To end another year of activities, we returned to the “Caravela d’Ouro”, in Lisbon. We exchanged the usual dinner for lunch and the feedback we received were positive, as this made it easier for members living in the north, such as Esmoriz and Castelo da Maia, and in the centre, such as Leiria and Alpiarça, to take part. However, the prize for the longest distance went to our Member No. 12 – Victor Rodrigues – who came here on purpose from Zurich, where he lives. Tiago Mendes Silva, the 2nd Vice-President of the Board and MGCP Delegate for Europe, travelled by road from Madrid, where his family lives.
Of the total of 30 members with 40, 35, 30, 25, 20, 15 and 10 years of membership, only 8 replied positively, but we were surprised by the registration of another 4 who hadn't celebrated their 40th anniversary in 2022. It was for these that Raul Almeida, 1st Member of the GMT - General Meetig Table, began to hand out the honours to:
No. 35 / 12 - Victor Tameirão Rodrigues
No. 58 / 20 - Manuel Vilas Sobral
No. 65 / 24 - Fernando Farrajota Condeça
No. 82/ 28 - Victor Gonzalez
José Gouveia Fonseca, Founding Member No. 8 and President of the GMT, then handed over the octagons for the 40th anniversary in 2023 to 2 of the 3 Members, as Paulo Baptista da Costa (No. 162 / 52) was forced to miss the event due to a sudden and contagious illness:
No. 153 / 49 - João Dinis Esteves
No. 172 / 56 - José Machado Pinto
Joaquim Preces Diniz, Founding Member No. 2 and President of the Board until 2014, distinguished the only 2 Members whith 35 years in the Club:
No. 314 / 112 – Alfredo Freire
No. 328 / 120 – Isabel Tinoco
The President of the Board, Isabel Tinoco, then presented the 20-year trophies to the Members:
No. 558 - Fernando Manuel Candeias
No. 590 - Tiago Mendes Silva
Finally, Tiago Mendes Silva honoured the Member who had just completed 10 years of membership:
No. 764 - Maria Cândida Fernandes
Many congratulatory messages were sent by Members who were unable to attend.
An entertainment programme, led by the actor couple Carolina Santorino and Miguel Linares called "How to save a marriage" surprised and amused the group of guests.
To say goodbye to each other, the only thing left to do was to toast the Club's 42nd Anniversary and cut the MaGnificent cake after the candles had been blown out and Happy Birthday sung.
Gifts and wishes for Happy Holidays and Prosperous 2024 were exchanged. Isabel Tinoco was, once again, presented by the Vale Rêgo couple with 2 books corresponding to the 177th and 178th Concentrações MGCP.
