History
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History of the Lions
1917 The Beginning: Chicago business leader Melvin
Jones asked a simple and world-changing question – what if people put their
talents to work improving their communities?
1920 Going International: Just three years after our founding, Lions became international when we established the first club in Canada.
1925 Eradicating Blindness: Helen Keller addressed the Lions Clubs International Convention in Cedar Point, Ohio, and challenged Lions to become "knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness." Since then, we have worked tirelessly to aid the blind and visually impaired.
1945 Uniting Nations: The ideal of an international
organization is exemplified by our enduring
1957 Organizing Youth Programs: In the late 1950s, we created the Leo Program to provide the youth of the world with an opportunity for personal development through volunteering.
1968 Establishing Our Foundation: Lions ClubsInternational Foundation assists Lions with global and large-scale local humanitarian projects.
1990 Launch of SightFirst: Through SightFirst, Lions are restoring sight, preventing blindness, and improving or preserving sight on a global scale. Through this program, more than 544 millions lives have been positively impacted. SightFirst targets the major causes of blindness: cataract, trachoma, river blindness, childhood blindness, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. SightFirst empowers Lions, healthcare providers and partners worldwide in the mission.
Cub Program: Lions Club International created a Cub Program for kids ages 12 and younger. It's designed to teach them the joy of volunteering and help them develop a lifelong dedication to helping those in need. Cubs don’t need to be related to a Lions member to participate — they just need to be ready to help and have fun!