|
|
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 1960s.
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$202 million program strives to rid the world
of preventable and reversible blindness by
supporting desperately needed health care
services. Lions have launched Campaign
SightFirst II to raise at least US$150 million
to continue and expand the extraordinary work of
SightFirst.
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 have
launched Campaign SightFirst II to raise at
least US$150 million to continue and expand the
extraordinary work of SightFirst.
Lions Clubs International has grown to include
1.3 million men and women in approximately
45,000 clubs located in 202 countries and
geographic areas.
|
