NEW YORK – The Ronald McDonald House New York (RMH-NY) Greek Division Niki Sideris 30th Annual Walk and Spring Festival took place on May 4, at RMH-NY, 405 East 73rd Street in New York City. The event co-chairs this year were Ethnikos Kirikas/The National Herald co-publishers-editors Eraklis Diamataris and Vanessa Diamataris.
The RMH-NY Greek Division, founded by Niki Sideris of blessed memory, helps support children and families battling pediatric cancer. The Greek Community has been a vital lifeline to families from Greece and Cyprus, as well as Greek-Americans and children from across the globe and all 50 states traveling to New York City to find the critical medical treatment for their children.
The 30th Annual Walk and Spring Festival raised funds and awareness for those brave children as they battle cancer. The Annual Walk and Spring Festival is a fun, family-friendly celebration of philanthropy and Greek heritage.
In her speech, event co-chair Vanessa Diamataris invoked the Greek saying ‘kouki, kouki gemizi to saki,’ “bean by bean, the sack gets filled.”
“You start with something small. You keep going. You stay committed. And eventually—something meaningful takes shape,” she said. “Today is the perfect example of that. We’re here to celebrate a remarkable milestone: the 30th Annual Niki Sideris Ronald McDonald Walk. That’s 30 years of generosity, of families coming together, of community spirit—and most importantly, 30 years of helping to fill a sack that matters more than any of us individually: a sack filled with love, support, and care for families going through unimaginably difficult moments.”
Diamataris thanked family members and all those who organized and participated in the event. She also noted that “this year is special in another way, too. It’s not just the walk that’s celebrating a big milestone— our family’s newspaper, The National Herald, turns 110 years old. That’s right—110 years of reporting, connecting, and supporting the Greek-American community. And while the tools and platforms have changed over the decades, the mission has remained the same: to serve. To inform. To unite.”
“In many ways, that mission is exactly what today is about. A walk like this, a home like Ronald McDonald House, a cause like keeping families together— these are the building blocks of community. Just like a newspaper. Just like a family. Just like a life well-lived.And so we circle back to that simple phrase: ‘kouki, kouki gemizi to saki.’ Every one of you here is a bean in the sack. A smile, a step, a dollar, a kind word, a hug— all of it adds up. And before you know it, that sack is overflowing with exactly what the world needs more of: kindness, connection, and hope. Thank you for being here. Thank you for walking. Thank you for filling the sack with us.”
More information is available online: https://www.rmh-newyork.org/pages/greek-division.
