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POTTED HISTORY OF THE LIONS CLUBS INTERNATIONAL

by Frank Bowles

A Dream Come True!

The International Association of Lions Clubs began as a dream of Chicago businessman Melvin Jones. He believed that local business clubs should expand their horizons from purely professional concerns to the betterment of their communities and the world at large. His group, the Business Circle of Chicago, agreed. After contacting similar groups throughout the United States, a meeting was arranged on 7th June 1917 in his hometown. The 12 men who attended soon agreed on a common aim. The new association took on the name of one of the invited clubs, the Association of Lions Clubs, and a national convention was held in Dallas, Texas in October of that same year. Thirty six delegates representing 22 clubs from nine States heeded the call. They elected Dr. William P. Woods of Indiana as their first President and Melvin Jones was named acting secretary. Thus began an association with Lionism that only ended with his death in 1961.

Just three years after its formation, the Association became international when the first club in Canada was established in 1920 at Windsor, Ontario. Clubs soon followed in Cuba and Mexico. By 1927 membership stood at 60.000 with 1183 clubs. It was not until the early 50s that major expansion occurred throughout Europe, Asia and Africa. In 1925, Helen Keller addressed the Lions International convention in Cedar Point, Ohio. She challenged all Lions to become ‘knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness.’ From that time Lions Clubs have been actively involved in giving a service to the blind and the visually impaired. Broadening its international role, Lions Clubs International assisted the United Nations to form the Non-Governmental Organisations sections in 1945 and still continues to hold consultative status within the UN. In 1990, The Lions launched its most aggressive sight preservation scheme to date, Sight First. The US$ 143.5 million programme strives to rid the world of preventable and reversible blindness by supporting those areas in desperate need. It has been estimated that 40 million cases of curable and preventable blindness exist today. Without intervention, this is forecast to become 80 million within the next decade. In addition the Lions Clubs International is committed to providing services to help the young, build homes for the disabled, support diabetes awareness and, through their foundation, assist disaster relief around the world. The Association has now grown with membership of nearly 1.5 million men and women in 46.000 clubs located in 194 countries.

The Lions Clubs International headquarters is based in Oak Brook, Illinois, USA.

E-Mail: lions@lionsclubs.org

Profile of the Founder

Melvin Jones was born in 1879 in Fort Thomas, Arizona the son of a United States Army captain. It was at this time that the West remained unsettled and the Apache Indians were making their last stand against the white man. His family moved East and, as a young man, he made his home in Chicago, Illinois. He became associated with an insurance company and in 1913 formed his own agency at the age of 33. He joined a luncheon group, the Business Circle of Chicago, and shortly was elected secretary. This type of group was one of many at that time solely devoted to promoting the financial interests of its members. Because of their limited appeal they were destined to disappear. Melvin Jones, however, had other plans. “What if these men,” he asked, “who are successful because of their drive, intelligence and ambition, were to put their talents to work improving their communities?” This question was soon answered when the Lions Clubs International was born in 1917. One of the main tenets of Lionism was created.

NO CLUB SHALL HOLD OUT THE FINANCIAL BETTERMENT OF ITS MEMBERS AS ITS OBJECT

This call for unselfish service to others remains one of the association’s main aspirations.

Melvin Jones eventually abandoned his insurance agency to devote himself full time to the Lions at the International Headquarters in Chicago. One of his greatest honours was in 1945 when he was recognised as a leader outside the association. He became a consultant in San Francisco, California to assist the United Nations. In 1950, he was conferred the title of Secretary General of Lions International for life. Melvin Jones, whose personal code was ‘you can’t get very far until you start doing something for somebody else’ died in 1961at 82 years of age. The Melvin Jones Lions International Memorial was erected and dedicated in 1965 in his hometown of Fort Thomas, Arizona. This came about many years after a movement by the Arizona Lions to find a way to honour their founder.

Frank Bowles

Mijas La Cala Lions

Mijas La Cala Lions was founded by Martin Rhead in January 1998. Martin became a Lion in 1980 in Tenerife, Gran Canaria. He then joined the Calahonda Lions when he moved here. Martin has also been awarded with the "Melvin Jones Fellowship award" for outstanding fundraising, Commitment & achievements. Since 1998 the La Cala Lions Club has grown to become a formidable organisation having donating over 80.000 euros to local charities and needy individuals as well as helping to fund disaster relief appeals in many parts of the world.

All Lions members are expected to be committed to the Lions Clubs International aims and aspirations to help fulfil the association’s motto: WE SERVE

This is from our Head Office in Chicago

The International Association of Lions Clubs began as the dream of Chicago businessman Melvin Jones. He believed that local business clubs should expand their horizons from purely professional concerns to the betterment of their communities and the world at large.

Jones' group, the Business Circle of Chicago, agreed. After contacting similar groups around the United States, an organizational meeting was held on June 7, 1917 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The new group took the name of one of the invited groups, the "Association of Lions Clubs," and a national convention was held in Dallas, Texas, USA in October of that year. A constitution, by-laws, objects and code of ethics were approved.

Among the objects adopted in those early years was one that read, "No club shall hold out the financial betterment of its members as its object." This call for unselfish service to others remains one of the association's main tenets.

Just three years after its formation, the association became international when the first club in Canada was established in 1920. Major international expansion continued as clubs were established, particularly throughout Europe, Asia and Africa during the 1950s and '60s.

In 1925, Helen Keller addressed the Lions international convention in Cedar Point, Ohio, USA. She challenged Lions to become "knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness." From this time, Lions clubs have been actively involved in service to the blind and visually impaired.

Broadening its international role, Lions Clubs International helped the United Nations form the Non-Governmental Organizations sections in 1945 and continues to hold consultative status with the U.N.

In 1990, Lions launched its most aggressive sight preservation effort, Sight First. The US$143.5 million program strives to rid the world of preventable and reversible blindness by supporting desperately needed health care services.

In addition to sight programs, Lions Clubs International is committed to providing services for youth. Lions clubs also work to improve the environment, build homes for the disabled, support diabetes education, conduct hearing programs and, through their foundation, provide disaster relief around the world.

Lions Clubs International has grown to include nearly 1.35 million men and women in approximately 45,000 clubs located in 197 countries and geographic areas.

View a multimedia presentation on The History of Lions Clubs International, which is part of the Lions Learning Centre. Visit the Lions Learning Centre for directions on viewing the presentation or to view more presentations.