Mavis Polson Lewis, of Columbia, Md., daughter of the late Woodrow and Eula Polson of Suffolk, recently received the Rotary Club of Columbia Patuxent’s Community Service Above Self Award.

The award recognizes a non-Rotarian who gives back to the community in a way that promotes the club’s spirit of having fun through community service.

Lewis is a retired educator and received her Bachelor of Science degree from Hampton Institute (now Hampton University). She earned her master’s degree from Towson University, Towson, Md., and did further study at Johns Hopkins University.

In Lewis’ honor, the club will make a $3,500 donation to a nonprofit of her choice. She has chosen The Claudia Mayer, Tina Broccolino Cancer Research Center to receive the donation. The Center is Howard County’s place of hope, help and support for men, women and children living with cancer, she said.