Our History
Take a journey from our
humble beginnings
to present day...
The formation of the Lions Club of Antigua resulted from the initiative of then Commissioner of Police Mr. Mervyn Barrow, a Barbadian who, having been a Lion in Guyana, invited fourteen prominent citizens in the community to form its nucleus.
Under the guidance of Lion Louis Chung of Guyana, the Club was chartered on 14th October,1968 with Maurice Michael as President, Cyril Cumberbatch as Secretary and Hilson Murdoch as Treasurer. The Club’s charter from Lions Clubs International was presented by District Governor, Lion Thomas McKenzie of Barbados in February 1969. There were thirty-one (31) Charter members.
Initially, meetings were held at the home of Lion Barrow, but as the membership grew the Charter President made available his hotel, Michael’s Mount for the holding of meetings. Meetings continued at this venue until September 1970 when the Club took over the remainder of the lease on the present facility on Cross Street from the Antigua Lawn Tennis Club and the location became known as the “Lions Den.”
SERVICE PROJECTS
Over the past 55 years, the Lions Club of Antigua has directly, in cash, expended millions of dollars (this does not include the cost of the labour and talents of our members which are given for free), into the community to assist the sick, the blind, the destitute, and the needy including:
• Sponsoring free Prostate screening through our annual prostate testing at the Lion’s Den.
• Sponsoring free Breast Cancer screening and awareness campaigns.
• Donating prosthesis and wheelchairs to the disabled.
• Visiting through regular fellowship to Clarevue Hospital for over 25 years with snacks and drinks.
• Providing financial assistance to persons requiring medical attention locally and overseas.
• Providing Christmas Cheer to the Mentally challenged, the Hearing and Visually Impaired.
• Providing houses for indigent families and for families affected by hurricanes and fires.
• Constructing bus shelters in rural areas.
• Distributing food baskets and hot meals to shut-ins once per week. This has been ongoing for over 10 years.
• Constructing storage & change room facilities at the Children’s Ward of the Holberton Hospital.
• Refurbishing St. John’s Day Nursery.
• Organizing vision testing in schools and the donation of eyeglasses.
• Donating cribs and mattresses to the Children’s Ward.
• Organizing drug abuse awareness programs.
• Organizing a youth symposium for secondary school students.
• Working with young people regularly, particularly through our youth arm, the Leo Club.
• Establishing a fully equipped Computer Lab at the Irene B. Williams School at Swetes Village.
• Donating computers to the Boys Training School.
The Club also made major contributions to Caribbean countries following the devastation of natural disasters. These have included Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts, Nevis, Grenada, Haiti, Guyana, Barbuda, and Dominica. A donation of US$10,000 was made to Lions International for relief work for the victims of the Asian Tsunami disaster in 2004.
There are many projects which have not been mentioned. What is important however, is the positive effect the Lions Club of Antigua has had on the lives that were touched by the humanitarian service of a few good men and women.
THE DISTRICT
The record of service of the Club has not been limited to serving the less fortunate. The Club has played a significant role in fostering the growth of Lionism in the District through sponsorship of Lions Clubs, namely Tortola in 1972, St. Kitts and Nevis both in 1979, and Montserrat in 2023.
Our Club is recognized as one of the leading Clubs in the Multiple District and has won several District awards including the top awards of Club, President, and Secretary of the Year in the District during the 1999-2000 Lionistic Year. During the 2022-2023 Lionistic Year, the Club won the International Marketing Award for Constitutional Area 1 (CA1). More significant is the service given at District level by members of this Club while serving as District Governors, Deputy District Governors, Region Chairs, Zone Chairs and District Cabinet Officers.
The Club has been especially honoured by the service of the late Lion Dr. Joseph L. Robinson, MJF as District Governor 1979 and Council Chairman in 1980. In both positions, he was ably assisted by his Secretary / Treasurer, the late Lion H. Emmanuel Lake. Lion Lake followed in the footsteps of Lion Robinson to become District Governor in 1985 and Council Chairman in 1986. He was ably assisted by the late Lion Charles Shoul, MJF – Secretary/Treasurer. Lion Leslie Ephraim, PMJF served as District Governor for District 60B for the 2018/2019 Lionistic Year. Lion Alan Alexander, PMJF is currently serving as the District 60B First Vice President for the 2023-2024 Lionistic Year. Also serving at District level for the 2023-2024 Lionistic Year are Zone 2C Chairperson - Lion Desiree Edwards, MJF; Region 2 Cancer Awareness Assistant Chairperson - Lion Katrin Edwards; Region 2 New Voices Assistant Chairperson - Lion Leandra Lewis, MJF; Region 2 Youth & Families Assistant Chairperson - Lion Samantha Malone, MJF; and Information Technology Assistant Chairperson, Leo Rep. - Leo-Lion C. Trystan Williams, MJF.
A significant role has been played by the Partners-in-Service of the Lions. Without their selfless efforts and support, many of the achievements of this Club would not have been possible.
THE LEOS – ALPHA & OMEGA
Recognizing that the youth are the future leaders and prospective Lions, the Club sponsored the Omega Leo Club of Antigua on 12th September, 1972.
The Leo Club has served as a training ground for numerous young people over the years and their service efforts have impacted on the community in no small way. Their creativity, commitment and leadership skills have won for them recognition at both the District and International level.
The function of the Leo Club as a training ground for future Lions has borne fruit. The first female Lions inducted into the Lions Club served formerly as Leos.
TWINNING
The Club has benefited in the past from the relationship with the Lions Club of Brockville, Ontario, Canada. The Brockville Club was instrumental in providing the items necessary for Christmas Cheer, as well as other forms of assistance. Twinning relationships have also been established with the Lions Club of Basseterre, Guadeloupe and the Lions Club of Zimbabwe.
CONCLUSION
The members of the Antigua Lions Club have answered the call to serve in many ways and continue to give noble service to the community in accordance with principles laid down in the Lions Club Objects and the Code of Ethics. As Lions we believe “Where there is a Need there is a Lion” thus “WE SERVE.”
LION OF THE YEAR
2022-2023 SONYA FORD PMJF
2021-2022 CATHIA CHRISTIAN MJF
2020-2021 GAIL HENRY LEWIS
2019 -2020 LEANDRA LEWIS MJF
2018-2019 ALAN HOSAM MJF
2017-2018 GLADSTON JOSEPH MJF
2016-2017 GEOFFREY CROFT MJF
2015-2016 LENOX LOOBY MJF
2014-2015 GEORGE ROBERTS MJF
2013-2014 LENOX LOOBY MJF
2012-2013 SAMANTHA MALONE
2011-2012 STEPHEN PILGRIM
2010-2011 FRANKLIN MAYNARD MJF
2009-2010 VIRGIL DANIEL MJF
2008-2009 LESLIE EPHRAIM PMJF & ROSLYN ZACHARIAH MJF
2007-2008 EURAL BAPTISTE
2006-2007 ALAN ALEXANDER PMJF
2005-2006 HORDLEY FORBES
2004-2005 SABRINA BENJAMIN
2003-2004 VALERIE GONSALVES-BARREIRO MJF
2002-2003 LESLIE SALMON MJF
2001-2002 RICHARD LINDSAY & MARIA BRADSHAW
2000-2001 LEO WARNER
1999-2000 LEROY WARREN PMJF & FRANK ALLAWAY MJF
1998-1999 COLLINS ANTHONY
1997-1998 MYRTLE LOOBY MJF
1996-1997 GLADSTON JOSEPH MJF
1995-1996 TREVOR VIGO MJF
1994-1995 EDWARD SMITH
1993-1994 CLAIRE MCLEAN MJF
1992-1993 REGINALD KNIGHT
1991-1992 SEPTIMUS RHUDD MJF
1990-1991 ROBERT REIS MJF
1989-1990 ARMALD DERRICK MJF
1988-1989 FRANCIS GUEVARA
1987-1988 VINCENT EDWARDS
1986-1987 CHARLES A. SHOUL MJF
1985-1986 WILLIAM ISAAC
1984-1985 GERRY BENAMIN
1983-1984 KELVIN SHAW
1982-1983 CLEM SAMUELS MJF
1981-1982 JOSEPH REID
1980-1981 DAVID JARDINE
1979-1980 GEORGE DESOUZA
1978-1979 DESMOND BLANCHETTE & MAURICE GREAUX
1977-1978 ARTHUR CHARLES MJF
1976-1977 EUSTACE NANTON MJ
1975-1976 DR. JOSEPH ROBINSON MJF
1974-1975 H. EMMANUEL LAKE
1973-1974 REGINALD WALWYN
1972-1973 STANLEY TEEKAH
1970-1971 EARL PESTANIA
1968-1970 CYRIL CUMBERBATCH & EUGENE SELKRIDGE
.jpg)
HONOURARY LIONS
DR. SIR RODNEY WILLIAMS
LADY SANDRA WILLIAMS
SIR JAMES CARLISLE
DR. DWAYNE THWAITES
LIONS WHO HAVE
GONE ON TO
HIGHER SERVICE
ALVARO BENTO
STEVE BROWNE
AUBREY CHALLENGER
ARTHUR CHARLES
CYRIL CUMBERBATCH
WALTER CHEONG
ALEX GRANT
AZIZ HADEED
WILLIAM ISAAC
FRED JACOBS
EDMUND JARVIS
H. EMMANUEL LAKE
OWEN LATCHAM
WILLIAM MC CORMACK
MAURICE MICHAEL
NOEL MURPHY
FRANK PESTAINA
EDGAR TONGE
CLEM SAMUELS MJF
NORRIS CHARLES
GEORGE DESOUZA
EUGENE SELKRIDGE
DR. JOSEPH ROBINSON MJF
ERIC CHALLENGER
CHARLES SHOUL MJF
LIONEL BOULOUS
FRANCIS GUEVARA
CLARENCE ELMES
LLEWELLYN HAYWOOD
LEO WARNER
REGINALD KNIGHT MJF
DONALD CHRISTIAN MJF
ARMALD DERRICK MJF
CLAIRE MC CLEAN MJF
PETER WILLIAMS
GLADSTONE JOSEPH MJF
EUSTACE NANTON MJF
DENFIELD ROBERTS
DR. SIR PRINCE RAMSEY (Honorary)
COLLINS ANTHONY MJF
WRENFORD FERRANCE
ERIC HENRY MJF
REGINALD WALWYN MJF
VINCENT EDWARDS MJF
