{"id":5623,"date":"2015-01-28T13:46:02","date_gmt":"2015-01-28T13:46:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/alps.asmlt.com\/?page_id=5623"},"modified":"2015-01-28T15:14:02","modified_gmt":"2015-01-28T15:14:02","slug":"december-2007-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/alpsmalta.com\/?page_id=5623","title":{"rendered":"DECEMBER 2007"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

FROM THE PRESIDENT\u2019S DESK<\/strong><\/p>\n

Christmas is that special time of the year when we all love
\n to send and receive messages of friendship and happiness.
\n We exchange our happy thoughts and reciprocate to one another
\n the feelings that come to us so naturally. It is the time
\n when we may just stop and think about the birth of Our Saviour
\n that rekindles the hearts and brings us together during the
\n festive season.<\/p>\n

Let us all remember the things that we have done and others
\n that we have missed; let’s recall all the happy and the sad
\n moments that we have been through during the year 2007 which
\n is about to end. Let us take this opportunity to make amends,
\n because tomorrow may be just too late.<\/p>\n

I extend to all ALPS Members and Friends sincere best wishes
\n for a very Merry and Happy \u2013 but above all a Blessed
\n \u2013 Christmas and a Bright and Prosperous New Year 2008,
\n full of good luck and greater successes.<\/p>\n

GEORGE STAGNO NAVARRA
\n President ALPS \u2013 Ghaqda Ex-Studenti Liceo<\/p>\n

\n YULETIDE DINNER-DANCE<\/p>\n

The Association\u2019s Yuletide Dinner-Dance was held on
\n Friday 7th December at the Paradise Bay Resort Hotel at Cirkewwa.
\n The decision on the venue was due in large measure to the
\n resonant feedback received from scores of ALPS members and
\n friends who attended the very successful dinner there in January
\n 2007. Hundreds of ALPS Members and Friends snapped up the
\n invitation for a great evening of enjoyable camaraderie, good
\n dining and dancing to a live quartet. Most took the opportunity
\n to stay for two nights at the attractive rates offered by
\n the hotel management.<\/p>\n

The event was highlighted with two first appearances: the
\n up-and-coming ALPS Choir, part of whom sang two numbers from
\n their first operetta, and the custom-made ALPS ties which
\n were very well received. In fact, a lady who was coming out
\n of the restaurant before the start of the ALPS dinner bought
\n one for her father, a past Lyceum student. Her son is also
\n a Lyceum student. With a debut like that \u2026<\/p>\n

Greeting the guests, ALPS President George Stagno Navarra
\n rejoiced at the great number of old and new acquaintances
\n that the Association could get together for such festive occasions.
\n The several social and cultural events that had been organised
\n over the year had shown the amount of good that could be generated
\n both for members and friends and for the less fortunate. ALPS
\n events had helped to raise several thousand liri in proceeds
\n from the Lyceum Bicycle Marathon (which had all been channelled
\n to the Dar tal-Providenza) and thousands of pencils and exercise
\n books which had gone to the schoolchildren in the MSSP missions
\n in Peru. The latter project was being relaunched for this
\n winter (see separate item in this edition of ALPS News).<\/p>\n

Other events had included the Annual Barbecue, held at the
\n Coastline Hotel; the 34U planting ceremony at Kennedy Grove;
\n and the annual Mass for the repose of the souls of departed
\n past students and masters of The Lyceum (chief among them
\n ALPS Founder-President Dr Guido Saliba) and relatives of ALPS
\n members and friends and the Pwales community.<\/p>\n

But without doubt, said Mr Stagno Navarra, the two greatest
\n events of 2007 had been the two Grand Reunions for past students
\n held thousands of kilometres apart: the now-annual October
\n reunion in Malta, made all the more memorable by the presence
\n of Archbishop Paul Cremona, and the historic reunion held
\n in Toronto, Canada, as part of the no-less-historic visit
\n there by a group of ALPS members and friends. The Toronto
\n Grand Reunion had indeed been a ground-breaking one, and George
\n held out prospects of a repeat visit or possibly even to faraway
\n Australia.<\/p>\n

A particular welcome was reserved for ALPS stalwart Mgr Lawrence
\n Gatt, Director of Dar tal-Providenza, who at the Malta reunion
\n in October had celebrated with his former classmates the 60th
\n anniversary of his entrance to The Lyceum. Mgr Gatt thanked
\n ALPS for all the funds it had gathered over the years for
\n the homes, not least Lm104 at the Yuletide Dinner-Dance itself
\n from the sale of CDs donated by tenor Andrew Sapiano and recorded
\n over the 30 years of his studded career.<\/p>\n

Mr Stagno Navarra finally announced that a prominent ALPS
\n member, Mr Arthur Gruppetta of Merlin Library, had donated
\n to the Association a fabulous two-volume work of the Holy
\n Bible. By special arrangement with the Lyceum Headmaster,
\n the Association would be passing this gift on to the Lyceum
\n Library for the students\u2019 benefit, by formal presentation
\n at a future event.<\/p>\n

\n A TOY FOR GOOD MEASURE<\/p>\n

Following the success of two years ago when ALPS launched
\n a collection of exercise books and pencils from Maltese schoolchildren
\n for their counterparts in Arequipa, Peru, the Association
\n has now launched a similar project \u2013 but with a toy
\n thrown in for good measure. All items collected from this
\n campaign Pitazz u Lapis jew {ugarell will be passed on to
\n the Malta Mission Fund, which will then forward them to Tanzania.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe image of smiling Peruvian children in their classrooms
\n with exercise books that bore clearly-visible Maltese brand
\n names is still fresh with us,\u201d says ALPS President George
\n Stagno Navarra, \u201cand we are looking forward to repeating
\n the experience, possibly on an even-larger scale.\u201d<\/p>\n

The project is again being spearheaded by Philanthropic Commission
\n Chairman Dr Nazareno Azzopardi, who with the cooperation of
\n the Education Division has already written to all Government,
\n private and religious school heads urging them to participate
\n and organise the collection of exercise books, pencils and
\n toys in January, after most children will have received loads
\n of toys for Christmas.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe toy in this year\u2019s project has been thrown
\n in following comments received by many after the first project,\u201d
\n said Dr Azzopardi. \u201cIt is well known that over Yuletide
\n many children receive toys as presents, and sowing in them
\n the thought of giving something that they like to children
\n who are less fortunate could do a lot of good for the development
\n of their characters.\u201d<\/p>\n

ALPS recommends to its members and friends, most of whom
\n have children and grandchildren of school-going age, to encourage
\n their families to cooperate in the project.<\/p>\n

\n TO ROME FOR \u201cTOSCA\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe Fenech, aka ALPS Cultural Commission Chairman, will be
\n leading a tour to Rome between 22nd and 25th January, 2008,
\n organised by Euro Tours. The focal point of the tour will
\n be a performance of Tosca at the Teatro dell\u2019Opera di
\n Roma. The group will be accommodated in a 3-star hotel close
\n to Stazione Termini and will visit Sant\u2019Andrea della
\n Valle, Palazzo Farnese and Castel Sant\u2019Angelo, the three
\n places which feature in the opera\u2019s first, second and
\n third acts respectively. Also on the cards is a visit to the
\n Vatican City, as well as other Roman touristic highlights.\n <\/p>\n

Prices start from Lm249\/\u20ac580 for an adult sharing a
\n twin room, including return Air Malta flights to Rome, airport-hotel-airport
\n and hotel-theatre-hotel transfers, three nights\u2019 accommodation
\n and buffet breakfast, a good opera ticket and all taxes. Bookings
\n on first-come-first-served basis can be made with Joe Fenech
\n on 21 410632.<\/p>\n

\n FOUNDATION DAY CONCERT 2008<\/p>\n

As already announced, the ALPS Foundation Day Concert for
\n 2008 has been brought forward to Saturday 19th January at
\n the Salesian Theatre in Sliema. The event will be a semi-concert
\n version of the operetta La Principessa della Czarda, with
\n music by Emerich Kalmann.<\/p>\n

There will be free parking in St Patrick\u2019s grounds.\n <\/p>\n

Cultural Commission Chairman Joe Fenech, who as usual is
\n spearheading the efforts, says the ALPS Choir launched for
\n the operetta is coming along nicely in both quantity and quality
\n \u2013 and what\u2019s better still, the choristers are
\n enjoying themselves and making new friends. Any ALPS members
\n and friends, male or female, who would like to join are still
\n in time to contact Joe on telephone 21 410632. <\/p>\n

\n \u2026 AND NOW AN ORCHESTRA<\/p>\n

Following the encouraging response to the idea of the choir,
\n the Association\u2019s dynamic Council of Administration
\n has now turned its sights to the possibilities of setting
\n up an orchestra! <\/p>\n

Although every musician will be welcome to join this orchestra,
\n the Council\u2019s aim is mainly to attract rather younger
\n blood to its activities. All those interested \u2013 including
\n the sons and daughters of ALPS members and friends \u2013
\n are encouraged to contact Joe Fenech and give their particulars.<\/p>\n

Hands up all those willing to bet that in a couple of years\u2019
\n time we can actually present a concert with the participation
\n of the ALPS Orchestra and Choir for Foundation Day \u2026<\/p>\n

\n \u2026 AND A MUSEUM<\/p>\n

The Council of Administration is seeking to acquire premises
\n in which it can set up a Lyceum Museum and possibly also house
\n its archives. But furnishing the museum itself would have
\n to rely in large measure on the generosity of Lyceum past
\n students who would be willing either to donate exhibits or
\n even lend them to the Association on a permanent basis. <\/p>\n

Taking the thought a point further, Lyceum past students
\n who have remained without family, or whose immediate family
\n have no specific interest in The Lyceum because they have
\n attended other schools, could dwell on the idea of bequeathing
\n any or all of their Lyceum memorabilia to the ALPS Museum.\n <\/p>\n

With immediate effect, arrangements for any donations or
\n permanent loans may be made with ALPS Secretary-General Alex
\n Borg (see masthead for details). He may also be contacted
\n by anyone who thinks he might point out or help acquire a
\n suitable, centrally-located place for the museum.<\/p>\n

\n A.L.P.S. 15TH ANNIVERSARY<\/p>\n

April 2009 will mark the 15th anniversary of that day in
\n 1994 when Dr Guido Saliba, father-figure, teacher and treasured
\n friend to thousands of former students at The Lyceum, started
\n to see the realisation of his long-cherished dream of setting
\n up an association of former Lyceum students.<\/p>\n

In its eagerness to mark the anniversary with the pomp it
\n deserves, the Council has set up a sub-committee to start
\n preparations for the event. Ideas of appropriate events \u2013
\n with an essential eye to costs \u2013 may be broached to
\n Assistant Secretary-General Charles Calleja (telephone 21
\n 581574), Projects Coordinator Leo Scicluna (21 488570) or
\n Council member Robbie Ferrante (21 444570).<\/p>\n

\n WALK A MILE<\/p>\n

The ALPS Council of Administration has already set out a
\n number of suggested events to help raise funds for the 2008
\n edition of the Lyceum Bicycle Marathon, which will be held
\n between 11th and 13th April at The Lyceum. As in previous
\n years, the events will be coordinated with the marathon organising
\n committee.<\/p>\n

Council member Oscar Galea, who with Deputy President George
\n Grech represents ALPS on the committee, is very keen to organise
\n a sponsored mile-long walk to be held in the Lyceum grounds
\n while the marathon is in progress. Intending participants
\n \u2013 who will be sure to gain not only morally and spiritually
\n but also physically \u2013 can contact Oscar on telephone
\n 21 896293 and leave their details. <\/p>\n

\n IN SEARCH OF YOUNG BLOOD<\/p>\n

Since people don\u2019t get any younger, the need is making
\n itself increasingly felt for young blood to help push forward
\n the Association\u2019s busy agenda. One good way of achieving
\n this would be nominations of new faces for election to the
\n Council of Administration at the Annual General Meeting which
\n will be held at 6 p.m. on the evening of Friday 25th January
\n 2008 at The Lyceum, Hamrun. <\/p>\n

It is hoped that the sharp increase in membership, especially
\n over the past year, will be duly reflected in greater attendance
\n than usual for the AGM. It is true that the success of our
\n activities injects new encouragement in Council members, who
\n do all their work voluntarily, but seeing real interest in
\n the AGM is just as important.<\/p>\n

Secretary-General Alex Borg will read the minutes of the
\n 2007 AGM. If there are no matters arising he will proceed
\n with the Administrative Report, and Treasurer David Abela
\n will follow up with the audited Financial Report. There will
\n also be a short discussion on the updating of the Statute.<\/p>\n

A speech from President George Stagno Navarra will precede
\n the election of Council members which, according to the statute,
\n this year will not include the posts of President and Secretary-General
\n in the interests of continuity.<\/p>\n

A twin nomination form is attached at the end of this newsletter
\n to facilitate nominations, keeping in mind the various commissions
\n (see statute on website). These are to be sent to Alex Borg
\n (see masthead for address) by not later than a week before
\n the AGM. If necessary, help will be given to find secondants.<\/p>\n

\n ENSURING ELIGIBILITY<\/p>\n

In the meantime, ALPS members who may not yet have paid their
\n membership for 2007 can ensure eligibility to attend the AGM
\n by sending Lm5\/\u20ac11.65 (annual subscription) or Lm30\/\u20ac69.88
\n (once-only life membership) to Treasurer David Abela at \u201cJuniper\u201d,
\n Triq Ganni Vella, Tal-Qattus, Birkirkara.\n <\/p>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
ASSOCIATION OF LYCEUM PAST STUDENTS
\n (GHAQDA EX-STUDENTI LICEO)<\/p>\n

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2008<\/p>\n

NOMINATION FORM<\/p>\n

I hereby nominate _______________________________________
\n for election to the Council of Administration.
\n Name of proponent _______________________________________
\n Signature _______________________________________
\n Name of secondant _______________________________________
\n Signature _______________________________________<\/p>\n

\n ASSOCIATION OF LYCEUM PAST STUDENTS
\n (GHAQDA EX-STUDENTI LICEO)<\/p>\n

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2008<\/p>\n

NOMINATION FORM<\/p>\n

I hereby nominate _______________________________________
\n for election to the Council of Administration.
\n Name of proponent _______________________________________
\n Signature _______________________________________
\n Name of secondant _______________________________________
\n Signature _______________________________________<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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