The San Pedro Lions Club celebrated their 37 anniversary on Saturday, October 27th after being founded on October 25th, 1975. The event was celebrated in grand style, having the participation of Lions from other clubs countrywide. During the event, the speakers spoke of the many accomplishments of the club and the plan for the upcoming year.
Jorge Aldana served as the Master of Ceremonies, and to officially welcome the guests and fellow Lions to the event was Lion Rigoberto Kumul of the San Pedro Lions Club. Shortly after, the President of the San Pedro Lions Club Murlene “Mel” Spain took the podium explaining that while there are no new Lions being installed, the event is worth celebrating. “The Lions Motto ‘We Serve,’ continues to be the goal today of this club as we celebrate its 37th birthday. As long as there is a need, the Lions Club will continue to do the best it can, to help the residents of this community and of Belize by assisting them with paying their medical bills and help them to get medications… I must say it saddens me that we are not installing any new members today but we will do so later in the New Year. I am very happy and proud to say that this club is one of the strongest clubs in Belize and it is because we have positive minded members,” said President Spain.
Guest Speaker for the night was former two-term San Pedro Club President and the current Vice-President of Belize Lions Zone 59 Melanie Paz. Lion Paz spoke of her special connection to Lionism from a very young age explaining that she got her first dose of the Lions Organization through her father who invited her to be a Leo as a young girl. “It was through his spirit to serve that I became involved with the work of Lions. Joining the Leos Club as a young girl was the first step, perhaps the first dose, of learning to serve. It is not by coincident that I accepted to be a Lion over 10 years ago; it was because that seed was planted as a young Leo member; working alongside the Belize City Lions Club, the club my dad belonged to.” She went on to explain that the motto of the Lion’s should remain at the center of each member and must serve without expecting recognition. “One of the great privileges of humanity is the ability to serve our fellow humans. Whether it be caring for the blind or visually impaired, or spearheading fundraisers for a person in need, our cleaning up our community of garbage or planting trees, it is a privilege to serve, something only special people can feel. The reason we are Lions, is to help serve the less fortunate who also face difficult times. And when we serve them, it reminds us of our commitment to the larger cause of this organization; to serve. And when we serve, it brings peace to the heart; it brings satisfaction to know that we did our part. People want comfort, security and happiness for their families and for that reason I always say that we serve not because we look for rewards and fame, we serve because we want to do our part in making our community and the world a little bit better for humanity… I want to congratulate the charter members that have remained steadfast with the club for the past 37 years; you guys deserve respect and admiration. Let the many years of service of the charter members of this club be a shining example for our new members and a source of encouragement to continue the Lionism spirit,” ended Paz. For his part in his brief remarks, Chairman of Belize Lions Zone 59 Lion John Wongsam congratulated the San Pedro Lions Club and encouraged them to continue the work they have been doing and if possible to aim higher. In ending the San Pedro Lions Club queen, Shantell Pascascio delivered the vote of thanks.
After the short ceremony, Lions from Belize, Belmopan and San Pedro and other local organizations from the island along with friends and family enjoyed a turkey dinner followed by dancing and live music by the Rompe Raja Band.
The SP Lions Club started on October 25, 1975 at “Los Marinos Club” when San Pedro Lions Club received its official Charter with an enrollment of 36 new members. The first President to take the challenge was Lion Pete Salazar. The San Pedro Sun congratulates the San Pedro Lions Club on their 37th anniversary.
