Lions Clubs International was founded in Evansville, Indiana on 24 October 1916 by William Perry Woods and subsequently evolved as an international service organization under the guidance and supervision of its secretary, Melvin Jones. 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 better
ment of their communities and the world. 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: adopted a Constitution, By-Laws, Code of Ethics and an Emblem,established as a main tenet "unselfish service to others", 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 selected Jones to serve as the organization's secretary-treasurer.[3]
The Lions motto is "We Serve". Local Lions Club programs include sight conservation, hearing and speech conservation, awareness, youth outreach, international relations, environmental issues, and many other programs.[4] The discussion of politics and religion is forbidden. The LIONS acronym also stands for Liberty, Intelligence, Our Nations' Safety.
