Founder of Lionism:
Melvin Jones
1879-1961
Self less service and sacrifice, devotion and dedication towards the cause of less fortunate makes a man truly great. One truly such great man was our founder MELVIN JONES. Hewas born on January 13, 1879 at Fort Thomas, Arizona, the son of a United States Army Captain who commanded troop of scouts. Later, his father was transferred and the family moved East. As a young man, Jones made his home in Chicago, Illinois and associated himself with an insurance firm Johnson &Higgins. And, at the age of 33 in1913 formed his own Melvin Jones Insurance Agency.He soon joined the local business circle, and was shortly elected secretary. Melvin Jones was also a Freemason.
After two years, prompted by his personal code – “You can’t get very far until you start doing something for somebody else” – Jones proposed that the talents of the circle’s members could be better utilized in other areas of community life. He invited representative from other men’s clubs in and around Chicago to a meeting to devise a suitable organization and from that meeting, Jones subsequently integrated his club into an existing initiative that further led to his selection as Secretary of the “International Association of Lions Clubs” later to be named “Lions Clubs International”. Jones eventually gave up his insurance agency to work full-time at Lions International Headquarters.
In 1945, Jones represented Lions Clubs International as a consultant at the United Nations Conference on International Organization in San Francisco.
He is no more with us but he is and will ever be with millions and millions of committed Lions who live fully to their own proclamation WE SERVE.
His life was a benediction. His vision is an inspiration.