ANDREJKA  ANDREJAS
NSW Slovenian Australian Awards 2008
Oustanding Volunteer of the Year
Presented on 21 June 2009  

Andrejka   Andrejas was born in  Jesenice, Slovenia. She arrived in Australia with her parents Andrej and Antonija Sodja in 1969. Upon finishing at Canterbury Girls High School she gained a diploma as a fashion designer at East Sydney Technical College.
She met Joze Andrejas In 1978 and they married a year later and lived at North Mead.
Andrejka worked for Nathan Trent Fashion House until three daughters and a son were born  between 1980 and 1985. In 1986 Andrejka started work at Ti-amo Design leather fashion. Soon after, they moved to Maralya and later to South Maroota. Being too far to travel to work, Andrejka started to specialize in wedding and evening wear.

In 1990, when children were getting ready for their first Holy Communion, Andrejka became involved in Slovenian community. On Father Valerian's initiative, she started to organize various small details that soon grew into bigger and more important duties, especially after Sister Francka trained Andrejka to be a reader at the Holy Mass.
When children started to attend Slovenian School at Merrylands, Andrejka also helped at the school. In 2004 she was the main organiser of the Family English Mass, which is still held once a month. She  created the ornaments for the book of Gospels and organises famillies and children for readings and prayers. Getting everyone to co-operate was an achievement in itself.

She helps on many special occasions such as Anzac Day, national disasters, and takes care of the rosters for after the Mass refreshment services. For some years she used to  organise fundraisers for the church, such as shopping bus trips, and more. The last few years have been rather difficult for her, not only did all three girls get married and give birth to three beautiful grandsons, she also lost her beloved husband and yet she still finds time to do volunteer duties.

ANDREJKA ANDREJAŠ je znana rojakinja, ki je od 1990. leta naprej nesebično darovala veliko časa in truda za delo v slovenski skupnosti pri Verskem središču v Merrylandsu. Sprva je začela z majhnimi deli, katera pa so postajala vedno večja, saj je bilo vedno več organizacijskega dela in predvsem dela z mladimi. Uspelo ji je organizirati predvsem mladino in angleške maše, katere se še danes berejo enkrat na mesec.
Andrejka je bila vedno zelo ponosna na njeno družino in v lanskem letu je preživela lepe in žalostne preizkušnje: tri poroke hčerk, žalostno izgubo moža in rojstvo treh vnukov,vendar še vedno najde čas za prostovoljno delo.   Andrejka, čestitamo in hvala ti za vse.

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