The Lions CLub was formed by Chicago businessman Melvin Jones in 1917.  The purpose of this new endeavor was sight-saving.  The Lions became an international group in 1920.  In 1924, with great interest in this relatively new organization, 21 East Liverpool doctors, lawyers and businessmen began meeting every Friday at noon for lunch.  The idea caught fire and on September, 29 1924 the East Liverpool Lions Club was chartered.

Perhaps the single event having the greatest impact on the association’s service commitment occurred in 1925 when Helen Keller addressed the Lions at their international convention at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. She challenged Lions to become “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness.” Lions Club International Foundation is the oldest service organization in the world. The Lions motto is “We Serve.”

The East Liverpool Lions Club has served the community in a variety of ways. Various fundraisers are held to provide the money necessary for eye exams, eyeglasses and eye surgeries. Annual eye screenings are conducted for early elementary school students by a local optometrist, assisted by club members. The Lions Club supports Ohio Lions in Columbus, Ohio; the Ohio Lions purchase pilot dogs for the blind. The ongoing collection of used eyeglasses aids needy people in other countries who do not have regular access to eye care. The Lions also promote and support diabetes research.