Peter Lynch
630-571-5466 ext. 303

For Immediate Release

Two New Countries Join Lions Clubs International

OAK BROOK, Illinois, USA, July 4, 2006—Men and women in three more countries have taken the initiative to make a difference in their communities by joining Lions Clubs International, bringing the total number of countries with Lions clubs to 1999.

The small island nation of Seychelles, population 81,500 became the 198th Lions country with the chartering of the Paradise Lions Club in May. Located in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa, east of Kenya and north of Madagascar, the country was ceded to Great Britain in 1814 and became an independent country in 1976.

 Seven Trucial States of the Persian Gulf formed the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the 1970’s. This Middle East country, with a population of 2,602,700, was approved as 199th Lions country at the June 2006 Board of Directors Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, and a Lions club has already been established in the country.

Lions continue to make a difference in their communities while reaching out to new areas of the world.

Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest service club organization with nearly 1.35 million members in approximately 45,000 clubs in 199 countries and geographical areas around the world. Since 1917, Lions clubs have aided the blind and visually impaired and made a strong commitment to community service and serving youth throughout the world.