Lions Clubs

The Lions Clubs is a Club international service the voluntary ones.

History

Birth of the movement

“One is not well far if one does not do something for someone else. ” This simple idea is the starting point of the “lionism”.

Melvin Jones, creator on June 7th, 1917 of the Lions Clubs, was born on January 13rd, 1879 with Fort Thomas in Arizona in the United States. Become owner of an insurance company, it adheres to the Circle Business of Chicago from which he becomes the secretary. He was also freemason. He died on June 1st, 1961.

This association allows 200 leaders industrial society and commercial to meet and serve their interests. But this intention does not satisfy Melvin Jones, author of this generous feeling of which he persuades the members of the Business Circle of Chicago as well as other Circles. The concept of “Club-Service appears then”.

The June 7th 1917, the representatives of the Circles meet in Chicago, on the initiative of Melvin Jones. They choose for emblem the Lion, which symbolizes the force and courage. The lionism will become a manner of being and of behaving liberally, an open-minded for the benefit of the man whatever his nationality, its religion or its philosophy.

Internationalization

In 1920, is defined the Acronyme “LIONS”: “ Liberty, Intelligence, Our Nations' Safety (freedom and comprehension are the safeguard of our nations)” and the currency “ We Serve ” (“with the service of the others”) is adopted. Consequently, the actions of the Lions International extend beyond the borders from the United States. Clubs are created on all the American continent, in Asia and in the Pacific. Besides today, the Lions International is the greatest international association of Club-Services of the world with 1,4 million members in 43.000 clubs distributed in 185 countries, each country having a broad autonomy which enables him to express its cultural identity in Association.

In 1930, the Lions International Club with the diffusion of [[canes white]” to help the nonconspicuous people and malvoyantes to be moved and to sensitize the opinion with this handicap. It is into 1956 that all the American States adopt the Law of Safety of the White Cane, making priority the blind men in their displacements.

Lionisme is established in Europe the shortly after the Second world war, in Sweden initially, then in Suisse and France where is created, in 1948, in Paris, the first Lions French Club. Gradually, it essaime on all the territory.

To date, one counts in France 31.500 members and 1.200 clubs joined together in 15 districts gathered in the multiple district 103. The club is animated and represented by a president, the district by a governor, the multiple district by a president of the Council of the governors, elected officials all for one year.

Actions of the Lions Clubs

The actions of the members of Lions Clubs consist in organizing activities of lifting of funds and encouraging voluntariate for social actions. Each local club takes part, according to its own choices, with local actions, national or international. The multiplicity of the actions which result from this constitute a specificity of the Lions Clubs compared to other more “targeted” organizations. The international actions of the Clubs are coordinated by the Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF). Among the actions of the LCIF, one raises the fight against the Cécité and the malvoyance with the countryside " SightFirst II" (sight initially). Its objective is to collect 200 Million US$ to be able to prevent blindness forty million men. In France, thanks to the funds distributed by the LCIF within the framework of Sightfirst I, it was created the Center of Glaucome.

Among the actions supported by the Lions Clubs, one can raise the support with the medical research (orphan diseases, cancers of all types and more particularly those which strike the very young people and participation in Telethon), the assistance with the patients (the creation of reception centres of day for the people reached of the Maladie of Alzheimer or centers for the tracking of the Glaucome), the family assistance (residence of reception and stay near the patients), the assistance with handicapped (equipment, formation and accompaniment for the white Canne or of the canes white electronics, creation and the development sound libraries and sports activities of handicapped) the construction of schools, libraries, dispensaries and points of water in the countries in the process of development.

In France, the Lions collect 18 million euros of gifts and 1 million hours of voluntary help per annum.

Adhesion

Adhesion with the Lions Clubs international is based on voluntariate. However, the majority of the clubs prefer to take the initiative to contact candidates. Once a godfather proposed it at the Committee or the Commission of admission, the members of the Club are consulted and can emit in writing justified remarks or oppositions whose President of the Club can possibly hold account.

The LCIF

According to a classification published by Financial Times, the Foundation of the Lions Clubs International (LCIF) is classified first world (ONG) governmental organization on her capacity to channel and coordinate social and philanthropic engagement companies. The LCIF underlines the increasing interest of the companies for the partnerships on the long run aiming at treating a whole series of social problems. On 34 international agencies selected, the LCIF obtained the best classification as regards execution of the programs, manifest responsibility, internal and external communication, adaptability of the programs at the surrounding communities and of taking into account of the objectives of its members.

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