MEMBERS of the Lions Club of Georgetown paid tribute to founder and leader of the International Association of Lions Clubs International, Melvin Jones at a programme designed to honour him on his birthday, January 13, 1879.
Jones, a successful insurance broker, received the idea of Lionism in 1914 and by 1917, 20 delegates representing 50 clubs met in Chicago, USA. The association was founded and the first convention was held the same year in Dallas, Texas.
Throughout his career, Jones was committed to encouraging young people to strive for academic excellence and to be altruistic and share their energy, time, and talent with others.
He encouraged civic-minded persons to provide service to humanity and he travelled the length and breadth of the USA ensuring that Lions Clubs were formed to provide service to humanity.
President of the Lions Club of Georgetown, Lion Lynette Baird-Fiedtkou, called on members of her club to became a guiding principle for public-spirited people the world over, and to remember the personal code of Melvin Jones: “You can’t get very far until you start doing something for somebody else.”
To date, 1.6 million people from 45,000 clubs across the globe are paying tribute to the founder of Lionism by planning ceremonies where Lions would pledge to rededicate themselves.
Lion Baird-Fiedtkou has urged Lions to use the philosophy, “Never, Ever Give Up” as the motivation to drive the work of the Lions Clubs.
