Ms. Maylene Smith receiving the ceremonial gavel marking the commencement of her presidency of the Rockville Lions Club [view photo]

An Antiguan and Barbudan in Washington DC has been appointed to serve as President of the Lions Club of Rockville. Ms Maylene Smith, Administrative Assistant at the Embassy of Antigua and Barbuda was handed the ceremonial gavel on July 16th, in recognition of her appointment to the Lions Club Presidency for the upcoming year.

Smith has decided to focus the Club?s attention on Service for the coming year. She has chosen the theme: Visibility Through Service: Providing Miracles. "I hope to use this year to initiate more hands on community service activities such as soup kitchens and property upkeep. Lions will be moved away from its traditional check-writing mode;" says Smith.

Smith, who hails from Freetown, has been a member of Lions International since 1997. Before her transfer to the Embassy of Antigua and Barbuda in Washington DC, she served in the local club here in St Johns where she was instrumental in organizing a twelve-week sign language course. She also spearheaded a drive to provide the School for the Hearing Impaired with computers and a hot lunch once per month.

Lions Club International has raised millions of dollars to assist targeted communities in Antigua and Barbuda and worldwide. Maylene Smith is a past student of the Clare Hall Secondary School.