Meetings

blue lion

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

2023-2024      JACINTHA PRINGLE

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

 

 

 

HONOURARY LIONS

DR. SIR RODNEY WILLIAMS

LADY SANDRA WILLIAMS

SIR JAMES CARLISLE

DR. DWAYNE THWAITES

 

 

 

In Loving Memory | Conroe Noon Lions Club

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

 

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