By Yasmine Salameh ----

The Lebanese Red Cross Club at AUB held their 20th annual reception at the AUB Alumni Club on Saturday, May 5, to honor old and new LRC club members by presenting them with official Red Cross awards. Among the guests were President of the Lebanese Red Cross Salim Layoun, Ibrahim Abu Ayash from Banque Al-Madina, who finances the LRC Club, and the Club's faculty advisor Reem Sha'ban. The reception started on a musical note with the tune from Um Kalthoum's "Habbibi." The master of ceremonies, Ahmad Al-Harriri, secretary of the club and a business student at AUB, who admitted to being very nervous as he got on stage, welcomed the guests, calling out the members' names while President Layoun and Sha'ban presented them with their awards.
A video produced by the LRC Club committee, in particular vice president Ziad Shrayteh, who was also in charge of the reception, showed activities and projects members undertook this year. Following the video, Hiba El-Jazzar, club president, listed the numerous projects the club had been involved in. These include the AUB Outdoors, folk dancing, carnivals, blood donations, the library for the blind, and first aid services. Future projects include providing lifeguards at the AUB beach. Rabi' Ra'ad, who had been with the club for four years, and Dana Litry, who was a member for three years, both received gold plaques as awards for their excellent work, dedication, and accomplishment. Litry was still in shock even after she had received the award, "I was so surprised. I didn't know I was going to get an award. I was so overwhelmed I wanted to cry and hug them all and tell them that they have been terrific." President Salim Layoun, who also spoke during the ceremony, received a gold plaque as a souvenir of thanks. "The LRC was established in 1945, after Lebanon gained its independence and signed the Geneva Treaty.
President Layoun stressed the importance of the spirit of volunteer service. "Volunteering your services to serve others without personally benefiting from it, is the essence of humanity...progress secures the independence of the red cross community, protects it and earns the community everybody's trust."
Ibrahim Abu Ayash was also presented with an award for financing the club. According to Ninar Itani, in charge of the club's public relations, sponsors such as Abu Ayash, donations, financial projects, and member fees finance the club.
Rami Hajjar, club treasurer and senior business student, expressed his pride in all the new and old members alike, describing all 80 members as dedicated and hard working. As for the low turnout at the reception, Vice President Shrayteh expressed his disappointment. " I expected more people to come.... but it must have been bad timing."