The International Association of Lions Clubs began as the dream of
Chicago businessman Melvin Jones who 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 17, 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
associations' main tenets.
Just three years after its formation, the association became
international with the formation of the Windsor, Ontario, Canada Lions
Club 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, SightFirst. The US$143.4 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 1.4 million men and women in 46,000
clubs located in 192 countries and geographic areas. |
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