What do an AGM, a 21st Birthday, and a Launch have in common?

They all happened at MAC on the 6th of November!

On the 6^th November, Multicultural Aged Care held its 21^st Annual General Meeting. Approximately 100 CALD community groups, service providers and members attended to witness another year of achievement, celebration and the future direction of MAC. Key note speaker the Hon Zoe Bettison MP, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Minister for Volunteers spoke about MAC’s work with CALD community groups and the aged and community care sector as a whole. The Minister particularly commented on the essence of MAC and the ‘joy’ of CALD community groups in their engagement with MAC.

The Minister also launched MAC’s three new divisions. Multicultural Ageing Services, Multicultural Learning and Development and Multicultural Hub and affirmed the successful Café 94.

The Minister was also invited to present the South Australian Volunteer Certificate of Appreciation to the deserving volunteers and they were Joseph Briffa (Maltese Guild), Elias Georgiou (Bene Aged Care), Antonio Marano (Bene Aged Care Elizabeth Georgakopoulos (GOCSA) , Filia Koulentianou (GOCSA), Jurek Dnistrjanski (Ukrainian Social Services), Halina Kiryk (Ukrainian Social Services), Gania Zacharko, (Ukrainian Social Services), Maria Oleksyn (Ukrainian Social Services), Carmel Windbank (Southern Cross Care ) Jamil Al-Saraj (Southern Cross Care), Hung Pham (Vietnamese Women Association), Zvonimir Sockovic (Croatian Aged Care), Vera Sokvoic (Croatian Aged Care), Frank Grima (Maltese Seniors Club of SA), Luz Pore Shields (Filipino Aged Care SA), Anna Kwasny (Federation of Polish Associations of SA), Zbigniew Ryzad (Federation of Polish Associations),Evan Tsiaparis(Pan Macedonian), Kalliopi Agorastos (Pan Macedonian), Mary Panagiotidis (Pan Macedonian), NIki Falidis (Pan Macedonian), Vasiliki Alsanidis (Pan Macedonian), John Paringis (Pan Macedonian), Spirios Farmasonis (Pan Macedonian), Petros Nikopoulos, (Pan Macedonian), Euris Douvartzidis (Pan Macedonian) and Johns Karasaridis (Pan Macedonian). The total numbers of years of contribution from these outstanding volunteers came up to 450 years. MAC congratulates these volunteers and thank them for their outstanding contributions.

MAC also announced the continuing members of the MAC Board of Management and they are:

Pam Pindral, City of Salisbury
Huy Le, CASSA
Anna Maria Procopio, ANFE
Gus Abimosleh, Helping Hand
Anna Howard, Migrant Women’s Lobby Group of SA
George Genimahaloitis, PAN Macedonian Association
Akos Nagy (Hungarian Caritas Society of SA Inc)
Anne Hooper, Southern Cross Care (SA&NT) Inc.
Joseph Masika, African Communities Council SA
Marilyn O’Connor, Resthaven Inc.
Anne Suttie, St Basil’s Homes (SA)

MAC welcomes Linda Tresvaskis, NAASA and Carolanne Barkala ACS SA &NT to the Board.

Alan Graham ACS (SA & NT), stepped down from the Board of Management and will continue as MAC Public Officer.