WHAT IS A MELVIN JONES FELLOWSHIP?

 The Melvin Jones Fellowship is recognition of a commitment to
humanitarian work. The Fellowship is the Lions Clubs International
Foundation’s HIGHEST HONOR and represents humanitarian qualities such
as generosity, compassion, and concern for the less fortunate. The
Fellowship is also a recognition of consistency. Recognition of applying
these characteristics and humanitarian qualities over a period of time.
Service has been the hallmark of Lions Clubs International since it was
founded in 1917. Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) was begun
in1968 to take that service to new levels by tackling global problems as well as
assisting Lions with local humanitarian projects too big for them to do on their own.

 Since its first grant of $5,000 dollars for flooding, LCIF has given out $332million dollars in grants to improve the lives of people worldwide. From its modest beginnings, LCIF has evolved to become an internationally recognized humanitarian agency, affiliated with the United Nations and the
World Health Organization. Excluding the SightFirst program, the foundation
now grants, on average, $15 million dollars a year. 

The Lions Clubs International Foundation is particularly proud of the
SightFirst program, launched in 1990 to reduce preventable blindness
worldwide. Lions worldwide contributed $144 million dollars to fund theprogram.
 Through SightFirst, and now the follow-up SightFirst II program,
Lions are restoring sight and preventing blindness.
The SightFirst and SightFirst II programs target the major causes of blindness: cataract,trachoma, river blindness, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. 

A grant of $75,000 dollars from LCIF, and our club’s contribution of $50,000,
allowed Diakonia, here in West Ocean City, to build its newest building.

Lions Brian Bankert, Larry Schissler, Mike Wicklein, and Ed Wisch,
the Ocean City Lions Club congratulates each of you on being named a
Melvin Jones Fellow for your consistent commitment to humanitarian work.

Lions Norm Cathell, Sr., Norm Connell, and Ben Dawson
The Ocean City Lions Club congratulates each of you on being named a
Progressive Melvin Jones Fellow for your leadership and work on the U.S.
Forces Overseas Casualty Assistance Program. 

As recipients of the Foundation’s highest honor, The Melvin Jones
Fellowship, your names have been added to the listing of all Melvin Jones
Fellows. These names are electronically shown in continuous rotation in the
LCIF Recognition Room at International Headquarters. 

Display your Melvin Jones Fellowship plaques and lapel pins
 with  GREAT PRIDE. These represent your dedication to making the world a better place through humanitarian service.