Lion History

• Dr. William P. Woods of Evansville, Indiana originally founded the Royal Order of Lions as a fraternal organization on August 8, 1911. Nevertheless, after only a couple of years, that organization will be disbanded in favor of a more service oriented organization. Dr.
  Woods began forming new Lions Clubs as early as 1915 for the new purpose of beginning a community service orientated organization.
  On January 18, 1916, the Austin, Texas, Lions Club was chartered by Mr. E.A. Hicks of Indiana on behalf of Dr. Woods. On October 24, 1916.
  Woods, Carmi Hicks, and C.R. Conen officially chartered this heir organization to the Royal Order of Lions, as the International Association of Lions Clubs by filing Articles of Incorporation for this nonprofit organization with the State of Indiana. By June 1 of 1917, the International Association of Lions Clubs, which had been founded and hired by Dr. Woods, already composed of at least 27 clubs in no less than 9 states.
• Around this same time a young bourgeois from Chicago, named Melvin Jones, had also decided that what the world needed was more compassion.
  More caring about others and less concern about ones own self.
  Assisted by his wife, Rose Amanda, Mr.
  Jones began writing letters to different comfort station organizations of that day - a number of whom already command this same philosophy of service to others.
  Would they be intrigued in meeting to discuss a brand new organization, one that would use the resources of businessmen along with other professionals to benefit communities and individuals in need? Melvin Jones first became intrigued in serving humanitarian needs after he became a member of the Business Circle of Chicago in 1913. As a young insurance executive, he was, in lots of ways, like his fellow club members.
  Jones, however, had a desire to serve more than just his own company interests, and after 4 years in the Business Circle, he realized that he'd much more to offer his fellow men. His wife agreed, plus they both set out to find others who'd join them in their quest to make the world a better place. On June 7, 1917, Melvin Jones convened an organizational meeting of what would later be known as the Association of Lions Clubs International at the old La Salle Hotel in Chicago, Illinois. Present for that organizational meeting were reps of several other community service oriented clubs of that day, notably. William P. Woods, a doctor from Evansville, Indiana, who had been then serving as the President and Founder of the International Association of Lions Clubs.

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