Melvin Jones Fellows Patrons of humanity

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	Melvin Jones Fellowship

Melvin Jones Fellows Patrons of humanity, Possessed of a world-view, Performing deeds that outlast a lifetime

The Foundation's Highest Honor

What is the Melvin Jones Fellowship? That question is best answered in terms of individuals whose lives have been enriched by humanitarian projects. Projects made possible by donations to Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) for the Melvin Jones Fellowship Program. The fellowship, which was created in 1973, takes its name from the founder of Lions Clubs International (LCI), Melvin Jones. It is an honor--not an award. The fellowship was established as LCIF's highest form of recognition to acknowl-edge an individual's dedication to humanitarian service.* Fellowship donations are largely responsible for successfully launching the Lions' aggressive global attack on preventable and curable blindness--the LCIF Sight First program

* Fellowship donations, combined with other unre-stricted gifts, provide funding for constructing and equip-ping medical facilities. These projects are often designed to benefit disadvantaged and underserved populations.* Fellowship donations sup-port vocational assistance programs that teach skills to disabled persons, giving them an opportunity to live productively and in depen-dently. * Fellowship donations help fund reconstruction projects following major disasters.* Fellowship donations have been used to provide homes for children with special needs and homes for the elderly.

...and the list of humanitarian projects goes on. When you meet Melvin Jones Fellows, you will notice that they are greatly concerned about the needs of humanity. They are firmly committed to finding ways of improving the quality of life in their local communities and in the world community. Thousands of lives have been dramatically touched by the good works that are funded with fellowship donations. The personal nature of the fellowship restricts it to individuals only. The honor can-not be given to any group or organization.

Melvin Jones Fellows

Individuals become Melvin Jones Fellows in several ways.

When any individual, Lions club, or district donatesUS$1,000 to LCIF for a Melvin Jones Fellowship, an inscribed plaque and a lapel pin are presented to the specified individual. It is nota requirement that the humanitarian so honored be a Lion. Donations must be identified as applying toward a Melvin Jones Fellowship at the time they are submitted.

Any individual, Lions club, or district may choose to donate unrestricted funds in increments of at leastUS$100, over a five year period. When contributions total US$1,000, an individual named by the donor(s) becomes a Melvin Jones Fellow. Club and district donations for a fellowship are to be raised with the understanding and agreement of all donors whose contributions comprise the total gift

For a gift of US$1,000, a Melvin Jones Fellowship maybe given to honor the memory of a deceased individual. When a fellowship is registered posthumously, LCIF sends an appropriate plaque in the deceased's name, and a Melvin Jones Fellow lapel pin, to the individual designated to receive them, usually a family member.

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Melvin Jones Fellowship Progressive Program

Many Melvin Jones Fellows choose to extend their commitment to humanitarian causes by participating in the Melvin Jones Fellowship Progressive Program. Lions clubs and districts also participate by making donations in the name of an individual who is already a Melvin Jones Fellow. For a gift of US$1,000-US$60,000, in addition to the initial US$1,000 donation fellows receive a

diamond, sapphire or ruby, to recognize each level of giving to the Progressive Program. For example, a Melvin Jones Fellow who donates an additionalUS$1,000 will receive a one-diamond yellow gold lapel pin. The levels of the Progressive Program advance in US$1,000 increments through US$60,000,for which a 10-ruby white gold pin is given.