Jeanne Antide Home

During the past years LCM has helped this home in more ways than one. This home is situated in St Venera and welcomes girls who need shelter and a safe environment. These girls come with emotional and/or behavioural problems.

(The photo shown is of our member Marianne Caruana Turner to safeguard the privacy of the girls).

One of the annual highlights at this home is a BBQ which they organise for the relatives and friends of the residents. Besides asking us to assist in the purchase of food, which we did, we were also asked to help in the entertainment. One of our members, Marianne Caruana Turner, kindly dedicated a number of evenings this summer to visit the home were she choreographed and taught the girls a dance. From a group of about seven, two girls finally performed on the night – 1 September 2005. However all girls benefited from this experience. They realised that some people care; it occupied them in a different way; they became attached to Marianne and really appreciated what she did for them.

Following this we noted that one of the girls showed an aptitude towards dance so we starting shopping for some dance lessons for her. Sandra Borg at Gym Stars, Tarxien has kindly offered to sponsor a full year of jazz lessons for this girl.

On 19 December 2005 we once again visited this home and the home next door Fejda which offers the same therapy as Jeanne Antide besides a twenty-four hour emergency shelter. The purpose behind our visit was to extend Seasons Greetings to all the girls. We also gave each girl a small a Christmas Present which was donated by LCM members.

By giving of one’s self LCM members really lived up to this year’s motto ‘Reach Out. . .I’ll Be There!.’

Sitting practically on the water of Senglea is Dar Sant’ Anna a small Old People’s Home. LCM have for many years now done community service work at this home. Very simply some ladies visit the home for a morning and organise a Tombola session for all. This year we held this event on the 10 June 2005. 6 of us turned up on a beautiful summer’s morning with goodies to eat and enjoy once we left. We played a number of Tombola games whilst serving the food the members had kindly prepared.

The hands on experience to see these elderly people enjoy themselves, recount their anecdotes or watch them in their ways is something very fulfilling a satisfying. The morning was certainly enjoyed by one and all.

An Outing for Under Privileged Children

LCM feel that living in a children’s home is obviously very different to living in a family home. Therefore we decided to treat children from the latter home, to an activity which is certainly diverse from their daily routine and that they will cherish for a long time to come. We chose a home run by nuns and on Thursday 21 July 2005 some of our members together with two nuns and one of their voluntary helpers, and fourteen children spent a lovely afternoon swimming. One of our members kindly opened her home and pool area to these children – a most noble gesture. At sunset we prepared a BBQ with food having been kindly donated by sponsors. Absolutely exhausted all the children started on their way back home at eight in the evening, with lots of goodies, sweets, little toys, a cake and a slide specially given by the daughter of our hostess.

It was certainly a fun afternoon, packed with excitement, a few ‘little frights’, adventure and joy. The smiles, the appreciation and the happiness with which the children gave their parting goodbyes brought immense delight to all LCM members present.

Following the success of this event our hostess was thrilled and once again kindly offered her home to have a repeat of this activity. On 12 September 2005 this activity was held much to the children’s delight.

No monetary donation will replace the enjoyment the children had not just swimming but being invited to someone’s house to swim. One can see that the nuns do their utmost to bring up the children in the best possible way and when you meet the children this shines through in their manners and politeness.

There will be none or few photos in the photo gallery to mark this occasion except the few were the members only appear. This we do for the sake of privacy of the children. Here one may see a few members who joined the afternoon party.