[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 55 (Tuesday, April 27, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H2385-H2388]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF MELVIN JONES AND RECOGNIZING THE
CONTRIBUTIONS OF LIONS CLUBS INTERNATIONAL
Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 399) honoring the life and legacy of Melvin Jones
and recognizing the contributions of Lions Clubs International.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Res. 399
Whereas Melvin Jones was born in the Cavalry Outpost at
Fort Thomas, Arizona, on January 13, 1879;
Whereas Melvin Jones experienced early success in the
insurance industry and that success led to his sole ownership
of an insurance agency;
Whereas although many business clubs of the time exhibited
a self-interested attitude, Melvin Jones had a vision of an
organization of businessmen focused on volunteerism and
community service;
Whereas the Association of Lions Clubs, known today as
Lions Clubs International, was begun on June 17, 1917, when
20 delegates gathered in the East Room of the Hotel LaSalle
in Chicago;
Whereas, while Melvin Jones passed away on June 1, 1961,
his legacy lives on;
Whereas, for over 85 years, Lions Clubs International has
honored Melvin Jones' legacy by following the simple rule
that he insisted be included in the organization's
Constitution: ``No club shall hold out as one of its objects,
financial benefits to its members.'';
Whereas Lions Clubs International counts over 46,000 clubs
and 1.4 million members, and constitutes the largest network
of service clubs in the world; and
Whereas Lions Clubs International continues to embrace its
motto ``We Serve'' by performing a wide range of services,
including cleaning local parks, supporting advances in
medical technology, bringing sight to the blind, mentoring
children, and organizing Liberty Day celebrations: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) honors the life and legacy of volunteerism and
community service of Melvin Jones; and
(2) recognizes the contributions and service of Lions Clubs
International to communities and those in need throughout the
world.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Utah (Mr. Cannon) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) each will
control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Cannon).
General Leave
Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on H. Res. 399.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Utah?
There was no objection.
Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 399 recognizes the remarkable global
contributions of Lions Clubs International, the largest service club
organization in the world.
Lions Clubs work to aid communities in 190 different countries with
all sorts of humanity's problems. From collecting five million pairs of
used eyeglasses each year to give to those with vision loss, to
collecting thousands of books for hospitals and schools in need, and to
establishing disease prevention programs, the Lions Clubs consistently
live up to their long-stated mission, ``We serve.''
Mr. Speaker, the resolution also honors Melvin Jones, the founder of
the Lions Clubs. Jones grew up in Chicago and worked in the insurance
industry as a young adult at the turn of the 20th century. He became
affiliated with the business group known as The Business Circle, but
was dismayed that the group focused only on improving the financial
status of its members. Jones sought a business club that asked for more
from its members.
On June 17, 1917, Jones pulled together leaders of business clubs
from
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all over the U.S. to discuss a new business-oriented organization that
also would be committed to community service. The nascent group was
called the Association of Lions Clubs, and it has grown into the
largest service club organization on Earth with 1.4 million members
worldwide today.
This year is the 125th anniversary of Melvin Jones' birth and,
therefore, a fitting time to pay tribute to his commitment to
volunteerism and service.
Mr. Speaker, the Lions Clubs International are truly worthy of
commendation by this House, and I would encourage anyone interested in
volunteer opportunities to think about contacting a nearby Lions Club
chapter.
I thank the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Kennedy) for his work to
honor Melvin Jones and the Lions Clubs. I know the gentleman from
Minnesota has been a Lions Club member for many years. I congratulate
the gentleman for advancing this resolution to the floor.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, today we honor the life of an American hero, Mr. Melvin
Jones, and the institution he helped created, the Lions Clubs
International. A driven and thoughtful man, Melvin Jones made his home
in Chicago, Illinois and formed his own insurance agency in 1913.
Mr. Jones, like many other businessmen, worked extremely hard for his
success. Unlike some, however, Melvin Jones did not find satisfaction
in his personal success alone. He wanted to improve his community. He
believed that he and other successful businessmen should work together
for the betterment of the community.
Mr. Jones is quoted as asking at a businessmen's luncheon, ``What if
these men who are successful because of their drive, intelligence and
ambition were to put their talents to work improving their
communities?''
Thus, on June 7, 1917, the Lions Clubs International was born. The
first meeting was held in Chicago and two principles were set forth.
One, meetings were not to be of a social nature, and members could not
promote their own business interests.
The group was to focus on volunteerism and community service. Melvin
Jones became so engulfed in the Lions Club that he left the insurance
agency he had created to work for the club full time. He was a living
example of the Lions Club motto, ``We serve.''
Although Mr. Jones passed away in 1961 at the age of 82, his legacy
in the Lions Club lives on. Today with more than 46,000 clubs in 193
countries, Lions Club has expanded its focus to help meet the ever-
increasing needs of our global community. One of the Lions Club's
biggest programs is to improve the quality of eye care for the less
fortunate. The Lions Club provides thousands of people around the world
with free eye care. In addition, the Lions Club collects more than 5
million pairs of eyeglasses each year to be distributed in developing
countries.
Melvin Jones, the man, whose personal code was, and I quote, ``You
cannot get very far until you start doing something for somebody
else,'' became a source of inspiration for people working all over the
world for the good of mankind. I am delighted to know this history and
origin of the Lions Club and proud to say that at one time I, too, was
a member of a Lions Club and one of its creators in my own community
and my own neighborhood, and I can remember distributing eyeglasses to
people who needed them.
So we thank Mr. Jones for his vision, for his creativity, and his
sense of giving back to his community. I am privileged to support this
legislation. I view Mr. Jones as one of our real visionaries.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the mellifluous gentleman
from Illinois (Mr. Davis) for his contribution to the Lions Club in his
area.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman
from Minnesota (Mr. Kennedy), the distinguished sponsor of this
legislation.
Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from
Utah (Mr. Cannon) for yielding me time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 399, a
resolution I introduced to honor the life and legacy of Lions Club
International founder, Melvin Jones, and to recognize the contributions
of this fine organization.
Over 200 years ago at the end of the Constitutional Convention in
Philadelphia, a curious woman asked Benjamin Franklin, ``Sir, what have
you given us?'' He replied, ``a republic, if you can keep it.'' Part of
our responsibility of maintaining our republic is encouraging the
active involvement of our citizens and our government in serving our
community. No one understood this better than Melvin Jones.
The club he founded, Lions Club International, embodies that spirit
through a program called Liberty Days.
The history of Lions Club International of which I am a proud member
from the Watertown, Minnesota chapter goes back nearly 100 years. After
a humble beginning that began on January 13, 1879 in a dusty cavalry
outpost at Fort Thomas in what was then known as the Arizona Territory,
Melvin Jones moved east with his family to St. Louis.
{time} 1430
Later, in Quincy, Illinois, Melvin Jones attended Union Business
College and Chaddock College. After college, he moved to Chicago where
he launched a successful career in insurance, first with the Johnson
and Higgins agencies and later with his own business, the Melvin Jones
Insurance Agency.
In 1909, he married women's professional golfer Rose Amanda Freeman,
whose unqualified support was instrumental as Melvin worked tirelessly
to get the Lions Club rolling. In 1913, an acquaintance invited Melvin
to meet some local men who belonged to a club called the Business
Circle. Like many groups at the time, the Business Circle was largely
about old school ``scratch my back and I will scratch yours'' club.
After his election as secretary in 1915, Melvin began to wonder how
much could be accomplished if only the members of the Business Circle
would pool their energies and talent for the greater good of their
communities. Despite broaching this novel idea with other business
organizations, their feedback was mixed at best. So Melvin put this
unique vision into action and launched his own organization.
On June 17, 1917, he assembled 20 delegates representing 27 clubs
nationwide in the East Room of the Hotel LaSalle, and a consensus was
reached that a national organization should be formed dedicated to
community service. After a spirited debate, the club voted by secret
ballot to name the new organization the Association of Lions Clubs.
Jones advocated for the name of Lions because it was a symbol of
courage, strength, fidelity and vital action, which helped set the
standard for the club.
Furthermore, during the organization's constitution, he insisted that
it include a plank that no club should hold out as one of its objects
financial benefits to its members, a principle Melvin followed
throughout his entire life.
The Lions Club caught on so fast that it was just 3 years later after
its birth that the club became international when it chartered a new
club in Windsor, Ontario.
One of the profound moments of the club's history occurred in 1925 at
their international convention at Cedar Point, Ohio, when Helen Keller
addressed, challenging the attendees, the Lions, to become knights of
the blind in their crusade against darkness, and from then on, as my
fellow colleagues have noted, the Lions have been serving and bringing
sight to the visually impaired and made this one of their central
priorities.
In 1927, the Lions Club had the support of 11,063 local clubs and
comprised 60,000 members worldwide. In 1950, when Lions membership
surpassed the 400,000 mark, the international board of directors
conferred upon Melvin Jones the title of Secretary General of Lions
Club International which was changed to Founder and Secretary General
in 1958.
Throughout his life, Jones' refusal to accept the limitation of old
age was an inspirational reminder to all Lions of his dedication to
serving others.
In 1960, at the age of 81, even after several strokes the year
before, he
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commuted to the club each day alone from his suburban Chicago home,
never missing a moment of the Lions International Convention where
thunderous applause for the Founder shook the rafters.
On June 1, 1961, Melvin's perfect attendance record ended with his
passing into the next life. Soon after, the international board of
directors proclaimed January 13, Melvin Jones' day as a memory each
year for his contributions to the world of Lionism. In 1965, the Melvin
Jones Lions International Memorial was dedicated near his birthplace at
Fort Thomas, Arizona.
In June 1999, the Lions international board dedicated a prestigious
50-foot spire in his honor as a lasting tribute to his memory.
During his remarkable life, Melvin Jones accumulated dozens of award,
honors and accolades, including participation in a White House business
leaders conference to discuss the economy in 1932 and representing the
Lions Club at the preliminary planning for the United Nations in 1945.
Today, the Lions Club International is the largest network of service
clubs in the world, comprising more than 46,000 clubs and 1.4 million
members in 193 countries.
In addition to bringing sight to the blind, the Lions help build a
brighter future for their communities by performing a wide range of
services from cleaning up local parks and developing youth programs to
assisting the hearing impaired and promoting diabetes awareness.
One of the Lions' newest and most exciting programs is the Liberty
Day Program. Unfortunately, as most of us are well aware, over the
years civics education has become only voluntary in many schools across
the country. Even where it is taught, many American government and
history books have left out the two most important documents in our
history, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. These
omissions will have a detrimental effect on our republic, with young
people learning less about our founding and how precious our democracy
is.
As Members of Congress, we have a responsibility to give back to our
communities and combat the cynicism and apathy that some of our
constituents have towards government.
In the summer of 1966, two members of the Youth Service Committee of
the Lions Club in Denver, Colorado, started a small program in Denver
schools to distribute books containing the Declaration of Independence
and the Constitution. The program immediately got traction and
volunteers sought out private donations for the printing of these
little booklets.
Other Lions Club members and volunteers pitched in and recruited
elected State officials in Colorado ranging from the Speaker of the
State House, Russell George, to former Senator Gary Hart and Attorney
General Gale Norton to speak to classes and distribute the books. The
response was unbelievable.
Soon, every State had its own booklet on Liberty Day, and many have
Statewide Liberty Day coordinators, who are continuously seeking to
promote and collect private donations to print these books. In fact, in
2000, both the House and the Senate passed resolutions honoring and
recognizing the contributions of Liberty Day.
I am proud to be State Chairman of Minnesota's Liberty Day program.
In my State, I have had the honor of participating in more than a dozen
of these celebrations, talking to thousands of students and adults, and
the response has been overwhelmingly positive.
Liberty Day has evolved into more than just a celebration for
students. It is a celebration in which the whole community can
participate. Many communities celebrate by holding public lectures,
displaying sections of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution
in public places and staging mock debates on issues our Founding
Fathers grappled with more than 200 years ago. These celebrations are
terrific opportunities to connect with our constituents and provide an
example and opportunity to give something back to our communities who
have entrusted us with the responsibility of doing the people's
business. It is also a chance to leave a lasting impression in the
minds of young and old alike and erase some of the cynicism they have
towards government and public officials.
In closing, none of the outstanding programs and services provided by
Lions Club International that have touched the lives of many millions
around the world would have been possible without the selfless
dedication of Melvin Jones and the millions of volunteers who have
followed in his pursuit of serving others.
I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution and give
Melvin Jones and the Lions Club International the congressional
recognition they deserve.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Lions Club
International founder, Melvin Jones, for his legacy of volunteerism and
community service. Melvin Jones was born on January 13, 1879 at Fort
Thomas, Arizona, and passed away on June 1, 1961 at the age of 82. He
founded the Association of Lions Clubs in 1917, the same year they held
their national convention in Dallas, TX.
Melvin Jones abandoned his job at an insurance agency to devote
himself full time to the Lions. He was a dedicated individual who gave
back to his community and worked hard to improve the lives of others.
Melvin Jones had a vision for the Lions to expand their focus to help
meet the ever-increasing needs of our global community.
Today, Lions International has over 1.4 million members in over 170
countries worldwide. As a proud member of the Oak Cliff Lions Club in
Dallas, TX, I am pleased to celebrate their 75th anniversary and salute
each member who graciously gives their time, skills and resources for
our communities and internationally. As global members, Lions provide
immediate and sustained relief in time of disaster and offer long-term
assistance to those in need. Lions International has raised millions of
dollars for various charitable causes, including sight conservation,
diabetes awareness and cancer research. For over 85 years, Lions
International has benefited countless persons by fulfilling the mission
set out by Melvin Jones in the association's motto: ``We Serve.''
Mr. Speaker, and I am pleased to honor the service and commitment
Melvin Jones made to build a brighter future for our country, and I
know my colleagues will join me today in recognizing his valuable
contributions.
Mr. STENHOLM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House
Resolution 399, honoring the achievements of Melvin Jones and
recognizing the contributions of Lions Club International.
One of our Nation's great success stories began when Jones, then an
insurance agent, looked around his business luncheon group and asked a
question:
``What if these men, who are successful because of their drive,
intelligence, and ambition, were to put their talents to work improving
their communities?''
On June 7th, 1917, Lions Clubs International was born. Jones
eventually left the insurance business to devote himself to the
organization full-time. With his guidance, Lions Club International
became one of the world's leading service associations. Jones's
leadership was held in such high regard that he was recruited as a
consultant during the organization of the United Nations.
Today, almost 1.4 million Lions Club members in 193 countries tackle
problems like blindness, drug abuse prevention, diabetes awareness, and
disaster relief. Lions build parks, support hospitals and establish
water treatment programs. The largest Lions Club in the United States
meets in Lubbock, Texas, where they've served since 1929.
The Lions have been with us for 85 years. Melvin Jones's philosophy
that ``You can't get very far until you start doing something for
somebody else'' has become the motto of service-minded folks the world
over. Where there's need, they're there. Where there's work to do, they
serve.
Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Schrock). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Cannon) that the House suspend
the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 399.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
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