we are now..

From a small community hall to the jewel in the crown of the ACT Club Industry!

Greek culture is the spirit of a community which is bound together by significant social gatherings surrounding religious and traditional events.  In the early days when the population of Canberra was still small and the Greek Community even smaller those important gatherings would be held through the Greek Orthodox Church.  As time went by the Greek immigrant population grew and during the late 1960s and early 1970s the overwhelming social need for Canberra’s Greek community came to the fore.

After numerous discussions with the Department of the Interior for the allocation of a block of land the first meeting of interested parties was held at the Park Royal Motel on 20 October 1970.  At this meeting forty five people were present and each donated $300 to become foundation members signalling the birth of the Hellenic Club of Canberra.

Five locations were offered and the one in Philip was chosen as the most suitable location for the establishment of such a Club.  On 2 December 1972 a celebratory dance was held at the Italo-Australian Club during which the selection of the site and the granting of the block for the purpose of constructing the Club premises was announced.  On 15 July 1974, the Hellenic Club signed its first rent cheque for the block.

On 9 May 1976 the foundations were blessed by the Greek Orthodox Archbishop Ezekiel and the Greek Ambassador laid the first stone in the footings.  Construction was at last underway on the site to house Canberra’s Hellenic Club.

The Hellenic Club opened for business on 24 February 1979.  After many years of hard work, the Greek community had not only a place to meet but also a vehicle to showcase the Greek culture and cuisine to the wider local community.

In 1993 the Club carried out its first significant renovations and extensions program which proved to be a real turning point in the Club’s history.  It wasn’t just the building that was growing, but its membership was also increasing at a healthy rate.

Almost ten years on and due to such significant growth and overwhelming popularity, 2002 saw the completion of a $10million renovation and extensions, the largest in the Club’s young history.  The transformation elevated the Club to a new level and would make it the largest Hellenic Club in Australia and considered by many overseas visitors, the most elegant in the world. 

Since its establishment, the Hellenic Club has continually developed and has become one of the most successful clubs in the ACT, offering some of the best Club facilities and services in the Canberra region.  The Club has contributed enormous economic and social benefits to the ACT economy over this period and has also served as the bridge between the Greek and Australian culture.  The Hellenic Club currently provides employment to over a 100 people and contributes to worthwhile community projects, charities and sport.

Requests for Assistance & Sponsorship

Hellenic Club Of Canberra Community Contributions Committee and The Community Assistance Program

The Hellenic Club Community Contributions Committee was formed in order to support the Board of Directors in its responsibility for allocating financial and other forms of support to charitable and other community organisations in Canberra and the wider region.

The Committee meets quarterly and assesses the community assistance requests according to the Club’s approved strategy, budget constraints, policy and criteria.

The Hellenic Club’s primary objectives include:

• to promote and develop community spirit and to generally raise the standard of living in our community;
  
• to secure and benefit the welfare of our members and our community;
  
• to promote, develop and encourage sporting and recreational activities;
  
• to encourage and promote, theatre, music, singing and dancing;
  
• to provide information and services to support our members and community organisations; and
  
• to promote, foster and encourage the Hellenic language, culture and heritage.

The process for granting community assistance is as follows:

• Applications are submitted in writing via the Club’s Community Assistance Request Form, which are due by Monday 3 November 2008;
  
• Applications for support must be supported by the business plan of the organisation and evidence of effective governance;
  
• In exceptional circumstances, the Committee may consider applications made at another time, though if this is the case a full explanation of the exceptional circumstances should be provided with the form;
  
• The Committee will review the application based on the Club’s community assistance policy and criteria and will recommend to the Board the level of support to be provided; and
  
• The Club informs successful applicants of their grants by Wednesday 26 November 2008.

To obtain a copy of the Community Assistance Request Form please email:
janja@hellenicclub.com.au

Community Assistance & Sponsorships

Hellenic Club Of Canberra Community Contributions Committee and The Community Assistance Program

The Hellenic Club is an active member of the community and this is demonstrated by the level of funding and diverse nature of support the Club continues to provide to the community. In line with our underlying philosophy, the Club is committed to supporting the welfare of our community.

Major funding and assistance is provided to the following organisations:

Canberra’s National Multicultural Festival

The Hellenic Club has been a Gold Sponsor of the National Multicultural Festival for a number of years. In 2006, the Hellenic Club sponsored the Harmony Parade which showcased a spectacular troupe of colourful floats travelling through the streets of Canberra city, representing the diversity of Australia’s cultures.

In 2007 the Hellenic Club was again a Gold Sponsor of the Festival by holding the Hellenic Club Carnivale. A treasure of music, dance and celebrations of Latin American culture where Garema Place and City Walk came alive with rhythm, colour and true Carnivale excitement.

Koomarri

The Koomarri Association was initially formed in 1952 to work for the welfare of disabled children; act as an advisory body for their parents, and to develop an informed opinion to help remove stigma attached to people with a physical or intellectual disability.

Whilst maintaining those basic principals Koomarri has developed to become an organisation that provides services such as employment, accommodation, community access, advocacy, etc.

In November 2004, the Hellenic Club entered into a sponsorship agreement with the Koomarri Association of the ACT whereby the Hellenic Club agreed to sponsor Koomarri for a period of 5 years.

During 2006, the Hellenic Club directly contributed towards Koomarri’s building account and assisted in a fundraising dinner. The Club also contributed staff and resources towards the Koomarri Christmas party.

Barnados Kids + Sport program

Barnardos is Australia’s leading child welfare agency which is committed to helping protect the lives of thousands of children and young people who suffer from neglect, abuse and the humiliation of poverty and homelessness. Through a diverse range of welfare programs and services Barnardos is able to build relationships between children, young people, their families and the community.

The Barnardos Kids + Sport program. This program is designed to help vulnerable children between the ages of 6 and 16 to participate in organised sport. These children are among the most disadvantaged in the community often from dysfunctional and financially disadvantaged families.



Hellenic Club Community Christmas Party

The Hellenic Club Christmas Party is an annual event the Club hosts which was provided free to the community. The activities and attractions provided by the Club included rides for the children, a street theatre performance, face painting, an animal petting farm, fairy floss, balloons, iceblocks and an appearance by Santa Claus.

In hosting this free event the Club aims to promote and encourage community spirit amongst the wider Canberra community.

104.7 Canberra Skyfire 2007

The Hellenic Club has been a major sponsor and supporter of Skyfire for over 10 years. This is Canberra’s largest fireworks event attracting audiences in excess of 100,000 and is considered to be one of the largest community events in Canberra.

The Club’s long term commitment to this event demonstrates our willingness to be an active member of the Canberra community.

Canberra Olympic Soccer Club

The Canberra Olympic Soccer Club is one of the longest standing soccer clubs in the region, with a history that dates back over 50 years. Since 1999, the Hellenic Club has sponsored Canberra Olympic with direct funding and has committed to provide additional funding up to June 2010. In addition to any direct funding, the Hellenic Club also provides assistance by way of in kind room hire, access to the Hellenic Club’s newsletter and staff.

Through our funding and assistance we are able to make a significant contribution towards the development and promotion of soccer in Canberra. This funding enables Canberra Olympic to provide a quality program which benefits our community and promotes community spirit.

West Deakin Hellenic Bowling Club

In May 2000, the Hellenic Club entered into a 15 year agreement with West Deakin Bowling Club to provide financial assistance on an annual basis. This assistance has enabled West Deakin Bowling Club to continue as a lawn bowling club after 54 years in existence and has enabled it to maintain its club and bowling facilities for its members and the community at large.

In addition to this financial assistance, the Hellenic Club has sponsored the West Deakin Hellenic Bowling Club’s annual lawn bowling tournament each year and has provided the bowling club with access to the corporate knowledge, skills and contacts available to the Hellenic Club to ensure that it is able to operate as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Lifeline Clubcare

The Hellenic Club is a founding member of Lifeline’s Clubcare program. This program provides gambling counselling free of charge to club patrons and is aimed at providing timely crisis and ongoing counselling service to patrons whose lives are affected by gambling.

The Club’s long term commitment to this program demonstrates our awareness of the issues faced by patrons whose lives are affected by problem gambling and the impact this has on the welfare of our community. Funding and support of this program is in keeping with our aim to provide assistance, financial and otherwise, to enable community organisations to provide quality programs and services for the benefit and welfare of our local community.

Woden Valley Soccer Club (WVSC)

WVSC is a junior club which plays in the local soccer competition which caters to players from the Woden Valley and South Canberra district, along with the wider region for out of area players wishing to play for WVSC. The club has 1,700 players and is one of the most progressive soccer clubs in Canberra. At the junior level, the club provides soccer to girls and boys from the ages of 5 to17. Each week WVSC fields well over 200 teams playing soccer.

The growth experienced by WVSC over the last 7 years can be attributed to the sponsorship and assistance provided by the Hellenic Club.

The Hellenic Club is directly involved in: encouraging our youth to take part in a sporting activity which will benefit their welfare; promoting and developing soccer within the Canberra community; and promoting and developing our community spirit.

The Greek Glendi

The Multicultural Festival’s Annual Greek Glendi is organised by the Greek Orthodox Community and Church of Canberra and District and is only made possible through the sponsorship and assistance of the Hellenic Club. The event showcases Greek cuisine and the diversity of Greek music and the arts, with live music and dancing performances.

The main purpose of the Greek Glendi is to showcase and promote Greek culture and ethos to the wider Australian community. The secondary purpose is to raise money to fund the St Nicholas Bilingual Preschool and the St Nicholas Afternoon School providing children in our community the opportunity to learn Greek as a second language.

St Nicholas Greek Afternoon School

The St Nicholas Greek Afternoon School is run by the Greek Orthodox Community and Church of Canberra and District. The school has been operating for over 36 years and has been assisted financially by the Hellenic Club since 1993.

The school provides an opportunity for children of Greek descent to learn about their Greek heritage, develop an appreciation of Greek culture and learn how to communicate, read and write in Greek. Over the years, many of the Club’s members of Greek descent and their children have attended the school.

Due to the Club’s financial assistance, the St Nicholas Greek Afternoon School is able to provide free lessons to all students. Currently there are over 120 students enrolled in the school.

In 2006, the Hellenic Club provided the St Nicholas Greek Afternoon School funding to enable the school to meet all its running costs including: teachers wages, textbooks and stationery supplies.

The Club recognises the importance of supporting the St Nicholas Greek Afternoon School to promote the Greek culture and ethos.

St Nicholas Home for the Aged

The St Nicholas Home for the Aged was established by The Greek Orthodox Community and Church of Canberra and District who recognised a need for additional aged care facilities in Canberra. Whilst the Home caters for and provides residence for many individuals of Greek origin, it is not restricted by this. Residents of the Home include  those of Greek descent including others with a variety of cultural backgrounds.

It was the vision of the Club’s founding president, Mr Nicholas Ellis, OAM to give the Greek Community the means to secure and ensure the welfare of its members. With an ageing Canberra population, the Hellenic Club believes that our sponsorship for the home is essential to the welfare of the aged in our community.

The Hellenic Club of Canberra is proud to support the following organisations…