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| Sunday, 19 January 2003 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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The founder and the Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) The Lions Movement is embraced by more than 1.4 million service minded citizens in 189 countries all over the world, including socialist nations like Russia, China and Cuba.
Even though the Lions International is the youngest of such organisations with a life span of only 86 years, it enjoys wide recognition and accepted by the masses, world over. The humanitarian assistance and services provided by the Movement, since it's inception are the basic reasons for its monumental expansion, recognition and acceptance. The man, behind this mighty organisation is Melvin Jones, who is remembered in the month of January every year, by the Lion Clubs, throughout the world. Melvin Jones was born on the 13th January 1879 in Fort Thomas, Arizona, USA. His father John Calvin Jones was a captain in the US Army, and hence his childhood memories were filled with the horrors of war and destruction. At 21 years of age, he went to Chicago, entered into insurance business and subsequently founded his own company, Melvin Jones Insurance Agency, which he gave-up to foster and develop, the Lions Movement, a few years after its birth on the 7th of June 1917. Melvin Jones believed in the concept of equality among men and introduced, through the principles of Lionism, a modern version of the basic concepts of world religions, which in practice, would bring forth, a righteous society, devoid of poverty, and partisan politics, and inculcate the spirit of mutual understanding and brotherhood among all people. He was honoured in 1945, when he was appointed as a consultant at the United Nations by the UNO. The Lions International established a special fund, in 1973 "The Lions Clubs International Foundation" in the memory of its founder, honouring contributors, with the award of "The Melvin Jones Fellowship". This Foundation known as the 'LCIF' is the charitable arm of the Lions Clubs International, which meets the vital needs of humanity, that are beyond the reasonable capabilities of a single club, alone. In Sri Lanka, the 'LCIF' has granted millions of rupees for various service projects undertaken by individual clubs under the guidance of Lions Districts A,B, & C. The very recent grants by the LCIF were the disaster relief grant for people of flood victims with Batticaloa district and the Sunhinda Elders Home Project at Mirihana. The sight-care centres in Kandy, Nawalapitiya, Chilaw and Hambantota are monuments to the relief granted by the LCIF, to this country. Almost 70% of all donations that LCIF receives each year are from the award of Fellowships. The 'Melvin Jones Fellowship' is granted to a contributor of US $ 1000, to the LCIF, and as at December 2002, there were 205,817 Melvin Jones Fellows and 1950 Progressive Melvin Jones Fellows, who contribute, additionally, to the initial donation. The vision of Melvin Jones the founder of the Lions Clubs International is thus continued, uninterruptedly by the member Lions Clubs, all over the world with the assistance of the 'LCIF' wherever necessary, and wherever needed. |
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