MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT.
Dear Friends in ALPS
It will soon be Christmas, and the New Year 2006 is fast
approaching too. This instils in me a sense of happiness and
joy, knowing that throughout 2005 we have achieved a lot for
the Association of Lyceum Past Students. Of course, it is
the participation of members and friends of ALPS that inspires
great fulfilment in every member of the Council of Administration.
I get the feeling that the forthcoming year should be even
more interesting …
Looking forward to more challenging events that we may
be planning for your enjoyment, may I take this opportunity
to extend to you and to all your families sincere best wishes
for a Peaceful Christmas and a Healthy and Happy New Year.
George Stagno Navarra
BUMPER YULETIDE DINNER
The event of 2nd December 2005 was the Association’s
biggest-ever Yuletide Dinner to date. The Golden Sands’
superb, brand-new Central Ballroom was a real eyeful, choc-a-bloc
with tables, guests and hotel staff leaving no stone unturned
to do a great job. The food buffet was good and plentiful,
presenting items of Italian, Indian, Japanese and traditional
Christmas fare. And to top it all there was a whole tableful
of hampers and vouchers, all donated by generous sponsors.
Scores of couples also snapped up a very attractive offer
of a whole package including the dinner, accommodation and
breakfast, thereby doing away with the problem of driving
home late at night. But not all of those who took the opportunity
were old-timers or had problems driving at night. The package
– and in a brand-new hotel that had just played host to Commonwealth
leaders for CHOGM 2005 – was just too good to resist. In the
end they all came away singing the praises of the Golden Sands’
accommodation and vast choice of breakfast.
The novelty of the Golden Sands Resort & Spa obviously
helped to draw a bigger attendance, but must also have been
a result of the resounding success of the Grand Reunion for
Lyceum Students in October, where we showed our organisational
acumen and launched a new membership drive.
It is also gratifying to record that a large number of non-Lyceum
past students have asked to be considered as “Friends
of ALPS” and to be kept informed of the Association’s
activities even through ALPS News. This proves beyond all
doubt – if proof were needed – that ALPS’s informative,
educational, cultural and social activities invariably manage
to reach all their objectives and, what’s more, are
being talked about in the most glowing of terms. ALPS is,
indeed, arguably the most active organisation of its type
in the Maltese Islands.
REMEMBERING OUR DEAD
The Holy Mass for the repose of dear departed fellow members,
other past students and teachers of The Lyceum, relatives
and friends, held on 19th November, was well attended. This
was the first time that the list included ALPS Founder-President
Guido Saliba, who passed away on 7th December 2004. Mass was
said by ALPS Spiritual Director Fr William Bartolo OFM Conv.,
who in his homily pointed out that for most ALPS members the
November Mass in 2004 had been the last time they had seen
Dr Saliba alive.
The Council of Administration marked the first anniversary
of Dr Saliba’s passing away with a suitable advert in
The Times on 7th December. May the Lord grant him eternal
rest.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2006
The 12th Annual General Meeting of the Association of Lyceum
Past Students will be held on Friday 27th January
2006 at 6 p.m. at The Lyceum, Hamrun, with the kind
cooperation of incoming Headmaster Tony Caruana Smith.
After the reading and approval of the minutes of the 11th
AGM, the Administration Report and the Financial Statement
as at 31st December 2005 will be presented for approval. President
George Stagno Navarra will deliver a short address, followed
by the election of officials and members to the Council of
Administration and a Spiritual Director. Two auditors will
be nominated for 2006.
In keeping with the ALPS statute, the posts of President
and Secretary-General will not be contested this year, in
the interests of continuity. Nominations for election of members
to the Council of Administration are to be submitted to Secretary-General
Alex Borg (see masthead for address details) by not later
than Saturday 21st January 2006. Each nomination is to show
the name and acceptance of the nominee, the name of the proposer
and name of the seconder.
Since ALPS is a live and active organisation, the AGM will
have before it a motion calling for a review of the Statute
with due consideration to the changes dictated by time. If
the motion is approved, attendees at the AGM will be given
a form showing what changes are being proposed and why, and
the chairman of the meeting will go through it piecemeal.
But any ALPS member who would like to have this form in advance
of the AGM may inform the Secretary-General and will be sent
the form by mail.
MEMBERSHIP DRIVE STEAMS ON
Every single member of the Council of Administration is finding
the charge he needs in the ever-growing number of members
of the Association. Following the Grand Reunion, Membership
Commission Chairman Anthony Aquilina has written to all those
who are known to have attended the event but are still not
members, including with the letter a copy of The Chanticleer
and inviting them to fill in the membership form.
Although officially this is Tony’s baby, every member
of ALPS can and should help to strengthen the Association
by enticing more former schoolmates to join. There are still
thousands out there …
|
For those who have not yet paid their ALPS membership for 2005, the address of
Treasurer David Abela is “Juniper”, Triq Ganni Grima, Tal-Qattus, Birkirkara BKR 13. It’s late, but not TOO late! |