DECEMBER 2006

PRESIDENT’S CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

Dear Colleagues, Members and Friends of ALPS,

It is always an honour and a pleasure for me to address you at this time of year. What makes our Association so unique is the loyalty that you have shown throughout 2006, not only in the steadily-increasing number of members but also in the great universal enthusiasm in every activity that we have put up.

The response to the several activities was always very encouraging, and your participation gave me great satisfaction in being at the helm of such a dynamic association. It is evident from your own comments that what the Council of Administration organised during the past 12 months was to your liking.

The scope of keeping alive the Association of Lyceum Past Students keeps us close in all that we can organise and achieve. It also serves to further widen our knowledge and enhance our educational acumen. The years that each of us carries cannot but have added to the knowledge that we acquired from our Alma Mater.

We all have every reason to be very proud to have once attended such a prestigious school. This pride will continue to keep us working together, voluntarily and wholeheartedly, to keep alive the name of The Lyceum and create an even greater awareness among more of our former schoolmates. We ask you to carry the message and encourage even more of our past schoolmates to join this Association.

On behalf of the Council of Administration I wish you and your families a Peaceful and Happy Christmas and a Bright and Prosperous New Year 2007.

Very sincerely
GEORGE STAGNO NAVARRA

HAIL THE NEW ARCHBISHOP!

It was with the greatest sense of pride that the Association of Lyceum Past Students welcomed the news of the choice of Fr Paul Cremona OP to be the new Archbishop of Malta. Mgr Cremona was a student of The Lyceum from 1956 onwards, starting in Form I D.

ALPS President George Stagno Navarra immediately sent off a letter of congratulations and good wishes to our now-illustrious former schoolmate. Once he has been consecrated in late January and allowed to settle down in his demanding tasks it is proposed to pay an official visit to His Grace. But more of that later.

In the meantime, all those who were Lyceum classmates of Paul Cremona are earnestly urged to make themselves known to ALPS Secretary-General Alex Borg or Communications & Publications Commission Chairman Laurie Vella (see masthead for details). Please pass on the message even to all former classmates who are not members of ALPS.

 YULETIDE DINNER GOES LIKE A CRACKER

This year’s ALPS Yuletide Dinner at the Master Deck Restaurant of the Coastline Hotel went off with a bang much louder than a giant Christmas cracker. There were just under 200 participants who, as usual, all came away with a great sense of satisfaction not only at the quality of the dinner but also the spirit of family togetherness that reigned throughout – not to mention the high-quality raffles!

Quite a good number of participants took up the Coastline Hotel’s offer of very good rates to stay overnight and refill with a sumptuous breakfast.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2007

The Annual General Meeting of the Association for 2007 has been set for Wednesday 24th January at 6 p.m. at The Lyceum, Hamrun. It is hoped that the sharp increase in membership will be duly reflected in greater attendance than usual for the AGM.

Secretary-General Alex Borg will read the minutes of the 2006 AGM. If there are no matters arising he will proceed with the Administrative Report, and Treasurer David Abela will follow up with the audited Financial Report. A speech from President George Stagno Navarra will precede the election of Council members which, according to the statute, this year will include the posts of President and Secretary-General.

 NOW FOR THE BICYCLE MARATHON

For the past few months the ALPS Council of Administration has been working hard to come up with a number of new, more effective ideas of helping to increase the proceeds of the Lyceum Bicycle Marathon, which should be going ahead in March in aid of the complete refurbishment of the main kitchen of the Dar tal-Providenza at Siggiewi. Although cooperation has never been lacking from the ALPS side, the ever-higher aims of the marathon organisers have made such new ideas imperative.

One of the foremost ideas for 2007 is for ALPS to channel the proceeds of a number of its fund-raising activities exclusively towards the marathon. Accordingly the Council of Administration is organising a night to remember on Saturday 20th January at the Paradise Bay Resort Hotel at Cirkewwa. For just Lm10 a head patrons can enjoy a slap-up buffet dinner complete with live cabaret show, one night’s accommodation and breakfast. Children aged between 2 and 11 and staying in rooms with adults will be charged for at half price.  Dinner-only prices are Lm6 for adults and Lm3.50 for children.

Starting at 8 for 8.30 p.m., the event will not be a “normal”, ALPS-only occasion. In fact, in view of the ultimate destination of the funds, the Association has invited all those involved in the marathon – Lyceum teachers, students, parents and helpers – to attend the dinner and thereby enhance the proceeds. Members and Friends of ALPS who are also members of other NGOs are urged to lobby their respective committees to either organise attendance to the dinner or plan their own fund-raising events – or both.

Bookings for the dinner – preferably accompanied by pre-payment – are open with immediate effect. Please contact Secretary-General Alex Borg or any other member of the ALPS Council of Administration.

 2006 GRAND REUNION PICTURES

Purely by oversight, the November issue of ALPS News failed to mention that a number of digital pictures taken by Lyceum Youths Commission Chairman Joe Micallef at the Grand Reunion of October 2006 are available for sale as prints. The pictures may be viewed in the Picture Gallery on the ALPS website, www.ALPSmalta.com. Any orders may be placed with Joe Micallef on e-mail jamic@di-ve.com.

 CANADA TOUR STILL ON

Preparations are continuing apace for the grand ALPS Tour of Canada in 2007, and the final plans will be announced soon. Current arrangements are pointing to the tour starting in the first week of August 2007 and lasting 16 to 18 days, including travel.

In the meantime, Secretary-General Alex Borg is continuing to register expressions of interest by members and friends of ALPS to join the tour, which is being put together with the willing collaboration of ALPS Canada Branch President Milo Vassallo. The programme will definitely include a reunion with ALPS members and other past students in Canada.

 MEMBERSHIP FEES

Annual membership fees of Lm5 for 2007, or life membership for Lm30, are now being accepted by Treasurer David Abela at “Juniper”, Triq Ganni Vella, Tal-Qattus, Birkirkara. Please start the ball rolling …