Rotary International and Lions Clubs International Agree To Merge
Posted
on Apr 01, 2014
CHICAGO, Illinois - The world’s two largest service clubs have agreed to join forces and merge their membership as of July 1, 2014. Rotary International President, Ron Burton stated that the move will help to engage more people in service and change more lives than either organization could do on its own.
Lions Clubs International President Barry Palmer agreed, noting that the new joint organization will have over 2.5 million members and expects that the union will encourage an increase of membership to over 3 million over the next 5 years. Both organizations were founded in Illinois, with Rotary founder Paul Harris in Chicago on February 23, 1905, and Lions founder Melvin Jones on June 7, 1917. "The birth of both international service clubs being so close in location, time and history", said Burton, "gives us even more in common and will ease the transition as we merge. "The merger is expected to take place over a one year period. Lions and Rotary have agreed during the transition to use a modified logo and theme - WE SERVE ABOVE SELF.