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Lions Clubs International History Timeline
1917: Association founded in Chicago on June 7 by businessman Melvin Jones
1920: Association became international with the formation of the first club in Canada.
1925: Helen Keller challenges the Lions to become her “knights of the blind in the
crusade against blindness.”
1945: Association helps form the Non-Governmental Organizations section of the
United Nations.
1968: Lions Clubs International Foundation is established.
1987: Lions Clubs International becomes the first service club to admit women
as members.
1988: Lions International Peace Poster Contest is introduced.
1989: First Lions clubs organized in former “Eastern Bloc” countries.
1990: SightFirst, a major blindness prevention initiative, is launched.
1997: Phase I of SightFirst China Action, an program to confront cataract blindness
and establish eye clinics in China, is launched.
2002: Phase II of SightFirst China Action is launched.
2002: Lions clubs chartered in China.
1917: Association founded in Chicago on June 7 by businessman Melvin Jones
1920: Association became international with the formation of the first club in Canada.
1925: Helen Keller challenges the Lions to become her “knights of the blind in the
crusade against blindness.”
1945: Association helps form the Non-Governmental Organizations section of the
United Nations.
1968: Lions Clubs International Foundation is established.
1987: Lions Clubs International becomes the first service club to admit women
as members.
1988: Lions International Peace Poster Contest is introduced.
1989: First Lions clubs organized in former “Eastern Bloc” countries.
1990: SightFirst, a major blindness prevention initiative, is launched.
1997: Phase I of SightFirst China Action, an program to confront cataract blindness
and establish eye clinics in China, is launched.
2002: Phase II of SightFirst China Action is launched.
2002: Lions clubs chartered in China.
Lions Clubs International Facts
Membership
Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest service club organization with 1.3 million members
in 45,000 clubs in 202 countries and geographic areas. Lions are men and women who volunteer
their time to humanitarian causes. Founded in 1917, the association’s motto is “We Serve.”
Service to Others
Worldwide, Lions clubs are recognized for their service to people who are blind and visually
impaired. This service began when Helen Keller challenged Lions to become “knights of the blind in
the crusade against darkness” during the 1925 Lions Clubs International Convention. Today, Lions
extend their commitment to sight conservation through countless local efforts, as well as through
their international SightFirst Program, which works to eradicate blindness. Lions also collect and
recycle eyeglasses for distribution in developing countries year-round and especially during May,
which is Lions Recycle for Sight Month, and October, as a way to mark Lions World Sight Day,
which is held the second Thursday of each October. In addition, Lions make a strong commitment to
young people through many youth programs. Lions 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.
International Foundation
Lions Clubs International Foundation is the charitable arm of Lions Clubs International. The
foundation’s mission is to support the efforts of Lions clubs around the world in serving their local
and global communities by funding humanitarian service projects. www.lcif.org
Sight Programs
In 1990, Lions established SightFirst, a US$215 million global initiative to fight the major causes
of preventable and reversible blindness. The unprecedented program joins Lions volunteers with
blindness prevention experts and organizations and governments. The more than 900 SightFirst
grants have:
• provided more than 7.3 million cataract surgeries and prevented serious vision loss for 27 million
• supported 114 million treatments for river blindness
• built or expanded more than 300 eye hospitals/clinics/wards and upgraded more than 337 eye
centers with equipment
• improved eye care in 90 countries around the world
• trained more than 345,000 ophthalmologists, ophthalmic nurses, other professional eye care
workers and village health workers Lions launched Campaign SightFirst II to raise at least
US$150 million to continue and expand the extraordinary work of SightFirst. Lions concluded
Campaign SightFirst II in June of 2008. After three years of intense fundraising, Lions far
surpassed the US$150 million minimum goal. Lions clubs support other sight-related activities.
Lions clubs and members:
• provide 600,000 free professional glaucoma screenings and make 26,000 corneal transplants
possible each year
• establish and support a majority of the world’s eye banks and hundreds of clinics, hospitals and
eye research centers worldwide
• collect an estimated 20 million pairs of used eyeglasses annually and send approximately 6 million
pairs to Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centers for recycling and distribution at no cost to those in need
in developing countries
• offer screenings, eyeglasses and sports goggles to athletes through the Special Olympics-Lions
Clubs International Opening Eyes Program-- more than 100,000 athletes have been screened
• provide free quality eye care, eyeglasses, Braille-writers, white canes and other assistive
devices for thousands of people each year.
Youth Programs
Numerous programs exist to assist Lions in fulfilling the needs of the youth in their communities.
Lions Services for Children
Lions provide local and international health and education services that improve the lives of
children and young adolescents who suffer from poverty, homelessness, abuse, neglect, disease and
disabilities.
Lions Quest
Lions clubs sponsor school-based programs that teach young people basic life skills and civic values
that promote social and emotional learning, character development, substance abuse and violence
prevention skills and a commitment to service. Lions Quest brings the school, family and community
together to promote the development of healthy and responsible young people. Lions Quest is
active in 46 countries; 11 million youth have taken part in the program and 350,000 educators have
been trained.
Leo Clubs
Lions clubs in approximately 138 countries sponsor more than 5,600 Leo clubs. The 141,000 Leo
members, ages 12-28 or maximum age as determined locally, perform community service activities
and support a worldwide project to help children in adverse circumstances.
International Youth Camps and Exchange
Each year, thousands of young people, ages 15-22, learn about other cultures while participating in
Lions camps and staying with Lions host families in countries around the world.
Lions International Peace Poster Contest
Each year more than 375,000 students, ages 11-13, from approximately 100 countries, express
their ideas about world peace through artwork, which is judged at local, regional, national and
international levels. One grand prize and 23 merit posters are awarded.
Service Activities
Lions clubs build stronger communities through a variety of projects and activities that:
• address unmet needs such as teaching life skills to children, building playgrounds and supporting
the elderly
• reduce blindness caused by diabetic retinopathy through diabetes education, early detection and
treatment programs and support of research
• conduct hearing projects, including newborn hearing screenings and providing hearing aids
• preserve our water, air and land
• improve international relations through assistance projects, exchange programs and health
missions to the developing world, often in conjunction with the United Nations and other
organizations
• provide disaster relief, including food, supplies and healthcare screenings
Membership
Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest service club organization with 1.3 million members
in 45,000 clubs in 202 countries and geographic areas. Lions are men and women who volunteer
their time to humanitarian causes. Founded in 1917, the association’s motto is “We Serve.”
Service to Others
Worldwide, Lions clubs are recognized for their service to people who are blind and visually
impaired. This service began when Helen Keller challenged Lions to become “knights of the blind in
the crusade against darkness” during the 1925 Lions Clubs International Convention. Today, Lions
extend their commitment to sight conservation through countless local efforts, as well as through
their international SightFirst Program, which works to eradicate blindness. Lions also collect and
recycle eyeglasses for distribution in developing countries year-round and especially during May,
which is Lions Recycle for Sight Month, and October, as a way to mark Lions World Sight Day,
which is held the second Thursday of each October. In addition, Lions make a strong commitment to
young people through many youth programs. Lions 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.
International Foundation
Lions Clubs International Foundation is the charitable arm of Lions Clubs International. The
foundation’s mission is to support the efforts of Lions clubs around the world in serving their local
and global communities by funding humanitarian service projects. www.lcif.org
Sight Programs
In 1990, Lions established SightFirst, a US$215 million global initiative to fight the major causes
of preventable and reversible blindness. The unprecedented program joins Lions volunteers with
blindness prevention experts and organizations and governments. The more than 900 SightFirst
grants have:
• provided more than 7.3 million cataract surgeries and prevented serious vision loss for 27 million
• supported 114 million treatments for river blindness
• built or expanded more than 300 eye hospitals/clinics/wards and upgraded more than 337 eye
centers with equipment
• improved eye care in 90 countries around the world
• trained more than 345,000 ophthalmologists, ophthalmic nurses, other professional eye care
workers and village health workers Lions launched Campaign SightFirst II to raise at least
US$150 million to continue and expand the extraordinary work of SightFirst. Lions concluded
Campaign SightFirst II in June of 2008. After three years of intense fundraising, Lions far
surpassed the US$150 million minimum goal. Lions clubs support other sight-related activities.
Lions clubs and members:
• provide 600,000 free professional glaucoma screenings and make 26,000 corneal transplants
possible each year
• establish and support a majority of the world’s eye banks and hundreds of clinics, hospitals and
eye research centers worldwide
• collect an estimated 20 million pairs of used eyeglasses annually and send approximately 6 million
pairs to Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centers for recycling and distribution at no cost to those in need
in developing countries
• offer screenings, eyeglasses and sports goggles to athletes through the Special Olympics-Lions
Clubs International Opening Eyes Program-- more than 100,000 athletes have been screened
• provide free quality eye care, eyeglasses, Braille-writers, white canes and other assistive
devices for thousands of people each year.
Youth Programs
Numerous programs exist to assist Lions in fulfilling the needs of the youth in their communities.
Lions Services for Children
Lions provide local and international health and education services that improve the lives of
children and young adolescents who suffer from poverty, homelessness, abuse, neglect, disease and
disabilities.
Lions Quest
Lions clubs sponsor school-based programs that teach young people basic life skills and civic values
that promote social and emotional learning, character development, substance abuse and violence
prevention skills and a commitment to service. Lions Quest brings the school, family and community
together to promote the development of healthy and responsible young people. Lions Quest is
active in 46 countries; 11 million youth have taken part in the program and 350,000 educators have
been trained.
Leo Clubs
Lions clubs in approximately 138 countries sponsor more than 5,600 Leo clubs. The 141,000 Leo
members, ages 12-28 or maximum age as determined locally, perform community service activities
and support a worldwide project to help children in adverse circumstances.
International Youth Camps and Exchange
Each year, thousands of young people, ages 15-22, learn about other cultures while participating in
Lions camps and staying with Lions host families in countries around the world.
Lions International Peace Poster Contest
Each year more than 375,000 students, ages 11-13, from approximately 100 countries, express
their ideas about world peace through artwork, which is judged at local, regional, national and
international levels. One grand prize and 23 merit posters are awarded.
Service Activities
Lions clubs build stronger communities through a variety of projects and activities that:
• address unmet needs such as teaching life skills to children, building playgrounds and supporting
the elderly
• reduce blindness caused by diabetic retinopathy through diabetes education, early detection and
treatment programs and support of research
• conduct hearing projects, including newborn hearing screenings and providing hearing aids
• preserve our water, air and land
• improve international relations through assistance projects, exchange programs and health
missions to the developing world, often in conjunction with the United Nations and other
organizations
• provide disaster relief, including food, supplies and healthcare screenings