| R 307 |
| 2017 -- S 0939 Enacted 06/08/2017 |
| S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N |
| RECOGNIZING AND CELEBRATING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LIONS CLUBS INTERNATIONAL AND DESIGNATING THE PERIOD FROM JUNE 7, 2017, THROUGH JUNE 7, 2018, AS "THE YEAR OF LIONS CLUBS INTERNATIONAL" |
| Introduced By: Senator Dennis L. Algiere |
| Date Introduced: June 07, 2017 |
| WHEREAS, The Lions Clubs International (LCI) is an international service organization |
| headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois. It is comprised of more than 46,000 local clubs and has |
| more than 1.4 million members representing more than 200 countries; and |
| WHEREAS, The Lions Clubs International was founded on June 7, 1917, by Chicago |
| Businessman Melvin Jones. Mr. Jones thought that if he and his colleagues, all of whom were |
| highly driven, intelligent and successful, put their talents and ambition to work towards |
| improving their local communities, through community service, much could be accomplished |
| towards making the world and our local communities better places to live in; and |
| WHEREAS, The stated purpose of the Lions Clubs International is to organize by |
| chartering and supervising their service clubs, to coordinate the activities of these clubs, to create |
| a spirit of understanding and cooperation amongst the peoples of the world, to promote the |
| principles of good government and good citizenship, to take an active interest in civic, cultural |
| and social affairs, to unite the clubs in the bonds of friendship and fellowship, to provide a forum |
| for the open discussion of all matters of public interest, and to encourage civic-minded people to |
| serve their communities; and |
| WHEREAS, The Motto of the Lions is "We Serve." Lions Clubs plan and participate in a |
| wide variety of service projects including donations to hospices, youth outreach, international |
| relations, environmental issues, and health issues related to sight, speech and hearing as well as |
| cancer screening. The Lions Clubs also raise significant amounts of money to assist those |
| afflicted by natural disasters, such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados and typhoons; and |
| WHEREAS, Ever since Helen Keller addressed the Lions Clubs International Convention |
| in 1925 and beseeched the Lions to be "Knights of the Blind", the Lions have become famous |
| world-wide for their tireless support of the blind and vision-impaired population. Lions Clubs |
| have raised many millions of dollars and public awareness on this issue through their numerous |
| "SightFirst" programs including the Childhood Blindness Project, the Lions Eye Health Program, |
| SightFirst China Action, the River Blindness/Trachoma program and their Sight for Kids |
| program. Most eye banks in the world are sponsored by the Lions and in 2001 they partnered with |
| the Special Olympics to create the Opening Eyes program, which screened the vision of Special |
| Olympics athletes; and |
| WHEREAS, Throughout the Lions one-hundred years of history, they have made a |
| positive impact and played a prominent role in public and world affairs. The Lions assisted in the |
| drafting of the United Nations Charter in 1945 and Mother Teresa accepted the Lions |
| Humanitarian Award in 1986. Since 1968 and the creation of the Lions Club International |
| Foundation, they have given $826 million to humanitarian causes; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations |
| hereby recognizes and celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Lions Clubs International; and be |
| it further |
| RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations |
| hereby proclaims the period from June 7, 2017, through June 7, 2018, to be "The Year of Lions |
| Clubs International" in the State of Rhode Island; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
| transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Chancellor Bob Corlew, Lions Clubs |
| International President. |
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| LC002805 |
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