The 44th Zone 59 Lions Club National Convention was held over the weekend in San Pedro Town, hosted by the island’s local Lions Club. The three-day event started on Friday, May 12th, when attendees and conventioneers reflected on the goals and objectives of Lionism. The convention saw the participation of all active Lion Clubs in the country from Belmopan City, Belize City, San Estevan, the host San Pedro and two recently installed branches in Sarteneja Village and Corozal Town. The annual event also included the participation of a special guest from Campeche, Mexico.
This year’s convention was dedicated to long-time Lion Pedro Salazar Sr. under the theme ‘Committed Lions: Working as one to serve many!’ The event was officially launched on Friday at the Lions Den on Barrier Reef Drive. Lion Eiden Salazar Jr initiated the activities with the entrance of the four Lion beauty ambassadors, followed by flag bearers representing Belize, Mexico, and Lionism. The formalities were followed by the Belize and Mexico anthems and a moment of silence to remember past Lion members.
Mayor Gualberto’ Wally’ Nuñez delivered the welcome address. He commended the Lions for their commitment to work for the betterment of the communities and took the opportunity to welcome everyone to the anticipated annual event. Zone 59 Chairperson Dr. Sol Yam delivered a reflective address and expressed the honor that it is to serve as a Lion. Yam said Lions, a global organization, is committed to serving their communities and finding ways to solve concerning issues. She continued calling on current members to continue their hard work and encouraged them to try and increase their membership. The plan is to increase the membership and the number of clubs in the country and transition from a Zone to a District.
The formalities continued with encouraging remarks from the Area Representative, Honourable Andre Perez, and the Honourable Valerie Woods, Speaker of the House of Representatives, who shared her most memorable experiences of San Pedro and motivated others to continue fighting for their goals. The special guest from Mexico, Past District Governor Addy Aguilar Polanco, delivered her words of gratitude and commended the Belizean clubs for continuing to strive for their communities. The San Pedro Dance Company entertained everyone during the intermissions.
Recognitions
As the convention officially opened, San Pedro Lions Club president Everette Anderson thanked everyone for their attendance. He took the opportunity to acknowledge three giants in Lionism, including Lion Pedro Salazar Sr., Lion Abel Guerrero Sr., and Lion Victor Bejos. Salazar and Guerrero pledged their support to President Anderson and told him they were very proud of his leadership. Lion Bejos was not in attendance, and a representative from his Club accepted the award.
Following this, attendees visited the club booths outside the den showcasing traditional food and giveaways. The event also included entertainment by Wiltshire Production.
On Saturday, May 13th, the activities included training, community services, and the election of a new zone chair. After the voting, the new incoming Zone 59 Chairperson is Lion Nigel Belisle. In the afternoon, some members, including the queens, Miss San Pedro, Miss Belmopan, Miss Belize City, and Miss San Estevan, enjoyed a snorkeling trip to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve.
The clubs made presentations in the evening, and a new Zone Queen was also crowned. Miss San Pedro Lions had the honor of receiving such an award. Traditionally the queen of the Club hosting the convention becomes the Zone Queen.
On the last day of the convention, Lions attended a church service at the San Pedro Roman Catholic Chur
ch. Afterward, they paraded through the main streets of downtown San Pedro. After that, a short closing ceremony followed with prizes and awards distributed to the different clubs for participating in various events throughout the weekend.
The convention was deemed a success, and the San Pedro Lions Club was lauded for organizing an unforgettable celebration.
The San Pedro Lions Club was founded in 1975 and, since then, has contributed immensely to the island community, particularly in the opening of the island’s polyclinic. The island Club is always looking at different ways to better La Isla Bonita and remain committed to positively impacting the community.
