Otters celebrate 75th anniversary today

Richard Dwight

Colombo's well-known leading family club, the 'Otter Aquatic' founded by Greg Roszkowski and Quintus Soyza in 1933, arrives this year at a significant milestone in its history, as it registers seventy five years of service to its members, well-wishers and the community at large.

A sustained '75 year' existence by any standard and in any endeavour is worthy of celebration in a manner befitting the occasion. And so in this regard a series of open sporting events, accompanied by social functions spread through the year, are being arranged for by the newly elected committee under the presidency of Sisil de Silva.

The kick start to the celebrative year will be in the nature and form of a live concert by the famous 'Gypsies' at the Club premises on Friday 13 June 2008 at 8.00 p.m. This concert which is primarily meant for members and invitees was made possible through the enterprising efforts of the entertainment secretary, Jeewana Fernando, and the benevolent sponsorship by a club member.

The musical extravaganza will be preceded by the opening ceremony at 6.30 p.m. at which the chief guest will be the Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Gamini Lokuge, which involve the lighting of the traditional oil lamp, the cutting of the ceremonial jubilee cake with members and invitees being hosted to cocktails and, rounding it all up for the evening will be fireworks display.

These details were made known to the members of the media by the vice president of the Otters, Vinod Lalvani, at the club on Wednesday.

Lalvani did as well dwell briefly on the history of the club, to say that the prime objective of the club at the start, was to promote and foster swimming, waterpolo and life saving, this did eventually broaden out to include recreational and social activities that led to the introduction of yet other sports such as Tennis, Basketball, Badminton, Table Tennis, Squash, Billiards & Snooker, not forgetting the Gymnasium and Karoke Lounge.

Lalvani made it known, that there will be improvements made by renovations and the added infrastructures associated with the different sports, this he felt would give impetus and drive to revitalise the club. But the overriding focus would be to ensure that a sense of order and decorum prevails, with a high level of discipline maintained at all times, he said.

Associated along with Vinod Lalvani at the briefing was the President, Sisil de Silva, Secretary Mayura Amarasinghe, Treasurer Shantha Amarakoon the Club Captain Piyal Hewage and yet others.