The
Lions Clubs International
The Beginning
In 1917, a Chicago insurance agent named Melvin Jones convinced his luncheon club, the Business Circle of Chicago, that it should ally itself with other independent clubs to form a national organization that would be dedicated not only to networking for business and social purposes, but to the improvement of the community as a whole.
Among the groups invited was the Association of Lions Clubs, headquartered in Evansville, Indiana and led by Dr. W.P. Woods. At the time of the meeting, June 7, there were several Lions clubs already in existence, some having been organized in 1916.
The Business Circle and other clubs agreed to rally under the Lions name, and a convention was called for October at Dallas, Texas. Thirty-six delegates representing 22 clubs from nine states heeded the call, approved the "Lions Clubs" designation, and elected Woods as the first president. Guiding force and founder Jones was named acting secretary, thus beginning an association with Lions that ended only with his death in 1961.
The convention also began to define what the association was to become. A constitution and by-laws were adopted, the colors of purple and gold approved, and a start made on the Lions Clubs Objects and Code of Ethics.
Remarkably, considering the materialism of the era, both Objects and Ethics encouraged Lions to put service ahead of profit, and to uphold the highest standards of conduct in business and the professions.
Community leaders soon began to organize clubs throughout the United States. The association became "International" with the formation of a club in Windsor, Ontario, Canada in 1920. Clubs were later organized in Mexico, China and Cuba. By 1927, membership stood at 60,000 in 1,183 clubs.
In 1935, Panama became home to the first Central American club; the first club in South America was organized in Colombia the following year. Sweden, then France, brought Europe into the association in 1948. Japan had clubs by 1952, and the so-called "Eastern Bloc" was unblocked in 1989 with the formation of clubs in Hungary, Poland and Estonia. In 1990, a club was chartered in Moscow and today over 100 Lions clubs are demonstrating the value of service in countries once closed to voluntary action.
The Name
The legal name of the association is "The International Association of Lions Clubs." It's entirely proper, however, to use the shorter form of "Lions Clubs International."The Emblem
To members: Always wear your Lions emblem pin proudly. And, since it's a registered trademark in most countries, remember it may never be used for commercial or fund-raising purposes without prior permission from the Legal Division at International Headquarters.
The Motto
The official motto of the association is simply "We Serve." What better way to explain our mission?The Slogan
The slogan is Liberty, Intelligence, Our Nation's Safety.Official Colors
The royal colors of purple and gold were selected as the official colors when the association was organized in 1917. Purple stands for loyalty to friends, and for integrity of mind and heart. Gold symbolizes sincerity of purpose, liberality in judgement, purity in life, and generosity in mind, heart and purse to those in need.Lions Clubs Activities
Your Lions club is involved in service activities that benefit your community directly, or perhaps a larger community such as a major city, state, province, or even country. You should learn about them as soon as possible, as you will very likely be asked to participate in the planning or implementation of one or more of these activities.
The association also fosters service activities internationally. At present, our major international service commitment is SightFirst: Lions Conquering Blindness. Its aim is nothing less than the elimination of preventable and reversible blindness around the world. Funding for SightFirst projects is provided from the proceeds of Campaign SightFirst, a three-year fund-raising initiative by Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) that concluded on June 30, 1994. While all local blindness prevention efforts are considered part of SightFirst, official SightFirst-funded projects must comply with stringent standards established by LCIF.
Approved by the International Board of Directors in November 1993, a continuing major international activity of the association is Lions Youth Outreach: Changing Tomorrow Today. Its objective is to help young people develop essential life and citizenship skills such as sound judgement, self discipline, acceptance of responsibility, ability to communicate with various age groups, ability to get along with others, critical decision-making ability with regard to drugs and alcohol, and a desire to serve others. It replaced the former, more-limiting Lions Drug Awareness Program, and includes the internationally-respected Lions-Quest educational programs.
Other major service activities of Lions Clubs International include:
- Sight Conservation and Work with the Blind
- Hearing and Speech Action and Work with the Deaf
- Environmental Services
- The Leo Club program
- Youth Exchange
- International Relations
Clubs are also involved in a variety of citizenship, educational, health, social,
recreational and public services. Many also sponsor International Youth Camps and Lioness Clubs. Literature and guide materials on these and other programs are available from the International Activities and Program Development Division at International Headquarters.
Should you ever have any questions that can’t be answered locally, please feel free to call or write International Headquarters.
Lions Clubs International
300 W 22nd Street
Oak Brook, IL 60523-8842, USA
Phone: (630) 571-5466
Fax: (630) 571-8890
Cable: “LIONSINTL”
Web Address: www.lionsclubs.orgFor more information about the San Diego Scripps Lions Club, contact:
Aurora Soriano-Cudal, president
619-460-3783Tita Gamboa, membership chairman
858-672-1116