In 1917, Chicago business leader Melvin Jones asked what might happen if people put their talents to work improving their communities, an idea that grew into Lions Clubs International, the world’s largest service club organization with more than 1.3 million members in more than 45,000 clubs. In 1925, Helen Keller addressed the Lions Clubs International Convention in Cedar Point, Ohio, and challenged Lions to become “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness,” after which Lions worked to aid blind and visually impaired people. The Napoleon Lions Club was chartered in 1964 and, since 1965, has provided eyeglasses and eye exams for needy residents, recycled used eyeglasses for the Volunteer Optometric Service to Humanity, supported the NW Ohio Eyebank, and used all proceeds from White Cane Days for sight preservation projects. Its accomplishments also include offering a $2000 scholarship each year to a high school senior, purchasing dictionaries for every third grade student in Napoleon Area Schools, building and donating the Kidz Kingdom restrooms, donating over $45,000 to Henry County Hospital, partnering with the Rotary Club to build the Rotary/Lions Community Center at Oberhaus Park, providing funding and labor for Buckenmeyer Stadium, sponsoring a Napoleon High School student of the month, supporting academic and athletic booster projects, backing local activities, and contributing to national and world sight relief, humanitarian aid, and emergency and catastrophe grants through the LCIF. Its recycling work also keeps approximately 38,000 pounds of glass and aluminum out of the landfill yearly, serves the community, and helps raise funds for community and sight preservation projects.