CILKA PRINČIČ

NSW– Slovenian Outstanding  Volunteer of the Year 2009
TIVOLI - NEWCASTLE

 

 

Cilka Princic, born Jamar, was born in Jesenice, Slovenia, to father Ciril Jamar and mother Franciska. After finishing primary and secondary school and 3 years of trade school, she became a qualified gents and ladies hairdresser.

On 10th February 1962 she married Richard Princic by proxy and arrived in Australia in October 1962 on the ship “Roma.” To comply with Australian law, she officially married Richard Princic on 22nd December 1962 at the St. Lawrence O’Tool church at Broadmeadow. They made their home at Mayfield on the outskirts of Newcastle. Their three children have all completed university degrees and now have their own families.

Cilka became involved with the Australian Slovenian Society “Tivoli”, Newcastle Inc, soon after she arrived in Australia. She joined her husband, who was involved with “Tivoli” from the beginning. When he passed away in June 1999, she replaced him as a committee member, later becoming vice-president, and in 2008, as acting president. She always did more than her share of work.  She especially helped with the preparation of exhibitions, assisted in the kitchen and in preparing the hall at times of celebrations such as the 40th and 50th anniversaries of “Tivoli”. She is also a committee member of HASA-NSW and has been helping, mainly in the kitchen, at the last three reunions.

Cilka does a lot of quiet community work and over the years has helped many people regardless of their nationality, colour or creed. She has often visited people in hospitals or nursing homes, accompanied many people to a doctor, Centrelink, banks or other places, helping people with language difficulties. Although, initially she had problems with the language herself, she was never afraid to go into any office to find out whatever she needed to know to help someone. If someone was lonely, they didn’t have to come to her, she would get on a bus and find them. Often she would spend hours talking on the phone just to make someone feel better.

Cilka Prinčič je poznana in spoštovana v slovenski skupnosti v Newcastlu  zaradi pridnosti, zanesljivosti in sočutja do ljudi, ki so pomoči potrebni. Vedno delovna in skrbna prime za vsako delo, naj bo to v slovenski skupnosti ali drugje, kjer so ljudje potrebni pomoči. Pripravljena je pomagati tudi drugod, ne samo v domačem Newcastlu,  kot  na primer pri proslavah “Zlatih srečanj“ v Sydneyu, ali  drugih  posebnih dogodkih  v slovenski skupnosti. Slovenci v Newcastlu smo srečni, da  imamo  Cilko!

 

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