Dear Fellow Old Boys,
Welcome to this edition of LSCOBA Express. As always, the editors have meticulously put our recent events in this electronic newsletter. I hope you will enjoy reading it.
By way of introduction, I am Calvin Mak from the class of 2001, current president of the Old Boys’ Association. Prior to taking up this position in July, I have been a committee member of the OBA since 2021, organising and taking part in various old boys’ activities.
It is my great honour to serve the Lasallian community in this capacity. In this first Message from the President of mine, let me take the opportunity to share with you my take on our roles at LSCOBA.
In short, it is about value creation, from three perspectives.
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LSCOBA for the Old Boys
As an alumni association, it is our raison d’être to connect Old Boys of all generations and all walks of life.
Given the long history and vast size of our community, this could be a herculean task. But I am thankful that we are standing on the shoulders of giants. From decades-long traditions inherited from our earlier predecessors, to the new online and offline initiatives we have rolled out in the past few years. It is my priority to continue these efforts for a vibrant and inclusive Old Boys community.
As we get out of the pandemic, we are seeing more and more face-to-face activities – various class reunions, sports activities, musical performances, happy hour gatherings, just to name a few. I hope you have participated in one or more of those.
Shortly we will also be having our Annual Ball, the Family Fun Day and the Christmas Eve Mass to prepare ourselves for the festive seasons. There are many more activities upcoming. Do stay tuned and I look forward to meeting many of you in the months to come.
With more power unleashed within the Lasallian community, we could step up to the next level.
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LSCOBA for the College
It is perhaps hard to deny that we are now in a time of change.
Internally, following the retirement of Mr. Tong, the College is now under a new administration led by Principal Steve Leung. Outside the school walls, we are experiencing new developments in the education system as well as demographic changes. It is the time for us Sons of La Salle to support our alma mater.
I believe it is our duty to align the expertise, network and resources of our Old Boys, in collaboration with other organisations and stakeholders in the Lasallian community, for the best results.
To this end, we are continuing our job shadowing programme and growing our support on student activities, among other initiatives. We are looking forward to more Old Boys participation – and before you ask, yes we do need your help. Be it financial resources, professional skills or your precious time for volunteer work. Every bit counts.
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LSCOBA for the Community
In School, we were taught the core Lasallian values of Faith, Service and Community. As of today, service learning has already been incorporated into the curriculum for current students of La Salle College.
Each of us has benefited from education that is open to all. As we grow up and graduate, the time has come for us to live the learning, and give back to the community that nurtured us.
In conjunction with the School, we are now planning a community service project for the Kowloon City District, where our alma mater has long been established. Please stay tuned, and I look forward to your participation.
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Let me conclude with a plea for your continued support to our alma mater, to its current students, and to LSCOBA and other fellow Old Boys. If you have any comments or suggestions, or any contributions at your capacity, please feel free to let me know. Together we are unbreakable.
Last but not least, may I take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Yours in La Salle
Calvin Mak
President, LSCOBA, 2023-24