History Of Salisbury Lions Club

In 1917 Melvin Jones, an insurance agent in Chicago who founded Lions International, first shared his vision of a world in which neighbor helped neighbor. Just six years later, on May 23, 1923, a group of twenty-five community leaders in Salisbury joined together under the sponsorship of the Wilmington, DE Lions Club to charter the Salisbury Lions Club. In 2005, as the Salisbury Lions Club celebrates its 82nd year, it has grown from the 25 charter members to 80 members, while Lions International has grown to become the world’s largest service organization - about 44,000 clubs with over 1,430,000 members in 185 countries.

Salisbury Lions Club has built an exemplary record of humanitarian aid and community service, which reaches far beyond Salisbury and the Eastern Shore. Within two years of its founding, the club hosted the 1925 District Convention. The enthusiasm of the initial years soon waned, and the membership declined to only ten, who, in 1928, discussed surrendering their charter and joining the Civitan Club. Three years later, in 1931, the club provided assistance to an almost totally blind youth, Carl Hastings. Dr. J. R. Bishop, a Lion, saved his sight. After weeks of surgery and treatment, Carl attended a club meeting and announced gratefully, "I can see now." This emotional experience gave the members new vitality. The publicity attracted new members and set a course for assistance to the sight impaired, which continues today.