Published: 10 December 2020
PHILIPSBURG: - The Sint Maarten Lions Club was chartered on December 12th, 1970, and will celebrate 50 years this coming Saturday. The idea for starting a Lions Club on Sint Maarten was initiated by the late Lion Donny Bakhuis, who was a government auditor and visited the island for work from the Federal Government in Curacao. The Club was eventually chartered by the Bonaire Lions Club with Lion Ben Vlaun serving as its first Lion President with 22 Charter members.
Since this was the first service club on the island in 1970 it took some time for the community to understand and accept this service club concept, because it was not a religious, fraternal, or political organization. Nevertheless, with proper leadership, the Sint Maarten Lions Club promoted itself through its many selfless activities that met varied community needs on the island.