Washington Lions Club
Washington, Kentucky
History
Lions Clubs International, a service membership organization of 1,368,683 members world-wide, was founded in the United States on June 7, 1917, by Melvin Jones, a Chicago businessman.
Jones asked, with regard to his colleagues, "What if these men who are successful because of their drive, intelligence and ambition, were to put their talents to work improving their communities?"
Jones' personal code, "You can't get very far until you start doing something for somebody else," reminds many Lions of the importance of community service.
The Lions motto is "We Serve." Local Lions Club programs include sight conservation, hearing and speech conservation, diabetes awareness, youth outreach, international relations, environmental issues, and many other programs.
Charitable work
Much of the focus of Lions Clubs International work as a service club organization is to raise money for worthy causes. All funds raised by Lions Clubs from the general public are used for charitable purposes, and administrative costs are kept strictly separate and paid for by members. Some of the money raised for a clubfs charity account goes toward projects that benefit the local community of an individual club.
Through LCIF, Lions ease pain and suffering and bring healing and hope to people worldwide. Major initiatives of the foundation include the following:
SightFirst programs
Childhood Blindness Project
Lions Eye Health Program (LEHP, pronounced "leap")
SightFirst China Action
Sight for Kids
Other sight programs
Core 4 Preschool
Vision Screening
Disability programs
Lions World Services for the Blind
Diabetes Prevention/Treatment
Habitat for Humanity Partnership
Lions Affordable Hearing Aid Project
Low Vision
Special Olympics Opening Eyes
Youth Programs
LEO Clubs
Lions Quest
Lion Cubs
Membership
Membership is by "invitation only" as mandated by its constitution and by-laws. All member applicants need a sponsor who is an active member and of good standing in the club they intend to join. Membership applications, moreover, are subject to the approval of the Club's Board of Directors.
Lions Club International gives 100% of donations go to help the blind, buy hearing aides, support medical missions around the world. Their latest undertaking is measles vaccinations (only $1.00 per shot)
Lions are proud to partner with organizations that are leading the effort to end measles.
Together, we are making measles history.
450 children die from measles every day
• Nearly 30% of children who contract measles suffer
complications such as vision loss, hearing loss or brain
damage
• Each dollar that you give to end measles could save
the life of one child
Every year, a disaster quietly strikes thousands of families.
While it may not be mentioned on the news or in your local
paper, this disaster takes the lives of 450 children, daily.
Measles is one of the world's most contagious diseases, but
is easily prevented by a simple and inexpensive vaccine.
Deaths associated with measles are a disaster that should
never happen. Even so, the World Health Organization
estimates that unless vaccination efforts are intensified, the
number of children who suffer the blindness, hearing loss,
brain damage and death caused by measles could increase
considerably by 2013.
For less than US$1, a child can be immunized against
measles for life, making the vaccine one of the most
cost-effective health interventions available.
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