LCIF’s Highest Honor: The Melvin Jones Fellowship
by Therese Boehl

How many Lions does it take to exemplify the outstanding commitment of Lions Clubs International Foundation and the causes it supports? Roughly 250,000 worldwide. That’s the number of Lions who have been awarded the Melvin Jones Fellowship, the highest honor available from LCIF. Begun in 1968, LCIF has provided funding for many humanitarian service projects, both locally and worldwide. The foundation provided grants totaling $38.5 million last year alone. Without the generous donations from Lions, however, such projects would not be possible.

Contributions by Lions comprise the majority of LCIF’s funds, directly impacting the assistance that LCIF is able to provide. For this reason, the Melvin Jones Fellowship (MJF) was established in 1973 as a way for Lions to support LCIF projects, some of which are too big for individual clubs to sponsor on their own.

The MJF, named after Lions Clubs International founder Melvin Jones, is awarded to individuals who donate $1,000 to LCIF, as well as to people in whose name a donation was made. The fellowship is a great way for Lions to show their ongoing commitment to LCIF.
Lions who donate can be sure that their contribution will directly impact humanitarian service; every dollar donated to LCIF goes toward a grant, not toward administrative or other costs. Projects such as Campaign SightFirst, which helped combat eye conditions such as cataract, glaucoma, river blindness and trachoma, would not have been as successful without Melvin Jones Fellows, whose donations comprised most of the funding for this campaign. Their contributions continue to help Lions build and equip schools and health clinics, construct senior citizen centers and provide relief for disaster victims.

Recognition
 For their contribution, each Melvin Jones Fellow receives an attractive lapel pin, a plaque and a congratulatory letter, which arrives several weeks after the fellowship request is processed. Additionally, MJFs are invited to attend the Melvin Jones Fellow Luncheon at the international convention, where MJFs are honored every year. Also, a rotating computer list of donors is on display in the MJF room at international headquarters, where fellows are always welcome to visit.
For fellows who want to extend their contributions, each additional donation of $1,000 qualifies them for the Progressive Melvin Jones Fellowship program, where they will receive a new lapel pin and congratulatory letter. There are 100 levels in the Progressive program, so every additional donation is recognized. To date, there are 43,400 PMJFs worldwide.

A Long History
The first Melvin Jones Fellowships were awarded in 1973-1974 to Lions William G. Clayton, Florida, and Dr. Luciano Nunziate, Bari, Italy. Since then, many more fellowships have been awarded.

Kazuhiro Seno, of the Imabari Lions Club in District 336-A, Japan, recently became the 250,000th Melvin Jones Fellow after his donation of $1,000 to LCIF. “It is an honor for me to become the 250,000th Melvin Jones Fellow,” he said. Seno has been a Lions Club member for three years, and his club has a total of 92 MJFs.

Seno designated his donation to Campaign SightFirst II, and every Lion in his club made a $500 per member pledge to the campaign. “We understand that CSFII is a very important event for Lions,” he said. Thousands of Lions such as Seno will enable Campaign SightFirst II to continue to address the problem of global blindness. 

Lions are known for their generosity to LCIF, so it’s not surprising that so many have been honored with an MJF. When every member of a Lions club is named a Melvin Jones Fellow, the club becomes a 100% Melvin Jones Fellow club. Larry Dansereau of the Calgary Southridge Lions Club in District 37-0, Alberta, Canada, is the president of one such club awarded this honor in 2006.

A Lion for 31 years and a Progressive Melvin Jones Fellow, Dansereau encourages others to become Melvin Jones Fellows. “Disasters happen all over the world, and we must all help and give support. I encourage all clubs to support LCIF.” Dansereau also believes that the benefit of giving to LCIF is that donors know the money is going to a good cause. “We support all of what Lions do,” he said. While he is an active member of other organizations and helps with other community service projects, his dedication to Lions clubs is strong. “Lions is my first calling,” he said.

Lions in his club have donated to Campaign SightFirst and typically donate more than $80,000 a year to the community. He believes that being a 100% club says a lot about the commitment of his club members. “In the community, it makes us a stronger club.” It also helps with member retention, as well as recruiting new members, he said. “Someone has to help make the community a better place,” Dansereau said. “Give your support; that’s what it’s all about.”
 
How to Become a Melvin Jones Fellow
· To apply for the fellowship, download the MJF Application Form (LCIF-42M) and mail when completed, accompanied by the donation.
· Checks, money orders, bank deposits and credit cards are all acceptable methods of payment.
· Lions and non-Lions as well as clubs or districts can make contributions.
· A recipient can be named at a later date, but the fellowship is awarded to individuals only.
· Donations are accepted in one sum or in installments of at least $100 over a maximum of five years (as long as the donation is specified as an installment).
· Melvin Jones Fellows receive an attractive lapel pin, a plaque and a congratulatory letter.