L to R: N/A Lion’s Club veterans: Norman Semple, Samuel Monah, Theresa Lewis, Shabir Hussain and Jenny Conway
The Lion’s Club of New Amsterdam held its 51st Installation and Handing-over ceremony on Saturday at the Lion’s Den in Vryman’s Erven. The Club recently elected new members, including a new President, for the fiscal year 2012-2013.
For outgoing President, Ms Therysa Lewis, it was a bitter- sweet moment.
In her final address to the gathering, which included Lions from across Guyana, businessmen and women and Guyana Prison Service officials, she noted that the past year has made her realise how hardworking her fellow club members were in executing their tasks.
“I want to acknowledge that you have all played your parts in making this club a happier and more productive place”.
She noted that she took pride in ensuring that the club’s projects and responsibilities were maintained on a daily basis by a group of smiling cheerful individuals “who choose to be happy”.
Orientation sessions will commence later this month for Directors. Touching on Service Activities under her tenure, she noted that the club’s signature project, the eye-glass recycling centre continued to operate weekly.
A Lion’s bus- shed at North Road, New Amsterdam was furbished and this service serves school- children as well as the public, she said. The Lion’s waiting shed at the New Amsterdam Post Office has been refurbished also for the senior citizens whenever they go to uplift their pensions.
Lewis added that 20 students, aged six to 12 benefited from Phonics, Basic Math and English during the club’s annual Summer School programme in August. School uniforms and other school requisites were distributed to the less fortunate children in the town.
Two joint eye-care projects with the East Canje Lion’s Club were carried out in Edinburgh and Canje. Joint medical clinics from the N/A Town Day Secretariat as well as with the Council of Friends of New Amsterdam (COFONA) were held at the Lion’s Den last October.
One wheel chair, 60 food hampers at Christmas and a Christmas party were among the presentations for the past year.
Three blood pressure and diabetic clinics were also held during Therysa Lewis’s tenure outside the Banks DIH outlet.
The nutritional enhancement programme continued throughout the year, providing a hot, nutritious meal for 60 needy primary school children.
In his Inaugural Speech as President of the N/A Lion’s Club, Samuel Singh, outlined plans for his tenure. These include several fund- raising activities to help with the club’s mission and other activities for the 2012- 2013 period.
“Proceeds from these activities will go towards helping the less-fortunate and helping out the elderly with a Christmas hamper, and also help us to build a fence on the right hand of our property (the den)”. He urged the business community in the town to get involved too.
The new N/A Lion’s Club Board of Directors 2012-2013 is made up of: President: Mr Samuel Singh; Immediate Past President, Therysa Lewis; First Vice President, Georgina Hoosley; Second Vice President, Yvette Kertzious; Third Vice President, Donna Austin; Secretary, Mellena Lewis; Treasurer Pamela Simon; and First Year Directors, Ramesh Maraj, Leila Clarke- Daniels and Norma Chesney; Second Year Directors, Jennifer Conway, Marlyin La Rose and Sabrina Grant- Charles; while the Tamer is Hazetta Julian and Tail Twister, Lion Winston Henry.