Written by Jon Morgan
In 1917, Melvin Jones, a 38 year-old Chicago business leader told embers 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, and organizational meeting was held on June 7, 1917 in Chicago, IL. The new group took on the name of one of the invited groups, the Association of Lions Clubs, and a national convention was held in Dallas, TX in October of that year. There, a constitution, by-laws, objectives and a Code of Ethics were approved 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 – nad 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 1950’s and 1960’s international growth accelerated with new clubs in Europe, Asia and Africa.
In 1925 Helen Keller addressed the Lions Clubs International convention in Cedar Point, OH and challenged Lions to become her “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness”. Since then we have worked tirelessly to adi 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? Over 100 years later, Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest service club organization. We have 1.4 million members in more than 46,000 clubs. There are countless stories of Lions acting on the same simple idea: let’s improve our communities.
At our June 8 meeting we will honor three members of the Easton Lions Club as Melvin Jones Fellows. Three Lions that are dedicated to improving our communities.
