Philippe Bouvard, new president of the SNSM

Recently at the Espace Culturel

The local branch of the Société Nationale de Secours en Mer (SNSM) organized the handover of power between Michel Terre, who left the presidency of the local branch, and Philippe Bouvard, his successor. A ceremony that took place in the presence of Gil Bernardi, mayor of Le Lavandou, François Arizzi, mayor of Bormes-les-Mimosas, and Jean-Louis Kérignard, departmental delegate of the SNSM.

Recruté by Yves Gennequin in 2008, Michel Terre carried out his mission as president for ten years within a close-knit and particularly committed team.

"To all of you here present in orange, I want to thank you for your dedication and commitment to the intercommunal station and, above all, for the good spirit that drives you and your good humor. In my last report of the past year, we carried out 144 outings and also opened a shop selling SNSM promotional materials at the port of Bormes-les-Mimosas, which is doing well."

Then, as is customary, he handed over the president's tie to Philippe Bouvard, his successor.

Philippe Bouvard, nouveau président de la SNSM

Ce dernier a déclaré avec émotion : « J’ai participé, avec assiduité et toujours avec grand bonheur, aux activités de la station du Lavandou, sur terre comme sur mer, à vos côtés. J’ai beaucoup appris ». Le nouveau président a poursuivi : « Maintenant, c’est à moi de jouer si j’ose le dire. Les qualités et la grande compétence de l’équipe en place me permettent d’envisager l’avenir avec une certaine sérénité dans un avenir qui ne se conçoit qu’avec vous tous sans lesquels rien ne serait possible ».

Finally, Philippe Bouvard shared a reflection from a leader of this great national movement: "As volunteers within the SNSM, we have committed ourselves to an extremely noble cause that deserves the greatest respect. But as we well know: as volunteers, our reward is in the eyes of the people we rescue, and it is also in the way this allows us to look at ourselves."