John Alvanitakis, Sports Editor of the Perry County Times, Duncannon Record and News-Sun

When he was growing up, John Alvanitakis knew he wanted to become a sports writer. He just needed a little nudge to turn that dream into reality.

That nudge came from his wife, Mary, and their son, James. They moved to Perry County in the early 1980s.

Early Life and Education

Early childhood education is a crucial part of children’s lives, helping them develop skills that will serve them throughout their lifetime. From learning how to speak and walk to learning about shapes and colors, kids learn a lot during their first few years.

Children need high levels of stimulation, support and nurturing for healthy development. Positive experiences during these early years set kids up for future success and can help prevent negative consequences like academic delays, behavior problems and poor health outcomes.

The United Nations has a global focus on early childhood education through its Sustainable Development Goals, which promote inclusive and quality education for all. According to the UN, if children receive high-quality early care and education, they are more likely to succeed in school, have better career opportunities and are less likely to commit crimes or depend on public assistance.

Professional Career

Alvanitakis made a mark as the sports editor of the Perry County Times, Duncannon Record and The News-Sun. He did more than churn out pages of stats and he did it with an empathetic viewpoint that resonated with readers across the area.

He was a dutiful husband and father who worked long hours to keep the family afloat, but his passion for sportswriting was always front and center. It never went away and he put his heart into covering the games and players of all sizes and abilities, with pride and care that oozed through every word.

A number of people were envious of his accomplishments, but few could match his knack for spotting a good sporting moment and sharing it with the world in a way that everyone else could appreciate. It is safe to say that no other man in the history of local media did it as well as John Alvanitakis.

Achievements and Honors

For 30 years, John Alvanitakis served Perry County as a sportswriter, editor and writer. He wrote about everything from winless teams to state champions with the same empathetic viewpoint that he shared with his kids.

That approach also worked for him as a friend and an ally to coaches and their athletes. He gave his full attention to the hustle plays and unheralded contributions that made every team go.

He had a natural gift for spotlighting the role players who were often overlooked, and that was a quality that helped him become so well-respected in this community.

He did it by being a man of his word, going to the ends of the earth to get a story, and taking the time to understand each team’s nuances so he could tell a well-rounded, empathetic tale. That made him a friend to so many, and he was known as a servant of the people of this great county.

Personal Life

During the course of his career, John Alvanitakis worked tirelessly to promote the success of Perry County athletes. As sports editor of the Perry County Times, Duncannon Record and The News-Sun, he was responsible for covering every athletic achievement to come out of Greenwood, Newport, Susquenita and West Perry high schools.

He did so with a unique understanding of the people behind the sports. He honed his skills by spending time on the phone with coaches and cultivating relationships.

In those conversations, he forged an empathetic viewpoint that was shared with readers of his papers, and that made him a revered figure in the region.

He made sure to highlight the good things that were going on in Perry County, and he did it with a special kind of energy and passion. It was a quality that few sports writers can claim, and it’s something that his passing last weekend made all the more heartbreaking.

Net Worth

A dutiful husband and father, John Alvanitakis had always known he was capable of doing something more with his life. It was just a matter of getting the right nudge to make it happen.

When the Alvanitakis family moved to Perry County in the early 1980s, he seized the chance to turn his dream into a reality. A little bit of hard work, a lot of enthusiasm and a good deal of luck helped him to become one of Central Pennsylvania’s most prominent sportswriters.

He did not only cover the star athletes of Perry County, but also the lesser-known players who took their place in the spotlight. In that way, Alvanitakis served his readers more than just the news. He was a servant to his community who showed everyone just how much can be accomplished if you put your mind to it.