Immediate Past President of St. Maarten’s Lions Club Carmen Reyes-Lake (left) handing over the club’s gong and gavel to new President Oralie Boirard
COLE BAY–Members of the St. Maarten Lions Club recently held their annual Change of Board Ceremony at Frenchy Ludo’s restaurant whereby families, friends, Leos and members of the French Lions Clubs joined St. Maarten’s Lions for a three-course dinner and to witness the ceremony, which was conducted by Past District Governor Lion Claudius Buncamper.
After the ceremony, Immediate Past President Carmen Lake turned over the reins of the club to new President Oralie Boirard for 2019-2020 by symbolically handing over the club’s gong and gavel.
Before the ceremony to induct the new board, Immediate Past President 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 Kevin Mills for his hard work and dedication throughout the year.
Boirard was inducted in the Lions organization in 2012 and was sponsored by Lion Merlyn Schaminee. Boirard was invited to join the board of directors after serving the club for only one year. Since then, she has served the club in different functions, including the position of committee chairperson and 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 the Lion President Oralie, who is a seasoned educator, mother and recently, a grandmother.
She mentioned in her speech that this year’s focus is on an awareness campaign providing information to parents/guardians and the youth on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Article. The Right to an Education will be the focus for August.
Some of the other activities planned for 2019-2020 is the 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 and Wellness Fair with a new twist.
Monday, August 12, is Lions International Youth Day and this year the date coincides with the opening of the school year 2019-2020.
The Lions Club first project for the year will be a Welcome Back to School Rally, with the objective to boost the morale of students and teachers 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 programme at a press conference. Immediate Past President Carmen Lake-Reyes 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 in July to attend Camp Kearney Summer Programme will have the opportunity to share their experiences, which were sponsored by the club.
The members of the St. Maarten Lions Club Board of Directors for 2019-2020 are President Oralie Boirard, Immediate Past President Carmen Lake-Reyes, first Vice President Alphons Gumbs, second Vice President Linette Gibs, Secretary Jennifer Johnson, Treasurer Claudio Buncamper, First-Year Director John Schaminee, Second-Year Director Gaston Fraser and Membership Director Merlyn Schaminee-Miguel. Additional key club members are Tamer Kevin Mills and Tail Twister Alison Busby.
Boirard urged the community of St. Maarten to continue supporting the Lions Club with their fundraisings projects. Funds raised from these events would allow the club to continue “to serve” the community with their various “worthwhile projects” throughout 2019-2020 and beyond.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/89665-oralie-boirard-new-lions-club-president
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