At the recent district conference of the Lions Clubs in Vernon, Kettle River Lions Club member Wolfgang Schmidt was honoured with the Melvin Jones Fellowship in recognition of his commitment to humanitarian work.
The fellowship is the foundation’s highest honour and represents humanitarian qualities such as generosity, compassion and concern for the less fortunate.
Melvin Jones Fellows receive a lapel pin and a personalized wall plaque in honour of their commitment to helping others.
The district to which the Kettle River Lions belong includes Washington, B.C. and Idaho.
According to Lions literature, Melvin Jones was a Chicago insurance man who wondered why local business clubs could not expand their horizons from purely business concerns to the betterment of their communities and the world at large.
His efforts resulted in an organizational meeting of 12 men on June 7, 1917, which was the beginning of what we know today as Lions Clubs International.
The organization has grown to over l.35 million members in 206 countries. It is the largest service organization in the world.