About Lions
Lions Clubs are part of community life, in the cities and in the country. Clubs are easily identified by their distinctive Logo, the trademark of our International Association, and the 'We Serve' motto.
Lions Australia is part of an international association [Country #201], filled with people who are joined by the common desire to make their communities better, by using their creativity, enthusiasm and energy.
Membership is open to all people of the community in good standing.
Programs
Lions Multiple District 201 Australia is involved in running many projects and programs.
The projects can best be categorised as assisting the Community through Disaster Relief, Environment, Health, Youth and Community Services. They include:
Disaster Relief:
Disaster Relief: Lions Alert Program
Environment:
Planet Ark National Treeday
Health Services:
Cord Blood and Childhood Cancer Research
Drug Foundation
Emergency Medical Information Book
Eye Health Program
Hearing Dogs
Prostate Cancer Awareness
Recycle for sight
Righteous Pups
Spinal Cord Repair
Youth and Community Services:
International Peace Poster Competition
International Stamp Club
Leos
Lioness Clubs
Lions-Quest
Youth Camps
Youth Exchange
Youth Insearch
Youth of the Year Quest
Lions Members Services
Australian Lions Pin Traders Club
Australian Honours Advisory Body
Leadership Committee
Lionnet Australia
Lions Mints
Lions Christmas Cakes and Puddings
The history of Lions
The International Association of Lions Clubs began as the dream of Chicago insurance man Melvin Jones, who wondered why local business clubs - he was an active member of one - could not expand their horizons from purely business concerns to the betterment of their communities and the world at large.
Jones' idea struck a chord within his own group, the Business Circle of Chicago, and they authorised him to explore his concept with similar organisations from around the United States. His efforts resulted in an organisational meeting at a local hotel on June 7, 1917.
The 12 men who gathered there overcame a natural sense of loyalty to their parent clubs, voted the "Association of Lions Clubs" into existence, and issued a call for a national convention to be held in Dallas, Texas, USA in October of the same year.
Thirty-six delegates representing 22 clubs from nine states heeded the call, approved the "Lions Clubs" designation, and elected Dr. William P. Woods of Indiana as their first president. Guiding force and founder Melvin Jones named acting secretary, thus began an association with Lionism that only ended with his death in 1961.
That first convention also began to define what Lionism was to become. A constitution and by-laws were adopted, the colors of purple and gold approved, and a start made on Lionism's Objectives and Code of Ethics.
One of the objects was startling for an era that prided itself on mercenary individualism, and has remained one of the main tenets of Lionism ever since. "No Club," it read, "shall hold out the financial betterment of its members as its object."
Community leaders soon began to organise clubs throughout the United States, and the association became "international" with the formation of the Windsor, Ontario, Canada Lions Club in 1920. Clubs were later organised in China, Mexico, and Cuba. By 1927, membership stood at 60,000 in 1,183 clubs.
In 1935, Panama became home to the first Central American club, with the first South American club being organised in Columbia the following year. Lionism reached Europe in 1948, as clubs were chartered in Sweden, Switzerland, and France. In 1952, the first club was chartered in Japan.
Since then, the association has become truly global, represented by more than 43,300 clubs in 186 countries with over 1.4 million members.