"For our education, for our future, for us"

"Our school buildings are in need of renovation and repair," says the Fundraising Committee of the Hellenic Community of Montreal, an umbrella organization that looks after many schools where Greek is taught and learned as part of a multi-cultural trilingual program of education.

"The Fundraising Committee has already invested $430,270.77 for the installation of new windows at Socrates V School in Laval, (and) for roof repairs, painting, and various other renovations necessary for our schools," says information from the Hellenic Community of Montreal.

"But that's not where the needs end," says a letter to the community-at-large which accompanies a notice announcing a major fundraiser – Marathon 2009 – scheduled for June 12,13,14 in Montreal.

Other schools in the network also require renovations to up-grade them and make them safe, sound, and secure, the Community points out. The Community has earmarked the $109.852.26 raised in a March lottery towards these needs. "The lottery was made very successful by the support of our compatriots and friends," the Fundraising Committee points out.

Held as part of the Montreal Hellenic Community's current 100th Anniversary celebrations, the main purpose of the Marathon is to raise funds to confront new challenges for Greek schools, resulting from the Quebec government's decision to reduce subsidies to these institutions, some of which, such as Socrates, have been operating since 1909, the year the Hellenic Community of Montreal was founded.

"Our goal (for the Marathon) is to raise $150,000 to help cover the deficit created by the reduction in government funding," the Marathon's organizing committee specifies."