Yeoman services on social awards by the head of Lions Club

District Governor Placidus M. Peter, who recently rose to the post of Governor of District 306 B1, has done incredibly well in a very short time in ensuring that his six-point plan for the District is put in motion.

Having started his career as a banker in 1991 with Hatton National Bank PLC, Mr Placidus later went on to become an entrepreneur. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Tony’s Collection (Pvt) Ltd., in addition to being the Managing Director of Lanka Individual Tours (Pvt) Ltd., which he founded in 2016.

In March 1995, when the Lions Club of Negombo Orient resolved to extend a Leo Club, young Placidus was unanimously elected its first President. This was his first introduction to Lions organisation and he has performed exceptionally since then.

His long and distinguished leadership in the Lions Club culminated in his election as the Leader of District 306 B 1 in July 2023. The theme he selected for his year is “Inspire to Aspire.” He set out his programme for the year on the following six points:

• Diabetic Awareness and Prevention – Conducting awareness programmes, seminars and workshops, diabetes screening and medical assistance to control diabetes.
• Environment Conservation – Awareness programme on environmental protection, restoring public drains, canals and waterways, maintaining and beautifying public places, cleaning programmes, tree planting in reforestation and encourage home gardening.
• Hunger Relief – Assistance to disaster victims to stave off hunger, provision of cooked meals and dry rations, provision of nutritional food for the malnourished, distribution of vegetable plants / creepers and trees that provide substitutes for food, and financial assistance to avert hunger.
• Addressing Pediatric Cancer – Awareness programme on pediatric cancer, assistance to pediatric cancer patients, financial and material assistance to pediatric cancer units of the hospitals.
• Enhancing vision – Sight preservation and restoration – Eyes screening to detect cataracts and other sight issues, planning cataract surgeries, provision of calibrated spectacles, while canes for visually handicapped, financial assistance to “Sight First Hospital,” Wattala.
• Youth Development and Assistance – Finding employment for unemployed youths in the community, joint projects with Leos directed at youth development, leadership development programmes, Lion’s Quest programme, donation of school libraries, mobility aids such as bicycles and tricycles for youths, providing school text books, school bags, uniforms and school stationary, scholarships and other financial assistance to students / graduates.

With 108 active clubs and over 3000 members, District 306 B 1 spans the north western coastal belt from Colombo, Negombo, Chilaw, Puttalam. Mannar and the entire Northern province. All 108 clubs are currently working on several valuable projects. The “Api Wawamu, Api Bedamu,” project is one such programme. Conducted by the Lions Club of Colombo Central, it has already benefited many needy persons. Under the programme, the Club distributes vegetable seeds, plants, and fertiliser required by those in need. Some clubs meanwhile, are engaged in environment related projects such as cleaning beaches, roads and waterways while also educating people to maintain their cleanliness. To mark World Children’s Day, many Clubs also organised programmes on their own initiative throughout the District. Lions Club of Negombo meanwhile, Lions Club of Negombo Horizon organised their Children’s Day programme on behalf of the District for the 10^th occasion working with many government institutions for which these Lions were well appreciated.

At present, the “Aspire to Inspire” programme initiated by District Governor Mr Placidus is being followed through with great enthusiasm.