Lions Clubs International, a service membership organization of over 1.4 million members worldwide (as of April 2015), was founded in the United States on June 7, 1917, by Melvin Jones, a Chicago businessman. Jones asked, with regard to his colleagues, "What if these men who are successful because of their drive, intelligence and ambition, were to put their talents to work improving their communit
ies?" Jones' personal code, "You can't get very far until you start doing something for somebody else," reminds many Lions of the importance of community service. 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. The discussion of politics and religion is forbidden. The LIONS acronym also stands for Liberty, Intelligence, Our Nations' Safety.
