By Jon Morgan
In 1917, Melvin Jones, a 38-year-old Chicago business leader, told members of his local business club they should reach beyond business issues and address the betterment of their communities and the world. 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 a code of ethics were approved. Within three years, Lions became an international organization. Since then, we’ve earned high marks for both integrity and transparency. We’re a well-run organization with a steady vision, a clear mission, and a long – and proud – history.
Just three years after our founding, Lions became international when we established the first club in Canada. Mexico followed in 1927. In the 1950s and 1960s international growth accelerated, with new clubs in Europe, Asia and Africa.
In 1925, Helen Keller addressed the Lions Clubs International Convention in Cedar Point, Ohio, USA, and challenged Lions to become “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness”. Since then, we have worked tirelessly to aid the blind and visually impaired and to eradicate blindness.
Melvin Jones asked a simple and world-changing question – what if people put their talents to work improving their communities? Almost 100 years later, Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest service club organization, with 1.35 million members in more than 46,000 clubs and countless stories of Lions acting on the same simple idea: let’s improve our communities!
At our May 25th meeting we will induct our officers for 2016-2017. At that time we will also honor members by noting them as Melvin Jones Fellows. I hope you’ll be there to share in this memorable event with me.
Current Easton Lions Melvin Jones Fellows
| Tyler Bourne | Marilyn Henderson | William Palmer |
| Antonio Cabral | Amos Keddem | Frank Paul |
| Ruth Calvagne | Dale Kerester | Alan Siegel |
| Paul Dahlgren | James Lee | Matthew Soeldner |
| Clifford Davis, Jr. | John Mallers | Nancy Sullivan |
| Gerald Deneault | Kevin McIntyre | Donald Tuck |
| Robert Farrand | Jon Morgan | Avery Williams |
| Richard Freitas | Raymen Morrell | Kenneth Wood |
| Charles Hammond | Henry Narsasian |
Follow this link to see a list of all our past and current Melvin Jones Fellows.
