LCSA AGM 2019 – Sonel Lindeque

Travel Report of Sonel Lindeque (LC19 PE Pearls Vice Chairman & Past LCSA President 2011 – 2012)

Friday morning, May 24th 2019, Chantal Myburgh and I set off for Gonubie, East London. It was time for the Ladies Circle South Africa Annual General Meeting (LCSA AGM) Weekend hosted by our Godchild Circle, East London Ladies Circle No. 23 (ELLC23) at the Gonubie Hotel.  We had a lovely three and a half hour road trip and soon arrived at our destination.

Upon arrival at the Hotel, we were greeted at Registration by ELLC23. There we received awesome Goody-bags and were quickly booked into our rooms. It was really great to there and then meet up again with Round Table Southern Africa’s Vice-President, Christo Bezuidenhout and his wife, Tes-mari.

After settling in, getting some teatime snacks with a drink and doing the meet & greet with fellow Circlers and partners, the 27th Annual General Meeting of LCSA began.  A first for me was being asked to all of a sudden be Second Secretary, but all good. The meeting went really well and the Sergeant was of course on top form and clearly I had an off day, cause those fines just kept coming my way! All in all it made for a fun, learning and productive meeting and it’s great to know that LCSA is still moving into the right direction.

After a great meeting we had a little bit of free time, but soon headed to the rooms to get ready for the evening. LC19 got all dressed up with reflective life jackets, flashing whistles, topes, slops and shredded jeans, because the evening’s Welcome Party was Shipwreck themed.  With receiving Bus Tickets in front of the Hotel, being transported to the Gonubie Marine Club and having to walk through the dark bushes, it made for a fun start of the evening. It was great catching up with everyone, but the highlight of the evening was to “Free Fall”. The East London ladies clearly know how to take you out of your comfort zone and have fun. Apparently LC19 looked like the Deck Sweepers! After the best Fish and Chips Take-Away Dinner that I’ve ever had, we made our way back to the Hotel. A nightcap turned into a lovely social for a couple of Circlers at the beachfront. Good for the soul.

Saturday morning’s Circler Workshop made you think about what held you back and what motivated you and pushed you to start thinking out of the box. Not always easy, but I think working together we were able to overcome challenges and if we keep it all in mind going forward this Circle year, we will achieve so much more.

The social activity after the morning’s workshop was great fun as we played some Minute-To-Win-It games. Lots of Fun and Laughter were had by all and clearly some are very competitive, some just clearly lucky or cheaters. After a bit of free time we took a walk to a nearby restaurant to enjoy lunch and just chill.

Back at the Hotel we had just enough time for a powernap and then it was time to dress to impress. I just love the President’s Cocktail Party.  Sharing an hour with Champaign, gifts, flowers, banners and speeches together with the President, Past Presidents, other Service clubs and invited guests, it just makes for such a special hour of the whole weekend.  And then it was time for the Presidential Banquet.

What a way to end off a lovely weekend. Congratulations to Judy Theunissen and her National Board and wishing Peta-lyn Foot and her newly elected team a wonderful year. Congratulations to Edenvale LC6 for taking most of the trophies home. You truly deserve each one of them.

Super proud of our Circle as we, Pearls Ladies Circle No.19, once again was awarded the LCI Day Trophy and we also, although it was meant for only one person, we took the prize for the Best Dressed Female(s) of the Shipwreck themed Welcome Party. Susarah Carpenter and I took 3rd Place with the Minute-To-Win-It games and what a joy to have my new Chairlady, Chantal and the RTSA Vice-President, Christo take 1st Place!! Wow!! Well done you guys! 🙂 And then we Danced!

Sunday morning we quickly had breakfast, said goodbye to most, had coffee at the beach and then headed back home.  Thank you and well done to ELLC23 for going all out and hosting a truly wonderful AGM Weekend.  Thanks also to everyone attending for adding to a great memory. I’m looking forward to the 2019/20 Circle Year as we Embrace our Magic.