BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CLUB

The Lions Club of Wellawatte with the intention of harnessing the talent of the youth, formed the Leo Club of Wellawatte with a group of young boys and girls mostly comprising of their children.

On the 29th day in the month of August 1981, the Leo Club of Wellawatte was awarded the certificates with fifteen Leos been inducted as founder members.

Leo Noel Miranda was installed as the founder president and during this year of 1981 / 82 all the projects done were jointly with the parent club. Funds were raised by orgainising activities like collection & sale of old news papers & car washing.

The leoistic year 1982 / 83 under the presidency of Aravindan Sivasubramanium, another milestone was achieved by the Leos of Wellawatte. This year we carried out the benefit show called "HAIR" at the cinema and also had a jumble sale of nearly new clothes and items as our fund raiser. Several worth while service projects catering mostly the orphanages & infants homes were conducted and yet another Leoistic year was completed.

The following year, Leo Premkumar Perumal took over the reigns of the club. This year too, our club in it's own way organised small fund raisers and service projects within our capability. The most memorable projects being the donation of a television set to the orphans of Pubudu Home. With three years of experience in Leoism, the Leos of Wellawatte came out strong and showed the Lions family that they were worthy Leos.

One of the most dynamic president, Leo E K Rajasingham took over the leadership of the club in 1983 / 84 and giant stride in the field of Leoism were taken by the club. This year we launched our fund raiser, a musical concert named "ON STAGE" which eventually became an annual event of our club to raise funds. The funds raised were utilised to build a house for poor family living in shanty at the Kirulapone area. This project was well acclaimed by the District Governor, Lion Cassian Fernando and thus we received our first international award, the "Activity Service Award For Humanitarian Service". Many national awards were also won at the Annual District Conference that same year.

We launched the most informative quarterly bulletin called "SATELLITE" which has won us several local award, and to top it all, our president won the 100% Presidents Award in the year 1985 / 86.

The reigns of the club was handed over to the first lady president, Leo Shweta Amalean in the year 1986 / 87. This year too the Leos of Wellawatte dedicated themselves purely in rendering service to the nation. In keeping with the District Governor's theme "BRING QUALITY TO LIFE", we carried out more than 30 worth while projects totaling to approximately Rs. 200,000/-. The projects include donating a complete carpentry and sewing workshop to the Tamil Methodist School, Bambalapitiya and installing a bio- gas unit at the Camilla School in Mattegoda.

This year we started our continuous projects monthly project for disables. We sponsored a jaipur foot limb. In the field of international relations, we visited many clubs overseas which won us the "Best International Relations Award" in the district.

We carried out the biggest public relationship project, namely the "MAHAWELI DO YOU KNOW CONTEST" which was telecast over Rupavahini. This year too our club president was awarded the 100% Presidents Award.

The enthusiastic Leos together with the team spirit of Leoism reached yet another milestone in the fiscal year 1985 / 86 under the leadership of Leo Graham De Jong. We organised the most unique event during the Christmas season to raise funds. This was a food fair called the "FOOD VILLAGE". Thereafter due to the inspiration we got from the success of "ON STAGE", we held another musical concert and named it "LEO AID '86". This show was a tremendous success in the local showbiz.

For the first time, one of our members, namely Leo Imtiaz Ismail was elected to the post of District President in District 306 A.

The blood, sweat and tears we Leos put in for the past five years were recognised by the Lions International and thus we received the most prestigious award being the "Excellence Award". This depicts that our club is among the best 47 clubs, out of 5000 Leo clubs around the world. The five year old banner patch for rendering five years of continuous service to the nation was received from the international.

The following year under the presidency of Leo Imran Hassen, our club kept blossoming out while being engaged in service. We donated a cupboard to each and every classroom at Government Tamil Methodist School, Colombo 03. To mark WORLD NON-SMOKING DAY, one of our projects namely affixing 1500 anti-smoking stickers to vehicles containing the following messages: "Kiss A Non-Smoker & Taste The Difference" and "Quit Smoking Now Or The Ashes May Be Yours" was internationally recognised. We won a number of awards including the best presidents in appreciation to the work carried out and the award as the "Most Outstanding Leo Club In The District" taking pride and place.

The year 1988 / 89. Another great year for the Leo Club of Wellawatte with the leadership of Leo Rohan Dissanayake at the helm continued it's share of service and achieved greatness at almost every sphere of activity. The annual fund raiser Leo Aid which by then had won the hearts of music loving people sent the fans to a fantasy of music cumulating in another year of success in the field of fund raising. Another unique event of the club was the international relations programme where a delegation comprising of 12 Leos visited Bombay (now Mumbai), New Delhi & Madras.

This year the club won a record number of awards which included the most coveted & prestigious award, "The Most Outstanding Club" in recognition of the vast humanitarian services rendered.

A dynamic leader Leo Johar Dawoodbhoy was installed as the president for the Leoistic year 1989 / 90. One of the outstanding projects was donation and bedding material and tube well to an orphanage at Batticaloa. In the field of International Relations the president visited the Leos in Singapore this year. During this year too, continuous projects were initiated, namely the rice project and donation of milk powder and liquid detergents to the infants at Mother Theresa's Home. The annual fund raiser "Leo Aid '90" also conducted.

Leo Raju Amalean lead the Leos during the Leoistic year 1990 / 91. In addition to the continuous projects, we donated classroom furniture and items for a Home science Laboratory to a school in Ismail-Puram in Puttlam.

Leo Manoj Wickramatunga one of our member was elected to lead the District 306 A for the Leoistic year 1991 / 92.

With the dawn of Leoistic year 1991 / 92 diminutive Leo Shakir Rajbhoy took the reigns of the club & kept the growth of our club and continued it's fair share of service to the destitute brotherly in our country. This year our annual fund raiser, "Leo Aid '91" netted a record profit of over Rs. 185,000/-. The most unique project carried out this year was the party for the orphan and disabled children in the vicinity of Colombo.

In addition, the other continuos project were carried out which included the campaign against smoking. In recognition of the vast humanitarian service rendered we won many awards at the annual Leo conference.

Another dynamic leader - Leo Shiran Massaron was installed as president for the Leoistic year 1992 / 93 and he won the "Most Outstanding Leo of The Year Award" and as well as the "Most Outstanding Leo Club President" at the annual Leo conference. We have done many projects and one of the most outstanding project was the disables day project. Others included the painting of chairs, tables, etc.. at Preethipura, Wattala along with the Leos of Kollupitiya, Milagiriya / Col. West, Battaramulla and Ratmalana. We also visited orphanages and elders home during Christmas.

We won many awards at the annual Leo conference and also at the multiple district conference. This year too, our annual fund raiser "Leo Aid '92" was held and a profit of over Rs. 180,000/- was recorded. Leo Murtaza Z Hussain took over the reigns of the club for the year 1993 / 94. Amidst various difficulties that cropped up, the club continued it's fair share of service while engaging themselves with the other clubs to do joint projects as per motto "WE SERVE BETTER TOGETHER".

Leo Namaz Fowzie was installed as president for the Leostic year 1994 / 95. Many service projects were conducted and this year too our annual fund raiser "Leo Aid '94" was staged recording a net profit of approximately Rs. 175,000/-.

A very energetic and active Leo Aliakber Asgerally was installed as president for the year 1995 / 96. This year with the concept of "Home For The Homeless", we donated raw materials to a worthy person to build a house. To mark Ramzaan Festival, we served dinner to 150 refugees from the North and to mark Christmas we visited orphanages and elders home donating Christmas hampers comprising of daily needs like toothpaste, soap, toothbrushes, jams cordials, etc...The annual fund raiser "Leo Aid" was not held this year because of Operation Rivi Resa.

Today, it will be the opening of a new chapter with an experienced Leo taking over the reigns. We sure hope with the immense knowledge and the wealth of experience of Leo Anoop Amalean, the club would go to greater heights and with his team of Leos. The Leo Club of Wellawatte will be the cynosure of all eyes in this 15th Leoistic year of 1996 / 97.

For more information visit the Lions International Head Quaters