Rotary Honors Maggie Smith  Of Lyme Disease Task Force

Maggie Smith was honored by the Newtown Rotary for the work that she and the Lyme Disease Task Force have done to inform residents of Newtown and the surrounding towns of the dangers of Lyme disease.

Dick Benson, past governor of Rotary District 7980, Southern Connecticut, presented Ms Smith with a Paul Harris Award and placed the medal around her neck.

The task force, in conjunction with the Rotary, has held a number of public meetings at the Fireside Inn over the past few years in an attempt to inform people of the seriousness, the symptoms, the prevention, and the urgency to seek treatment if it is suspected that was the possibility of having been bitten by a deer tick.

Connecticut has the highest incidence of Lyme disease in the nation; within the state, Fairfield County has the largest problem with the disease. Despite the statistics, many people still view Lyme disease as a nuisance disease rather than dangerous. But, having been bitten by a tick and contracting Lyme disease years ago, Ms Smith still has serious effects that she fears may follow her throughout the rest of her life. There are many people in Newtown who are unable to work full-time because of the disabling effects of the disease.

Mr Benson said he was especially pleased to present the award to Ms Smith because while he was Rotary governor, he spearheaded the club’s involvement in Connecticut with Lyme disease. All Rotary Clubs in the district held open meetings to discuss Lyme and handed out thousands of brochures giving facts about the disease. Mr Benson was asked to appear in Washington, D.C., to discuss the steps being taken by Rotary Clubs in Connecticut to combat the threat of Lyme.