SERVICE
TO THE COUNTRY OF HIS FOREFATHERS
Stathis Savvis, son of Port Moody restaurateur Michael Savvis is now serving in the Greek army. His father Michael Savvis always felt guilty for not serving in the Greek army as Michael emigrated from Greece to join his older brother Dimitrios in Canada, just a month before his tour of duty in the Greek army was to begin. Now Michael feels his duty has been fulfilled through his son.
Many will remember a younger Stathis helping his father at the annual Port Coquitlam Greek days which were held outside the Lighthouse and Michael’s on Wilson in downtown Port Coquitlam for many years. Stathis also for many years helped at the annual free seniors’ brunch which was also held at that establishment on the first Sunday after the New Year. Seniors came from all over the lower mainland for that event.
Stathis, who was born and raised in the Greater Vancouver area, is now getting a “crash course” in the Greek culture. He is stationed on the island of Rhodes where he has many cousins, aunts and uncles. One of his uncles was the manager of the National Bank of Greece in Rhodes for thirty-five years and his youngest uncle today is the popular mayor of South Rhodes, Manolis Savvis.
His parents Michael and Sheri and his sister Moskovia will be travelling to Greece in March to attend the March 25th – Greek Independence Day parade on the island. This will be the first time since Michael left Greece nearly 35 years ago that he will have the opportunity to see the parade. It will be a proud moment for him to see son Stathis marching in that parade as a soldier. The family will also be spending Pascha in Rhodes with Stathis. Parents and other family members of the soldiers are always invited to the military base where the soldiers serve up a Paschal feast with lots of roast lamb-on the spit, red eggs and many other traditional dishes.
