On a packed Saturday evening at the Vide Boutielle Cultural Club, residents and supporters from the La Clery community gathered for a milestone celebration: the third iteration of the La Clery Legends Award Ceremony, an event designed to lift up the quiet trailblazers and long-standing veterans that have shaped the area’s identity for decades.
Unlike generic award galas, this ceremony was built around centering the community’s own, turning a spotlight on unsung contributors who have rarely received formal recognition for their decades of work. A majority of the evening’s honorees hailed from La Clery’s storied athletic history, particularly its deep, generations-long football tradition that has turned the area into a regional sporting powerhouse. The honorees also included behind-the-scenes sports administrators whose decades of organizational labor laid the foundation for La Clery’s athletic success. Spanning four decades from the 1960s through the 1990s, each newly minted legend received a formal ceremonial blazer to mark their honor and celebrate their enduring place in local history.
The undisputed highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award, which went to Hilarion “Big Dean” Alfred, a former star basketball power forward. Along with receiving the top honor, Alfred was formally enshrined as an official La Clery Legend, capping a decades-long legacy of athletic and community contribution.
Retired educator and long-serving public servant John Sealy, a deeply respected community mainstay who has left lasting marks across Saint Lucia’s education, communications, and football development sectors, delivered the event’s keynote address. In his remarks, Sealy emphasized that La Clery’s legacy of excellence extends far beyond the sports field, noting that the community has nurtured standout talent across academia, the arts, and a wide range of technical professions.
Also in attendance was Stephenson King, Parliamentary Representative for Castries North, who extended congratulations to his constituents on their collective achievements while laying out a clear vision for the future of the Legends program. King praised the event organizers for carrying forward the tradition of honoring local contributors who have shaped the community, and challenged the Legends to expand their impact through sustained youth mentorship. He applauded the group’s recent one-off mentorship initiative, but called for a permanent, ongoing program that would connect young aspiring community leaders with the Legends as role models, encouraging a new generation to carry on the legacy of selfless community contribution.
Full list of 2024 La Clery Legend honorees by decade:
• 1960s: Joseph Napoleon, Julian Phillips, Collistus Charles
• 1970s: Charles Sayers, Keith “Baby” Cadette, Franklin Maitland
• 1980s: Clancy “Knees” Alexander, Clinton “Big Bull” Charles, Stanley Best
• 1990s: Emile “Mel” Eugene, Winston “Kilo” Regis, Hilarion “Big Dean” Alfred