| Lions
Club international Motto |
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Lions Clubs International (http://www.lionsclubs.org/)
is the world's largest service club organization with 1.4 million members
in 46,000 clubs in 193 countries and geographical areas. Lions are men
and women who volunteer their time to humanitarian causes. Founded in
1917, the volunteer organization's motto is
"We
Serve" |
| Mission
Statement |
| To
create and foster a spirit of understanding among all people for humanitarian
needs by providing voluntary services through community involvement and
international cooperation.
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| Lions
International Objects |
- To
Create and foster a spirit of understanding among the
peoples of the world.
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- To
Promote the principles of good government and good citizenship.
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- To
Take an active interest in the civic, cultural, social
and moral welfare of the community.
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- To
Unite the clubs in the bonds of friendship, good fellowship
and mutual understanding.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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| 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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Whenever a doubt arises as to the right or ethics of
my position or action towards others, to resolve such doubt against
myself.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- To
Aid others by giving my sympathy to those in distress,
my aid to the weak, and my substance to the needy.
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- To
Be Careful with my criticism and liberal with my praise;
to build up and not destroy.
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| Lions
Club International History |
The
International Association of Lions Clubs began as the dream of Chicago
businessman Melvin Jones. He believed that local business clubs should
expand their horizons from purely professional concerns to the betterment
of their communities and the world at large.
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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, Illinois, USA. The new group took the
name of one of the invited groups, the "Association of Lions
Clubs," and a national convention was held in Dallas, Texas,
USA in October of that year. A constitution, by-laws, objects and
code of ethics were approved.
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Among
the objects adopted in those early years was one that read, "No
club shall hold out the financial betterment of its members as its
object." This call for unselfish service to others remains one
of the association's main tenets.
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Just
three years after its formation, the association became international
when the first club in Canada was established in 1920. Major international
expansion continued as clubs were established, particularly throughout
Europe, Asia and Africa during the 1950s and '60s.
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In
1925, Helen Keller addressed the Lions international convention in
Cedar Point, Ohio, USA. She challenged Lions to become "knights
of the blind in the crusade against darkness." From this time,
Lions clubs have been actively involved in service to the blind and
visually impaired.
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Broadening
its international role, Lions Clubs International helped the United
Nations form the Non-Governmental Organizations sections in 1945 and
continues to hold consultative status with the U.N.
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In
1990, Lions launched its most aggressive sight preservation effort,
SightFirst. The US$143.5 million program strives to rid the world
of preventable and reversible blindness by supporting desperately
needed health care services.
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In
addition to sight programs, Lions Clubs International is committed
to providing services for youth. Lions clubs also work to improve
the environment, build homes for the disabled, support diabetes education,
conduct hearing programs and, through their foundation, provide disaster
relief around the world.
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Lions
Clubs International has grown to include 1.4 million men and women
in 46,000 clubs located in 193 countries and geographic areas.
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| View
a multimedia presentation on
The History of Lions Clubs International, which is part of the
Lions Learning Center. Visit the
Lions Learning Center for directions on viewing the presentation
or to view more presentations. |
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