Page 92 - ΝΑΥΤΙΚΑ ΧΡΟΝΙΚΑ - ΣΕΠΤΕΜΒΡΙΟΣ 2022

SOCIAL CONTRIBUTION

FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS,

THE TWO CENTRES HAVE

OFFERED SO MUCH

TO SO MANY PEOPLE

In the early 1980s, my father, of the Virgin Mary Convent
Marcos J. Hadjipateras, his near Ormylia in Halkidiki.
brothers Costas, Nicolas and After meeting Elder Aim-
Pantelis, together with their ilianos, Reverend Mother
sister Katie, began searching Nicodeme, and the small
for a worthy beneficiary that number of novice Sisters of
would receive the charita- the Nicodemus Ormylia Con-
ble donation that had been vent, the family was moved
bequeathed by their father, and impressed by their vision
Captain John C. Hadjipateras, and energy and thus decided
who had passed away in 1979. to help it grow in size and
My grandfather was born in importance by building the
Oinousses in 1888 and lived “Panagia Philanthropini
his life in Oinousses, Chios, (Benevolent Virgin Mary) Spir-
Athens, Montreal, and Lon- itual and Medical Centre”.
don. He had financially and The family were also keen
morally supported several to support the Social Work
projects on the island of his Foundation (Idryma Koinonikis
birth, focussing primarily on Ergasias), which was looking
those related to the supply, for premises to house their
storage and distribution of new “Centre for the Rehabil-
fresh water. itation of Handicapped Chil-
His wish was that after his dren”.
death, his children would After carefully considering
make a donation to an area in the alternatives, they decided
Greece other than Oinousses, to allocate funds to both
which would benefit the com- projects as they fulfilled their
munities of that region. His late father’s wishes.
children consulted the family Thus, in the mid-1980s, the
lawyer, Mr Panagiotis Katsa- Panagia Philanthropini Med-
douris, who presented them ical and Spiritual Centre was
with several alternatives. built only a kilometre away
One of Mr Katsadouris’s cli- from the Holy Convent of
ents was the Monastery of the Annunciation of the Vir-
Simonopetra on Mount Athos, gin Mary and began operat-
John M. Hadjipateras, affiliated with the recently ing and having an immediate
President, Oinoussai Benevolent Fund & re-established Annunciation impact on the screening and
Director, John C. Hadjipateras & Sons Ltd.

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