Dessaline Waldron has been dedicating her time to charitable efforts for almost four decades but her heart lies firmly with the Lions Clubs of Bermuda.

This year, the 68-year-old grandmother of two will be marking 35 years of working with the organisation, of which she has been the zone chairwoman for the past five years.

“The reason why I joined was because I liked their motto. We serve for those less fortunate,” Ms Waldron, who is originally from St George’s, told The Royal Gazette .

She began working with charities when her son turned 16. She started the Lupus Association of Bermuda and has sat on the board of Amnesty International Bermuda and Pride Bermuda.

She is also heavily involved with the Southampton Seventh-day Adventist Church, helping with the feeding programme.

“I’ve really kept busy but Lions is definitely my call,” she said. “That’s where my heart is.”

She added that while she had received several awards for her work, she did not “give back” to be recognised.

“I do things from my heart — I don’t do things for a pat on the back. I would like people to remember not what I’ve done for them but what I was very compassionate about and that would be children and definitely our seniors.”

Ms Waldron joined the Hamilton Lioness Club in 1981 and started the Somers Lioness Club about 26 years ago.

“I was the first Bermudian to become a Lioness District President in 1991,” she said, adding that she held the position for a year before the Lioness programme was shut down.

She went on to join the Paget Lions in 2002 and said she became the first female president in 2005.

Ms Waldron said there used to be eight clubs in Bermuda but only the Hamilton Lions, Paget Lions and Eastern Lions remain.

However, a junior Leo Club that falls under the Paget Lions is also run through Warwick Academy.

The local clubs are part of the New York and Bermuda District 20K2, which supports the efforts of Lions Clubs in the New York State and Bermuda.

“Lions Club International has a membership of 1.4 million and it’s strictly a volunteer organisation over 200 countries in the world,” she said.

For the past seven years, Ms Waldron has spearheaded the Share the Christmas Spirit programme with the MarketPlace stores, handing out 582 hampers last year.

Another of her favourite events is the Lions World Service Day when the clubs take residents from all the rest homes out to lunch.

“I love it,” she said. “I love my seniors and believe it or not, they’re the ones who will pick up the phone and they are so appreciative.”

But the Lions’ main focus is sight and for more than 30 years, they have been screening preschool children and collecting unwanted glasses to send overseas to those who need them.

The clubs also band together every year for the Lions White Cane Tag to raise funds for the Sight Conservation Committee, which assists those on the island who cannot afford to pay for eye exams or buy glasses. This year, the tag day falls on March 11 and 12.

Ms Waldron said: “All the monies that we raise for that particular tag day stays here in Bermuda to help out Bermudians.

“I would encourage people to help donate if they can and really think about doing some volunteer work — its very, very rewarding.”

Ms Waldron said her love of giving back “must have rubbed off from my mom”, the late Madge Smith, who was a well-known and active member of the St George’s community.

And while she will be resigning her post as zone chair in July this year, Ms Waldron hopes to continue working the Lions Clubs of Bermuda.

She is also optimistic that her grandchildren, Tyler and Daryn, will follow in her footsteps and continue the tradition of volunteering that runs in her family.

• Anyone interested in joining the Lions Clubs of Bermuda can call Dessaline Waldron on 236-9438 or e-mail Stephen Dean at steved@northrock.bm