[Previous entry: "07/05/2007: "San Juan Lion's Club Historical Report #1""] [Next entry: "07/16/2007: "Lion's Club International Historical Report #2""]

07/24/2007: "07/03/2007: "Lions Club International Historical Report #1""

LCI Historical Facts:
We all know the history of the insurance agent, Melvin Jones....

We all know the history of the insurance agent, Melvin Jones, who convinced his luncheon club, the Business Circle of Chicago, that it should ally itself with other independent clubs to form a national organization that would be dedicated not only to networking for business and social purposes, but to the improvement of the community as a whole.
What many do not know are the names of the groups invited. They were:
The Business Circle of Chicago
The Vortex Club of St. Louis, Missouri
The Business and Professional Men’s Association of St. Paul, Minnesota
The Optimists
The Exchange Club
And believe it or not, The International Association of Lions Clubs of Evansville, Indiana

What! I thought the Lions Club was started in 1917. The fact is that in 1916 William Woods, an Evansville, Indiana physician was listed as President of the International Association of Lions Clubs, and he was representing 35 Lions Clubs that many referred to as The Royal Order of Lions.

On May 16th, 1917, Melvin Jones asked Dr. Woods to attend a Chicago meeting, “with a view to lining up our organization with yours”

At the meeting, organized by Melvin Jones, Dr. Woods said, “….I hereby extend an invitation to these clubs to accept charters in The International Association of Lions Clubs and become a part and parcel of our organization….”

On August 2nd, 1917, Melvin Jones and the Business Circle of Chicago joined The International Association of Lions Clubs.