Annual Dinner

This year we had a truly amazing Alumni Dinner. It was great to see so many Old Boys again and for the first time in the Marist Association’s history we saw four “Old Girls” attend which made it even more special!

 

Since our last Alumni Dinner a great deal has occurred during the year to St Henry’s and to the Marist Association.

 

As you came into the school grounds there have been huge renovations to the school property. The entire quad has been changed, no more island, no holes in the ground as you walk across towards the Brothers house from the classrooms. A Memorial Bell Tower has been built which dedicates the names of Marist Brothers who have taught at St Henry’s and have since died and those of past pupils who gave their lives in the Second World War. The Marist Association donated R20 000.00 towards this project.

 

At the beginning of this year a sub-committee has been formed consisting of ten past pupils who have matriculated in the past five years or so. The aim of this committee is to concentrate on the young past pupils and to bring them back to support the school such as at rugby games, the committee also assists with organising events and fundraising activities.

 

Since the forming of the sub-committee the Marist Association website is frequently updated with news, information, articles, biographies of past Brothers that taught at St Henry’s and a great deal more.

 

In keeping up with the times the Facebook group created by Karl Smith (Class of 1998) has been made official and thanks to him the group has over 600 past pupils who are now easy to contact.

 

The Annual Golf Day was extremely successful. We managed to raise R20 000.00 with 100 golfers participating. In the evening R 44 000.00 was raised for Operation Smile which Liberty Life matched. Sixteen children will now be able to have surgery and have their lives changed.

 

In December, Jason Grieve, Leroy Sibisi and Adam Watson (All Class of 2007) travelled to Port Elizabeth to assist the Marist Brothers and Sisters of Mercy nuns for a week helping with a summer camp and coaching the less fortunate sport and helping with other activities.

 

In the June/July Holidays the newly formed sub-committee organised a Holiday Winter Camp for the St Henry’s pupils in Grades 4 to 7. The entire camp was organised and run by past pupils.

 

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the guest speaker for the evening Graham le Sar and an even bigger thanks to Brother Vincent. Brother Vincent flew down from Johannesburg to be with us and we were honoured by his presence.

 

We hope those that attended the dinner had  truly special evening remembering their mischievous days at St Henry’s and will see them again next year!

 

 

 

Since our last Dinner we would like to remember:

Yershin Kisten (Class of 2007)

Dominic Giddy (Class of 2006)

Yatish Madaree (Class of 2004)

Trevor Mkhwanazi (Class of 1994)