Lions trace their beginning to 1917 when a Chicago insurance man, Melvin Jones, was inspired to expand the scope of the local businessmen’s club into activities to improve conditions in the community and the world at large. His idea was accepted by his club and other business groups and that same year they organized the first convention in Dallas , Texas with 22 clubs represented. At that first meeting work was begun on objectives and a code of ethics. Where as members of business associations had prided themselves on mercenary individualism this new organization held that no club shall have as its purpose the financial betterment of its members.
By 1920 the Association of Lions Clubs had become International with the formation of the first Canadian club. Subsequently clubs were organized in Cuba , Mexico , and China and by 1927 there were over eleven hundred Lions Clubs worldwide.
The Lions involvement with blindness had its roots in a presentation by Helen Keller at a Lions convention in 1925. She asked the Lions to become the Knights of the Blind. Thus began an active and growing involvement in service to the blind and visually impaired.
In 1990 the Sight First program was initiated with a goal of striving to rid the world of preventable blindness. Lions worldwide have funded this effort with over 200 million dollars.
Lions Clubs and their International organization are also involved in youth programs, community betterment projects, diabetes education, hearing programs and other activities for the betterment of mankind. Through their foundation Lions are able to provide disaster relief in the United States and around the world.
At present there are over 1.3 million men and women in 45,000 clubs from 200 countries working toward the goals of Lionism. For additional information link to the International web page.
Lions Objectives, Code of Ethics and Creed:
Lions International Objectives:
- To Create and foster a spirit of understanding among the peoples of the world.
- To Promote the principle of good government and good citizenship.
- To Take an active interest in the civic, cultural, social and moral welfare of the community.
- To Unite the clubs in the bonds of friendship, good fellowship and mutual understanding.To Provide a forum for the open discussion of all matters of public interest; provided, however, that partisan politics and sectarian religion shall not be debated by club members.
- To Encourage service-minded people to serve their community without personal financial reward, and to encourage efficiency and promote high ethical standards in commerce, industry, professions, public works and private endeavors.
Lions Code of Ethics:
- To Show my faith in the worthiness of my vocation by industrious application to the end that I may merit a reputation for quality of service.
- To Seek success and to demand all fair remuneration or profit as my just due, but to accept no profit or success at the price of my own self-respect lost because of unfair advantage taken or because of questionable acts on my part.
- To Remember that in building up my business it is not necessary to tear down another’s; to be loyal to my clients or customers and true to myself.Whenever a doubt arises as to the right or ethics of my position or action towards others, to resolve such doubts against myself.
- To Hold friendship as an end and not a means. To Hold that true friendship exists not on account of the service performed by one another, but that true friendship demands nothing but accepts service in the spirit in which it is given.
- Always to bear in mind my obligations as a citizen to my nation, my state, and my community, as to give them my unswerving loyalty in word, act, and deed.To give them freely of my time, labor and means.
- To Aid others by giving my sympathy to those in distress, my aid to the weak, and my substance to the needy.
- To Be Careful with my criticism and liberal with my praise; to build up and not destroy.
Lions Creed:
He achieves success who lives well, laughs often and loves much;
Who gains respect of intelligent men and the love of little children;
Who fills his niche, who accomplishes his task, who leaves the world better than he found it, whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem or a rescued soul;
Who never lacks appreciation of earth’s beauty, or fails to express it;
Who always sees the best in others, and gives the best he has;
Whose life is an inspiration, whose memory is a benediction
HE IS A LION
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History In 1971, the Board of Directors of Lions Clubs International declared that henceforth June 1 would be remembered as “Helen Keller Day.” Lions around the world implement sight-related service projects on Helen Keller Day. Helen Keller |
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At age 10, Keller learned to speak. Sarah Fuller of the Horace Mann School was her first speech teacher. In 1898, Helen entered the Cambridge School for Young Ladies. In the autumn of 1900, Keller entered Radcliffe College. She earned a bachelor of arts degree cum laude in 1904.
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| Keller’s Personal Crusade In 1915, Keller joined the first Board of Directors of the Permanent Blind Relief War Fund, later known as the American Braille Press.In 1924, the young woman started the Helen Keller Endowment Fund. In the same year, Keller joined the staff of the American Foundation for the Blind as a counselor on national and international relations. On June 30, 1925, Keller addressed the Lions Clubs International Convention in Cedar Point, Ohio, USA. She challenged Lions to become “knights of the blind in this crusade against darkness.” She said, “I am your opportunity. I am knocking at your door.” |
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In 1946, Keller became a counselor on international relations for the American Foundation for Overseas Blind (a sister organization to the American Foundation for the Blind). She traveled to 35 countries. A movie was made of Keller’s life. “Helen Keller in Her Story” received the “Oscar” award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for best feature-length documentary film in 1955. |
Dear Lions and Ladies: I suppose you have heard the legend that represents opportunity as a capricious lady, who knocks at every door but once, and if the door isn’t opened quickly, she passes on, never to return. And that is as it should be. Lovely, desirable ladies won’t wait. You have to go out and grab ‘em. I am your opportunity. I am knocking at your door. I want to be adopted. The legend doesn’t say what you are to do when several beautiful opportunities present themselves at the same door. I guess you have to choose the one you love best. I hope you will adopt me. I am the youngest here, and what I offer you is full of splendid opportunities for service. The American Foundation for the Blind is only four years old. It grew out of the imperative needs of the blind, and was called into existence by the sightless themselves. It is national and international in scope and in importance. It represents the best and most enlightened thought on our subject that has been reached so far. Its object is to make the lives of the blind more worthwhile everywhere by increasing their economic value and giving them the joy of normal activity. Try to imagine how you would feel if you were suddenly stricken blind today. Picture yourself stumbling and groping at noonday as in the night; your work, your independence, gone. In that dark world wouldn’t you be glad if a friend took you by the hand and said, “Come with me and l will teach you how to do some of the things you used to do when you could see?” That is just the kind of friend the American Foundation is going to be to all the blind in this country if seeing people will give it the support it must have. You have heard how through a little word dropped from the fingers of another, a ray of light from another soul touched the darkness of my mind and I found myself, found the world, found God. It is because my teacher learned about me and broke through the dark, silent imprisonment which held me that I able to work for myself and for others. It is the caring we want more than money. The gift without the sympathy and interest of the giver is empty. If you care, if we can make the people of this great country care, the blind will indeed triumph over blindness. The opportunity I bring to you, Lions, is this: To foster and sponsor the work of the American Foundation for the Blind. Will you not help me hasten the day when there shall be no preventable blindness; no little deaf, blind child untaught; no blind man or woman unaided? I appeal to you Lions, you who have your sight, your hearing, you who are strong and brave and kind. Will you not constitute yourselves Knights of the Blind in this crusade against darkness? I thank you.
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