This concert was held to acknowledge the amazing contribution made by my friend Mr John Gebhardt (Tadziu) to the Polish Community, to Ethnic Affairs and Education in both NSW and federally. The article that I wrote about the concert which took place, was written in Polish, but here and in response to many requests that I do so, I have provided an English version.

Looking back, it was just fantastic to pull together such a great event in 5 days attended by over 300 people from both the Polish and wider ethnic and Australian community of the Hunter, as well as Sydney and Wollongong, and to have our Consul-General, Daniel Gromann in attendance, the Lord Mayor of Newcastle, John Tate, as well as Federal and State Politicians, Sharon Grierson MP and The Honourable Jodie McKay. As was commented on at the concert, "John can certainly pull a crowd!".

You will also recall that when the Aussie hat got passed around, a sum of $5,000 was raised, and it was John Gebhard's decision that this money be donated to the Sydney Neuro-Oncology Group.

For a variety of reasons, its taken a couple of months to organise this handover but it did occur last Tuesday, 23 March at 5.00pm - unfortunately Tadziu could not be there. It was very nicely co-ordinated by Ms Allison O'Dea of SNOG. When the representatives of the Polish Song and Dance Ensemble arrived straight from school, they were warmly greeted with cool drinks and sandwiches in the Doctor's Lounge. 4 Directors came down to meet and chat to the youth, creating a warm and friendly atmosphere. They genuinely thanked the youth for their outstanding efforts in contributing to the collection of the money being donated.

The youth who attended were Artur Wojcik (handing over the cheque), Andrzej Mitas, Natalia Smietanka, Monika Smietanka and Ola Wojcik. The Wojcik and Smietanka families have strong family connections with the Newcastle area and were instrumental in helping to organise the January concert.

Left to right: "Handing over the Cheque" - Dr Helen Wheeler, Neuro Medical Oncologist, SNOG Director; Monika Smietanka; Mr Greg Brown, CEO North Shore Private Hospital and Director of SNOG; Artur Wojcik; Ola Wojcik; Dr Michael Bigg, Neurosurgeon, SNOG Director; Andrzej Mitas; Natalia Smietanka; and Dr Raymond Cook, Neurosurgeon and Chairman of SNOG.

left to right: "Lajkonik with its Newcastle connections" - Front row - Artur Wojcik and Lajkonik Artistic Director Urszula Lang, Back Row - David Wojcik, Monika Smietanka, Piotr Smietanka, Basia Smietanka, Ola Wojcik, Andrzej Mitas and Natalia Smietanka

ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF MY ARTICLE IN PULS POLONII OF 20 JANUARY 2010

The concert held on 17 January 2010, to acknowledge the work of John Gebhardt (Tadziu), was very successful. Over 300 people came. At the head was the Consul-General from Sydney, Mr Daniel Gromann (excerpts from his speech are reproduced below) and Father Pajdak and other local Priests. The prestige of the event was enhanced by the presence of Councillor John Tate, Lord Mayor of Newcastle, the Federal Member for Newcastle, Sharon Grierson, State Member for Newcastle and Minister for Tourism, Science, Medical Research and Women, The Honourable Jodie McKay. There was a host of other well-known and exemplary community leaders from the local area and region, all coming together to acknowledge John Gebhardt's amazing contribution to ethnic affairs and education, and also to the Polish community in both Newcastle and Wollongong.

On the day, Tadziu was really surprised - he really didn't know that this concert was being organised for him! He was very happy though, together with his wife Lucy and his daughters, Aneta and Dianna. Tadziu decided that the funds raised at the concert ie $5,000, should go to North Shore Hospital Oncology (Brain Tumour Nurse Support Unit), and it was decided that the money would be handed over by Tadziu and me (Urszula Lang) to the Director of the Unit as soon as possible.

I would like to sincerely thank everyone who contributed in any way whatsoever to the success of this concert. Special thanks to President of the Polish Association in Newcastle, Mr Marek Bartczak and to Mrs Ela Radna and all the lovely ladies who prepared the lunch and served the cold drinks from the bar.

Special thanks to the youth from the Polish Song and Dance Ensemble "Lajkonik" for their efforts in performing 4 dance suites in 40-degree heatwave conditions, and to their parents who transported them from Sydney after just returning from the Adelaide Polart Trip, and not even having been given time to recover from that expedition.

Special thanks to Suzi Wojcicka-Biniecka, who played so beautifully on her accordion, and to the tunes of a favourite Polonez and Walc, took us back to earlier days when Tadziu was the choreographer and leader of the superb Polish Dance Ensemble "Kujawy" in Newcastle.

Thanks to Tadziu's successor at the Ethnic Communities Council, Ms Helen Paliokas, who organised his work colleagues and associates, and also informed the other ethnic organisations and invited them to attend the concert.

Thanks to Dorothy Skalski and her future son-in-law Stewart, who is a professional cameraman with Channel 7 (Home and Away) and who videod the concert with the aim of producing a film about it in future, as a memento to all who attended. On that film, you will see some very special moments which occurred throughout the concert, and particularly when Tadziu couldn't help himself, he just had to get up for a dance, when Suzi played ………

Special thanks to Mr Wieslaw Wojcik for preparing the hall for the concert, and to the whole Committee of the Polish Association for its support of all the work that went into bringing it together.

And last, but not least, special thanks to Ms Jeannette Karton, who organised a group of Tadziu's friends from Wollongong, and who so beautifully outlined for the audience, Tadziu's great achievements in the Wollongong area, when he lived there before returning to Newcastle permanently.

Thanks to everyone who attended the concert and for their donations which went into the Aussie hats which got passed around to raise money for Tadziu's chosen charity. So many special thanks ……..to so many people. It was all for you - Tadziu.

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