LEWISTON—The newest civic organization in town presented its first community service project on Friday night — an International Peace Poster Contest for students from Stella Niagara Education Park.

On Halloween Eve, the Lewiston Lions Club turned the Lewiston Library community room into a room filled with a message of global peace. The group was helped by 13 students who participated in a peace poster contest.

The winner was Maia Gallagher, an 11-year-old sixth-grader whose poster of a globe surrounded by smiling animals — and someone an awful lot like an 11- year-old girl — will now compete at the Lions Club district level. If she is the grand prize winner, she and her family will fly to New York City and be presented with $2,500 at the United Nations.

The contest attracts 350,000 children from around the world.

Sister Margaret Sullivan, Stella Niagara principal, said the school has been designated a national peace site since 1989, so the Lions Club effort was a natural fit.

“We really make a commitment to be peacemakers, wherever we are. Usually in the first week of October, the Feast of St. Francis, Stella Niagara celebrates peace and that’s how we kick the year off. So this was real natural for us,” Sullivan said.

“We believe if you renew the commitment at the community level, the neighborhood level, that’s how you are going to bring it about,” she added.

Art teachers, classroom teachers and librarians asked the students, “How would you promote peace?

In the meantime, the Lions Club started “knocking on doors” for members in June, with the help of former Lions District Governor James Muscoreil, a member of the Wilson Lions Club.

They were immediately successful in recruiting 20 members. New Lewiston club president Thomas R. Huisgen, a former Youngstown Lion, said their membership doubled during the last four months.

Huisgen said this is not the first Lewiston Lions Club, but there hasn’t been one in this district for more than 30 years. The club will be chartered again soon, he said.

He pointed out the organization’s motto: “We serve.”

“We are the world’s largest service organization and are always looking for new members,” Huisgen said. Those interested can call him at 754-7456.

Appearing at the poster contest opening Friday was Mayor Richard

F. Soluri, who made one of his last public appearances before officially stepping down from office today. He was introduced by Huisgen with “both pride and sorrow,” as he recalled Soluri’s service to the community.

“I hope I’ve set a good example,” Soluri said. “What I’m most proud of is the number of volunteers in Lewiston.”

November.