19 Lions An Example Of A Service Club

By Janet Snyder


Service clubs are non-profit, voluntary organizations where the members get personally and directly involved in performing charitable acts. There are many examples of service organizations. Among them are the Rotarians, the Kiwanis, the Freemasons, and the Elks. The 19 Lions are one chapter in the Lions International. Service Clubs used to be populated only by men, but they are now opening their doors to women.

It was Melvin Jones who established Lions International in 1917. He strenuously believed that people could not get on in life without doing things for other people. The international headquarters of the Lions is in Oak Brook IL. There are a million and a half members in 46,000 local clubs in 200 different countries all over the world. Jones was also a member of the Freemasons, a similar organization.

The Lions' official colors are purple and gold. Membership is by invitation only, although if you are interested in joining, you need only contact the local branch to introduce yourself. Multiple District 19 represents North Idaho, members in Washington state, and British Columbia in western Canada.

One of the older fraternal organizations is Rotary International. This group got its start by four businessmen, organized by a lawyer named Paul Harris. These men set themselves the mission to raise standards in the conduct of professional business. They gave themselves the name Rotary because they rotated from one office to another. Eventually, the group got so big they had to take to arranging external venues for their meetings.

Rotarians apply what is called the 4-way test to determine whether a project is compatible with Rotary aims. It is a set of guidelines for helping faltering businesses get back on their feet. In order to qualify for support, it must be true, fair, foster friendship and goodwill, and it must be beneficial to everybody involved.

The Freemasons are one of the most ceremonial and traditional of the fraternal organizations. Their origin can be traced back to the stonemasons. They have extremely rigid membership criteria. For one, members must be free and they must have a sound character. They also expect their members to publicly affirm that they belief in a Supreme Being. Some go so far as to expect them to belong to a specific religious group.

George Washington was one of the more famous and noteworthy members of the Freemasons. He had a portrait of himself painted in which he was serving in his capacity as Master of his local lodge in Virginia. When he died, he was buried with full Masonic ceremonial honors. Other famous Rotarians have included Colonel Saunders, John F. Kennedy, and Pope Francis.

Another fraternal organization is the Elks. They were founded in 1868 in New York City. Similar to the Rotarians and the Lions, The Elks are headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.




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