International Lions History
The International Association of Lions Clubs began as the dream of a
Chicago insurance man Melvin Jones, who wondered why local
business clubs -- he was an active member of one -- could not
expand their horizons from purely business concerns to the
betterment of their communities and the world at large.
Jones' idea struck a chord within his own group, the Business Circle
of Chicago, and they authorized him to explore his concept with
similar organizations from around the United States. His efforts
resulted in an organizational meeting at a local hotel on June 7, 1917.
The 12 men who gathered there overcame a natural sense of loyalty
to their parent clubs, voted the "Association of Lions Clubs" into
existence, and issued a call for a national convention to be held in
Dallas, Texas, USA in October of the same year.
Thirty-six delegates representing 22 clubs from nine states heeded
the call, approved the "Lions Clubs" designation, and elected Dr.
William P. Woods of Indiana as their first president. Guiding force and
founder Melvin Jones was named acting secretary. Thus began an
association with Lionism that only ended with his death in 1961.
That first convention also began to define what Lionism was to
become. A constitution and by-laws were adopted, the colors of
purple and gold approved, and a start made on Lionism's Objectives
and Code of Ethics .
One of the objects was startling for an era that prided itself on
mercenary individualism, and has remained one of the main tenets of
Lionism ever since. "No Club," it read, "shall hold out the financial
betterment of its members as its object."
Community leaders soon began to organize clubs throughout the
United States, and the association became "international" with the
formation of the Windsor, Ontario, Canada Lions Club in 1920. Clubs
were later organized in China, Mexico, and Cuba. By 1927,
membership stood at 60 000 in 1 183 clubs.
In 1935, Panama became home to the first Central American club,
with the first South American club being organized in Colombia the
following year. Lionism reached Australia in 1947 and Europe in
1948, as clubs were chartered in Sweden, Switzerland, and France.
In 1952, the first club was chartered in Japan.
The International Association of Lions Clubs is today the largest
service organization in the world with over 1,4 million members in
more than 43 300 clubs in 714 Districts covering 182 countries and
geographic areas. Lions Clubs are not social clubs, although there
are social benefits to membership. Lions Club members give their
time, skills and resources to raise funds for charitable giving both in
their communities and internationally.
The major focus of Lions fund raising activities is sight conservation,
although other projects are pursued such as drug awareness
programs in high schools, diabetes awareness programs and other
programs that are specific to individual Clubs and Districts. Lions took
up sight conservation as their major goal after a speech given by
Helen Keller at the Lions International Convention held at Cedar
Point, Ohio, in 1925. At that time, Helen Keller challenged the Lions
to become "Knights of the Blind", a challenge that has become a
rallying cry for Lions projects around the world. (Go to Sight
Conservation links )
Lions work in the area of sight conservation is carried out at many
levels. Individual Clubs sponsor free eye screening programs using
mobile eye clinics. In many countries, Clubs sponsor eye surgery
camps where cataract surgeries are performed at no charge for
those that can't afford this medical care. Many clubs collect old eye
glasses for distribution to the needy in other countries.
The International Association of Lions Clubs is the largest
non-governmental organization associated with the United Nations
and was called upon by the United Nations and the World Health
Organization to raise funds for an international program of sight
conservation. It has been estimated that 40 million cases of curable
and preventable blindness exist on this planet today. Without
intervention, this is projected to become 80 million by the end of the
decade.
The International Association of Lions Clubs began a program of fund
raising that they called "Campaign Sight First" in order to
cure/prevent 40 million cases of blindness worldwide. Over
$148,600,000 have been raised by Lions all over the world for this
program. Eye hospitals are being built in the places that most need
them. In India alone, over 300,000 cataract surgeries have been
performed and that number is rapidly growing. Lions services to
humanity range from purchasing eyeglass for a child who's parents
can't afford them to multi-million dollar programs to cure blindness on
a worldwide scale.
The Lions International Headquarters is in Oak Brook, Illinois, USA.
You can contact Lions Clubs International as follows: Lions Clubs
International
300 W. 22nd Street
Oak Brook, IL
USA. 60523-8842
Telephone: (+ 1 630) 571-5466
Fax: (+ 1 630) 571-8890
Email: lions@lionsclubs.org
WWW: http://www.lionsclubs.org
Maize Lions Club
Our club began on January 8, 1959, with The Valley Center Lions
Club as its sponsor. This original charter was disbanded in the mid
1990's. The current club was re-established in 2003, with the Airport
Lions Club as its sponsor.
The Maize Lions Club is located in Maize, Kansas, USA.
You can contact the Maize Lions Club as follows:
Maize Lions Club
PO BOX 373
Maize, Kansas
USA. 67101
Email: Maize Lions Club Webmaster
WWW: http://www.maizelionsclub.com
The International Association of Lions Clubs began as the dream of a
Chicago insurance man Melvin Jones, who wondered why local
business clubs -- he was an active member of one -- could not
expand their horizons from purely business concerns to the
betterment of their communities and the world at large.
Jones' idea struck a chord within his own group, the Business Circle
of Chicago, and they authorized him to explore his concept with
similar organizations from around the United States. His efforts
resulted in an organizational meeting at a local hotel on June 7, 1917.
The 12 men who gathered there overcame a natural sense of loyalty
to their parent clubs, voted the "Association of Lions Clubs" into
existence, and issued a call for a national convention to be held in
Dallas, Texas, USA in October of the same year.
Thirty-six delegates representing 22 clubs from nine states heeded
the call, approved the "Lions Clubs" designation, and elected Dr.
William P. Woods of Indiana as their first president. Guiding force and
founder Melvin Jones was named acting secretary. Thus began an
association with Lionism that only ended with his death in 1961.
That first convention also began to define what Lionism was to
become. A constitution and by-laws were adopted, the colors of
purple and gold approved, and a start made on Lionism's Objectives
and Code of Ethics .
One of the objects was startling for an era that prided itself on
mercenary individualism, and has remained one of the main tenets of
Lionism ever since. "No Club," it read, "shall hold out the financial
betterment of its members as its object."
Community leaders soon began to organize clubs throughout the
United States, and the association became "international" with the
formation of the Windsor, Ontario, Canada Lions Club in 1920. Clubs
were later organized in China, Mexico, and Cuba. By 1927,
membership stood at 60 000 in 1 183 clubs.
In 1935, Panama became home to the first Central American club,
with the first South American club being organized in Colombia the
following year. Lionism reached Australia in 1947 and Europe in
1948, as clubs were chartered in Sweden, Switzerland, and France.
In 1952, the first club was chartered in Japan.
The International Association of Lions Clubs is today the largest
service organization in the world with over 1,4 million members in
more than 43 300 clubs in 714 Districts covering 182 countries and
geographic areas. Lions Clubs are not social clubs, although there
are social benefits to membership. Lions Club members give their
time, skills and resources to raise funds for charitable giving both in
their communities and internationally.
The major focus of Lions fund raising activities is sight conservation,
although other projects are pursued such as drug awareness
programs in high schools, diabetes awareness programs and other
programs that are specific to individual Clubs and Districts. Lions took
up sight conservation as their major goal after a speech given by
Helen Keller at the Lions International Convention held at Cedar
Point, Ohio, in 1925. At that time, Helen Keller challenged the Lions
to become "Knights of the Blind", a challenge that has become a
rallying cry for Lions projects around the world. (Go to Sight
Conservation links )
Lions work in the area of sight conservation is carried out at many
levels. Individual Clubs sponsor free eye screening programs using
mobile eye clinics. In many countries, Clubs sponsor eye surgery
camps where cataract surgeries are performed at no charge for
those that can't afford this medical care. Many clubs collect old eye
glasses for distribution to the needy in other countries.
The International Association of Lions Clubs is the largest
non-governmental organization associated with the United Nations
and was called upon by the United Nations and the World Health
Organization to raise funds for an international program of sight
conservation. It has been estimated that 40 million cases of curable
and preventable blindness exist on this planet today. Without
intervention, this is projected to become 80 million by the end of the
decade.
The International Association of Lions Clubs began a program of fund
raising that they called "Campaign Sight First" in order to
cure/prevent 40 million cases of blindness worldwide. Over
$148,600,000 have been raised by Lions all over the world for this
program. Eye hospitals are being built in the places that most need
them. In India alone, over 300,000 cataract surgeries have been
performed and that number is rapidly growing. Lions services to
humanity range from purchasing eyeglass for a child who's parents
can't afford them to multi-million dollar programs to cure blindness on
a worldwide scale.
The Lions International Headquarters is in Oak Brook, Illinois, USA.
You can contact Lions Clubs International as follows: Lions Clubs
International
300 W. 22nd Street
Oak Brook, IL
USA. 60523-8842
Telephone: (+ 1 630) 571-5466
Fax: (+ 1 630) 571-8890
Email: lions@lionsclubs.org
WWW: http://www.lionsclubs.org
Maize Lions Club
Our club began on January 8, 1959, with The Valley Center Lions
Club as its sponsor. This original charter was disbanded in the mid
1990's. The current club was re-established in 2003, with the Airport
Lions Club as its sponsor.
The Maize Lions Club is located in Maize, Kansas, USA.
You can contact the Maize Lions Club as follows:
Maize Lions Club
PO BOX 373
Maize, Kansas
USA. 67101
Email: Maize Lions Club Webmaster
WWW: http://www.maizelionsclub.com
About the Maize Lions and LCI
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2007 Copyright Maize Lions Club