Our School’s Secret Float Unveiled
What started as a wild idea, materialized last Sunday at the St-Patrick’s Parade in front of close to one million spectators. In the end any idea can be achieved as long as there is a plan in place and commitment to the effort. École Socrates-Démosthène’s float, which was unveiled at St-Patrick’s Parade last Sunday was simply a far-fetched idea that made a lot of sense to us. The difficulty was working out the endless logistics and in coming up with the required funds. One by one, every step led to the next one and slowly our School’s float became a reality.
Once we contacted Guy Pelletier from the float company Au Pays des Geants, with our sketches and ideas, everything started falling in place. Guy Pelletier quickly presented our thoughts and our sketches in an initial design that was only modified slightly right through to the final product. The directors of our campuses, Katherine Divolis, Chris Filandrianos, Ghislaine Langlois, Steeve Lessard and Georgia Tsakalis, as well as our director general, Chris Adamopoulos, worked with passion to give the project shape and life.
Our humanitarian float, depicting the Greek people’s effort to help the refugees, required something authentic. We contacted the Mayor of Mitilini, in Lesbos, and he shipped us actual life vests used in the rescue efforts. The vests we received where actually still a little wet. Meantime, soliciting sponsors and donators became a priority in order to cover the expense. Many gracious individuals came forth to help us realize our dream. Finally, the entire idea had to be choreographed, to give it life, with our students attending practices with the props, etc.
We would like to take this opportunity to first and foremost congratulate the students that braved the elements and committed to the effort. We want to thank their parents for taking the time to attend the practice sessions and all. We want to thank the educators and administrators behind the project including, , Eirini Tourkomanolis, Nelli Vlahandreas and Maria Roussis. We also want to express our gratitude to the HCGMs Pelagia Adamidis and Eleni Sarridou who worked with us to assure the successful outcome. Finally, École Socrates Démosthène wants to thank you those that supported the float through sponsorships, donations and in-kind contributions including: Battling very cold temperatures, on a specially created float, our students showed all Quebecers what it means to persevere. And incredible amount of work and effort went into materializing this project, one our Community is very proud of.
Finally, École Socrates Démosthène wants to thank those that supported the float through sponsorships, donations and in-kind contributions, including:
Evan Kioussis CEO Rogers Planete Mobile
Tony Lofredda Quebec Vice-President RBC Royal Bank of Canada
Ragal (Tuc Tuc)
Minitsos Family G&N Transport
Editions Vaudreuil
K-Litho Design & Printing
Borough of St-Laurent
Borough of Villeray – St-Michel – Parc-Extension (Councillor Mary Deros and Mayor Anie Samson)
Quebec National Assembly:Gerry Sklavounos (député de Laurier-Dorion); Guy Ouellette (député de Chomedey); Pierre Arcand (député de Mont-Royal et ministre de l’Énergie et des Ressources naturelles); Carlos Leitão (député de Robert-Baldwin et ministre des Finances); Martin Coiteux (député de Nelligan et ministre des Affaires municipales et de l’Occupation du territoire)
We also want to thank all our families that participated in the blue and white toonie drive and together with our sponsors and donators made this project a reality.
Our School float will of course be at the Greek Independence Day Parade on April 3rd and this will be another fabulous opportunity to see it first hand and witness how truly dramatic it is.
