PHILIPSBURG:--- Members of the Sint Maarten Lions Club recently held their annual Change of Board Ceremony at Frenchy LUDO’s Restaurant whereby families, friends, Leos and distinguished members of the French Lions Clubs joined the members of the Sint Maarten Lions Club for a 3-course dinner and to witness the Change of Board Ceremony which was conducted by Past District Governor Lion Claudius Buncamper PMJF.
After the ceremony, Immediate Past President Lion Carmen Lake turned over the reign of the club to the new President Lion Oralie Boirard for 2019-2020 by symbolically handing over the club’s gong and gavel.
Before the special ceremony to induct the new board, Immediate Past President Lion Carmen Lake-Reyes outlined her achievements over her year as President, gave out key awards to deserving Lions and awarded the Lion of the Year Award to Lion Kevin Mills for his hard work and dedication throughout the year to the club.
The new Club President Lion Oralie was inducted in the organization in 2012 and she was sponsored by Lion Merlyn Schaminee MJF. Lion Oralie was invited to join the board of directors after serving the club for only one year. Since then Lion Oralie has served the club in different functions including the position of committee chairperson and also club secretary, one of the most challenging positions in the organization.
“Our Youth - Our Future", is the theme selected for this year's signature project by Lion President Oralie, a seasoned educator, mother and a new grandmother. She mentioned in her speech that this years’ focus is an awareness campaign providing information to parents/ guardians and the youth on the United Nations Convention on the "Rights of the Child"Article 28 and the “The Right to an Education”, will be the focus for the month of August 2019.
Some of the other activities planned for 2019 - 2020 is the famous Lion Nelson van de Linde Senior Citizen party in October, the Annual Lion Wally Havertong Christmas Bingo Spectacular in December and a Car Raffle in March 2020. The club will also host the annual Lion Rudy Hoeve Health & Wellness Fair with a new twist.
Monday, August 12th, is Lions International Youth Day, and this year the date coincides with the opening of school year 2019 - 2020. The Sint Maarten Lions Club first project for the year will be a “Welcome Back to School Rally”. The objective of the rally is to boost the students and teachers morale as they return to school and wish them a successful school year.
Following the first project, the Club President will officially launch the 2019 - 2020 Lionistic program at a press conference. Immediate Past President Lion Carmen Lake and a number of students who received donations from the club during the 2018 - 2019 lionistic year will be present. All recipients including the two students of the Lions 2018-2019 Students Excellence Awards, who travelled to Canada during the month of July to attend Camp Kearney summer program, will have the opportunity to share their experiences which were sponsored by the club.
The members of the Sint Maarten Lions Club Board of Directors for 2019-2020 are: President: Lion Oralie Boirard, Immediate Past President: Lion Carmen Lake-Reyes, 1st Vice President: Alphons Gumbs MJF, 2nd Vice President: Linette Gibs, Secretary: Lion Jennifer Johnson, Treasurer: Lion Claudio Buncamper MJF, 1-Year Director: Lion John Schaminee 2-Year Director: Lion Gaston Fraser, Membership Director: Lion Merlyn Schaminee-Miguel MJF. Additional key club members are the Tamer: Lion Kevin Mills and Tail Twister: Lion Alison Busby
Lions Club President Lion Oralie Boirard urges the community of Sint Maarten to continue supporting the Sint Maarten Lions Club with their fundraisings projects. Funds raised from these events would allow the club to continue “To Serve” the community of Sint Maarten with the various worthwhile projects throughout 2019-2020 and beyond.
