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Lions Clubs International was founded in 1917. That year, Melvin Jones, a Chicago businessman started the first club. It is a large family with 1.35 million members in 45,000 clubs in over 200 countries and geographic areas, making it the worlds largest volunteer service organization.
The Lions Clubs in Maine are in District 41 of LCI and consist of 71 Lions Clubs and eight Leo Clubs (students) with more than 2,100 members.
The Lions Clubs in Maine also support the Maine Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation. Their mission is limited only by the generosity of the Lions and friends of the foundation who believe in their work to save and restore sight and hearing to those less fortunate.
When the foundation helps a child or an adult to see or hear better, it is a miracle shared by every Lion in Maine.
The Lions Vision Statement is to be the leader in community and humanitarian service. The Lions Mission Statement is to empower volunteers to serve their communities, meet humanitarian needs, encourage peace and promote international understanding through Lions clubs.
In 1925, Helen Keller challenged the Lion members to become her “knights of the blind.” A study was recently made on new eyeglasses given out last year by the Lions Clubs and MLSHF. More than 750 pair were donated to qualified individuals. Maine Lions also collect used eyeglasses, hearing aids and cell phones to be reconditioned, either for domestic use or donated for use in third world countries. Lions clubs collected 40,011 pair of eyeglasses, 276 hearing aids and 1,042 cell phones.
Maine Lions / Kid Sight USA vision screening program provides early detection in eye disorders. Lions Club members throughout Maine screen children’s eyes with a special hand held device helping detect the possible presence of six vision problems that can be effectively treated if caught early. Many schools and day care facilities are now utilizing the Lions Vision Screening Program. Some clubs are screening as many as 1,800 a year. According to educational experts, 80 percent of learning is visual.
Liberty Days is a program where Lions Club members provide Constitution booklets and American flags to fifth-grade students. The Lions and a local legislator, along with the teacher, assist the students with their study of the Constitution of the United States.
Lion Club Members are also involved in diabetes awareness, hunger, health, youth, the environment and the Lions Clubs International Foundation with world disaster relief donations.
What would Maine lose without Maine Lions?
The results of a recent study revealed donations made by the Lions Clubs in Maine, not counting thousands of service hours in community service, represent well over $1 million in community donations.
Where do Maine Lions donate their raised dollars? Any place you can think of, that has a need.
Five categories and their percentage of donations identified in the study, are as follows.
* YOUTH PROGRAMS — education and recreation, 36 percent;
* COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE — Fire and Rescue, Veteran’s Centers, back-up generators, 32 percent;
* SPECIAL NEEDS — Diabetes, Special Olympians, sight and hearing, 18 percent;
* FOOD BANKS — Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners baskets, Meals on Wheels, 9 percent;
* LCIF — Disaster relief, internal grants, Melvin Jones awards (members exceptional service), 5 percent.
For more information on MLSHF or Maine Lions Clubs, visit www.mainelions.org.
PHOTO: Manchester Lions Club Past District Governor Don Taylor was honored a year ago for 50 years of service to the Lions Club. At the same meeting was Past Vice District Governor Al Godfrey, of the Jay-Livermore Falls Lions Club, who was also celebrating 50 years of Lions service. Both were inducted into the organization on the same night, Jan. 12, 1967, at the Winthrop Lions Club. Lions International, founded in 1917, has just completed celebrating a century of service. (Submitted photo)
