19 Lions And Other Fraternal Organizations

By Janet Snyder


For the purposes of the Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAE 16), the definition of a service organization is fairly wide-ranging. It is an organization that provides services to user entities. A more descriptive definition is an organization where the members meet regularly for the purposes of planning and executing charitable works. Rotary International and 19 Lions Clubs International are examples of service organizations. Formerly the exclusive preserve of the male of the species, such clubs are now opening up membership to include women.

It was Melvin Jones who established Lions International in 1917. He strenuously believed that people could not get on in life without doing things for other people. The international headquarters of the Lions is in Oak Brook IL. There are a million and a half members in 46,000 local clubs in 200 different countries all over the world. Jones was also a member of the Freemasons, a similar organization.

The official colors of the organization are purple and gold. Membership is by invitation only and is open to people of legal majority and sound reputation within their local community. This doesn't mean you have to wait around and hope a club member gets to hear about your wonderful work in the community and contacts you out of the blue without any prompting from you, nor do you have to drop hints. People interested in joining should contact their local chapter. Lions Club Multiple District 19 (MD 19) includes clubs in Washington state, North Idaho and British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. The MD19 headquarters is in Bellingham, Washington.

The Rotarians formed in 1868 by a group of businessmen led by lawyer Paul P. Harris. Their mission was to elevate the ethical standards in the practice of business and the professions. They gave themselves the name Rotary because the meetings rotated from one of their offices to another. The name stuck when the organization grew so large that they had to start meeting at external venues. This occurred just one year after forming.

The Rotarians have established a set of four guidelines to implement when determining whether a particular project fits in with its aims. Their projects are usually aimed at getting businesses that are on the rocks back in the right direction. These criteria are truth, fairness, promotion of goodwill and friendship, and profitable to all parties.

The Freemasons is another very famous and successful fraternal organization. Its roots go back to the stonemasons. The Freemasons are steeped in history and have many traditions, ceremonies and rituals. They can be controversial to some people. For example, they have strict criteria for membership, in that members must be free and have a good character. The basic organizational unit of the club is the Grand Lodge. Most Grand Lodges expect their members to publicly declare a belief in a Supreme Being, with some having a preference for a specific religious denomination.

George Washington was one of the more famous and noteworthy members of the Freemasons. He had a portrait of himself painted in which he was serving in his capacity as Master of his local lodge in Virginia. When he died, he was buried with full Masonic ceremonial honors. Other famous Rotarians have included Colonel Saunders, John F. Kennedy, and Pope Francis.

Another fraternal organization is the Elks. They were founded in 1868 in New York City. Similar to the Rotarians and the Lions, The Elks are headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.




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