Lions Clubs International: Difference between revisions

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2018}}

{{Infobox organization

| name = Lions Clubs International

| image = Lions Clubs International logo.svg

| size = 200px

| type = [[Service club]]

| membership = 1,389,075<ref>[https://insights.lionsclubs.org].Lions Clubs International Insights</ref>

| founder = [[Melvin Jones (Lions Club)|Melvin Jones]]

| website = {{official website|www.lionsclubs.org}}

}}

 

==Introduction==

[[File:Monumento a Melvin Jones (Madrid) 02.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Bust of [[Melvin Jones (Lions Club)|Melvin Jones]], the founder of Lions Clubs International, in [[Madrid]]]]

 

In 1917, Jones was a 38-year-old Chicago business leader who 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. The Business Circle subsequently joined one of the invited groups, the "International Association of Lions Clubs" and at a national convention held in Dallas, Texas, later that year, those who were assembled: (1) adopted a Constitution, By-Laws, Code of Ethics and an Emblem; (2) established as a main tenet "unselfish service to others", (3) unanimously elected Woods as its first president, effectively securing his leadership for the first two years of the existence of the International Association of Lions, and (4) selected Jones to serve as the organization's secretary-treasurer.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.william-perry-woods-md.com/ |title=The Fellowship of William Perry Woods |publisher=William-perry-woods-md.com |access-date=2018-12-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171215221144/http://www.william-perry-woods-md.com/ |archive-date=December 15, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The Lions motto is "We Serve". Local Lions Club programs include sight conservation, hearing and speech conservation, [[diabetes]] awareness, youth outreach, international relations, environmental issues, and many other programs.<ref name=ldp>{{cite web |url=http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/resources_contact_leader.shtml |title=Leadership Development Programs |access-date=2007-11-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070910162740/http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/resources_contact_leader.shtml |archive-date=September 10, 2007 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The discussion of partisan politics and sectarian religion is forbidden. The LIONS acronym also stands for Liberty, Intelligence, Our Nations' Safety.<ref name=lionsacro>{{cite web |url=http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/who-we-are/mission-and-history/association-name-symbol.php |title=Association Name and Symbol |publisher=Lions Clubs |date=1917-06-07 |access-date=2016-10-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180924184128/http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/who-we-are/mission-and-history/association-name-symbol.php |archive-date=September 24, 2018 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

 

===Service projects===

 

 

Lions also conduct community hearing- and [[cancer]]-screening projects. In [[Perth]], Western Australia, they have conducted hearing screening for over 30 years and provided seed funding for the Lions Ear and Hearing Institute established September 9, 2001, a center of excellence in the diagnosis, management, and research of ear and [[Deafness|hearing disorder]]s.<ref>{{cite web | title= About The Institute | url= http://www.earscience.org.au/institute/index.php | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20061104173945/http://www.earscience.org.au/institute/index.php | url-status= dead | archive-date= 2006-11-04 | work= Ear Science Institute Australia | access-date= 2007-06-23 }}</ref> In Perth, Lions have also assisted in the establishment of the [[Lions Eye Institute]]. In [[Brisbane]], Queensland, the Lions Medical Research Foundation provides funding to a number of researchers. [[Ian Frazer]]'s initial work, leading to the development of a [[HPV vaccine]] for the [[human papillomavirus]] which could lead to [[cervical cancer]], was funded by the Lions Medical Research Foundation.{{Citation needed|date=March 2023}}

 

 

[[Image:Lions Club Bridge.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Lions Club Bridge in [[Aachen]], Germany]]

Lions Clubs International Foundation is "Lions helping Lions serve the world".<ref name="lionsclubs2007">{{cite web |url=http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/lcif_grants_programs.shtml |title=LCIF Grants & Programs |access-date=2007-11-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071102164023/http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/lcif_grants_programs.shtml |archive-date=November 2, 2007 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Donations provide funding in the form of grants to financially assist Lions districts with large-scale humanitarian projects that are too expensive and costly for Lions to finance on their own.<ref name="ft lcif">{{cite web | url= http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/e230ea0e-294c-11dc-a530-000b5df10621.html | work= [[Financial Times]] | title= Case Study: Lions Club International Foundation | date= July 5, 2007 | access-date= 2007-11-03 | archive-date= September 23, 2013 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130923034415/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/e230ea0e-294c-11dc-a530-000b5df10621.html | url-status= dead }}</ref>

Upon endorsing the biggest ever collaborative [[Eradication of infectious diseases|disease eradication program]] called the [[London Declaration on Neglected Tropical Diseases]] launched on 30 January 2012 in London, the organization has implemented SightFirst program by which it aims to eradicate blindness due to [[trachoma]], one of the [[neglected tropical diseases]]. It has allocated over US$11 million in 10 countries for eye surgeries, medical training, distribution of [[Zithromax]] and [[tetracycline]], and [[sanitation|sanitary services]]. It has also announced US$6.9 million funding to support the [[Government of China]] for the same cause.<ref>{{cite web|author= Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation|title= Private and Public Partners Unite to Combat 10 Neglected Tropical Diseases by 2020|date= 30 January 2012|url= http://www.gatesfoundation.org/media-center/press-releases/2012/01/private-and-public-partners-unite-to-combat-10-neglected-tropical-diseases-by-2020|work= gatesfoundation.org|publisher= Press Room, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation|access-date= 2013-05-30|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130314153950/http://www.gatesfoundation.org/media-center/press-releases/2012/01/private-and-public-partners-unite-to-combat-10-neglected-tropical-diseases-by-2020|archive-date= March 14, 2013|url-status= dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author= Uniting to Combat NTDs |title= Endorsements (endorsing organizations) |year= 2012 |url= http://www.unitingtocombatntds.org/endorsements |work= unitingtocombatntds.org |publisher= Uniting to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases |access-date= 2013-05-30 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130525030923/http://www.unitingtocombatntds.org/endorsements |archive-date= May 25, 2013 |url-status= dead }}</ref>

 

Membership in the Lions Club is by "invitation only" as mandated by its constitution and by-laws. All member applicants need a sponsor who is an active member and of good standing in the club they intend to join. While sponsorship may be obtained by an applicant in order to become a legitimate member, sponsorship is no guarantee of membership. Acceptance of membership is still subject to the approval of the majority of the club's board of directors. A Lions Club chooses its members diligently as it requires time and financial commitments. Prospective applicants must be a person of good moral character in his or her community. Attendance at meetings is encouraged on a monthly or [[fortnight]]ly basis. Due to the [[hierarchy|hierarchical]] nature of Lions Clubs International, members have the opportunity to advance from a local club to an office at the zone, district, multiple district, and international levels.

 

url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1998/01/25/lions-admit-woman-lose-some-men/63762453-e75a-46f1-843e-fbf782423ab1/ }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-07-05-mn-2330-story.html| title=Lions Club International Ends Ban on Women |date=1987-07-05 |access-date=2022-01-17 |work=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> Since then many clubs have admitted women, but some all-male clubs still exist. In 2003, 8 out of 17 members at the Lions Club in [[Worcester, England|Worcester]], England, resigned when a woman joined the club.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/2931370.stm | title= Club members quit when female joins | work= BBC News | date= 23 May 2003 | access-date= 29 November 2009 }}</ref>

 

 

 

[[Image:HK Lion International at the Peak of HK island.jpg|thumb|International Lions Club Hong Kong.|left]]

[[File:Lions Club Involvement Map.svg|thumb|right|300px|Map showing Lions Clubs involvement around the globe.]]

[[File:Chicago February 1970.tif|thumb|Lions International Building visible in Chicago in 1970.]]

The organization expanded internationally on 12 March 1920, when a club opened in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. In 1937 the club expanded to San Juan in Puerto Rico.<ref name="Puerto Rico Office of Historian 1949">{{cite book | author=Puerto Rico. Office of Historian | title=Tesauro de datos historicos: indice compendioso de la literatura histórica de Puerto Rico, incluyendo algunos datos inéditos, periodísticos y cartográficos | publisher=Impr. del Gobierno de Puerto Rico|issue=v. 2 | year=1949 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IVRnAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA153| language=es | access-date=4 January 2020 | page=153}}</ref> Currently Lions Clubs operate in more than 200 countries and have over 1.4 million members.<ref name="factsheet">{{cite web |url=http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/common/pdfs/pr799.pdf |title=PR799 EN Fact Sheet |access-date=2014-04-08 |date=May 7, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140704204750/http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/common/pdfs/pr799.pdf |archive-date=July 4, 2014 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

 

{{Anchor|International Convention}}<!--Old section name-->

==References==

{{reflist|30em}}