Founded in 1917 by Melvin Jones in Chicago, Illinois, the official Lions colors are Purple and Gold with the slogan 'Liberty, intelligence, our nation's safety'.

Since then Lions clubs have offered people the opportunity to give something back to their communities. From involving members in projects as local as cleaning up an area park or as far-reaching as bringing sight to the world's blind, Lions clubs have always embraced those committed to building a brighter future for their community.

Today with more than 46,000 clubs in 192 countries and geographical areas, Lions have expanded their focus to help meet the ever-increasing needs of our global community.

Our programs are continually changing to meet new needs and greater demands, but our mission has never wavered: "We Serve".

The Miami Buena Vista Lions Club

The Miami Buena Vista Lions Club was founded in April 1970 by recognized fellow Lion Oscar D.Vidal-Benitez and was the first club integrated by Cubans in the District 35-A. In 1971 this Club was recognized internationally for gaining one of the largest increases in membership in the World. The Club has maintained these high values and prestige throughout the years of service.

The HOME FOR THE BLIND, a non-profit organization, was also founded by Lion Oscar D. Vidal-Benitez and Luis Sabines under the Buena Vista flag (in 1974) and thanks to the hard work of many Lions Club members of South Florida is still active and rendering service to a large population of visually impaired individuals in our community.

Lions Code of Ethics

• To Show my faith in the worthiness of my vocation by industrious application to the end that I may merit a reputation for quality of service.

• To Seek success and to demand all fair remuneration or profit as my just due, but to accept no profit or success at the price of my own self-respect lost because of unfair advantage taken or because of questionable acts on my part.

• To Remember that in building up my business it is not necessary to tear down another's; to be loyal to my clients or customers and true to myself.

• Whenever a doubt arises as to the main or ethics of my position or action towards others, to resolve such doubts against myself.

• To Hold friendship as an end and not a means. To hold that true friendship exists not on account of the service performed by one another, but that true friendship demands nothing but accepts service in the spirit in which it is given.

• Always to bear in mind my obligations as a citizen to my nation, my state, and my community, as to give them my unswerving loyalty in word, act, and deed. To give them freely of my time, labor and means.

• To Aid others by giving my sympathy to those in distress, my aid to the weak, and my substance to the needy.

• To Be Careful with my criticism and liberal with my praise; to build up and not destroy.

Lions International Objects

• To Create and foster a spirit of understanding among the peoples of the world.

• To Promote the principle of good government and good citizenship.

• To Take an active interest in the civic, cultural, social and moral welfare of the community.

• To Unite the clubs in the bonds of friendship, good fellowship and mutual understanding.

• To Provide a forum for the open discussion of all matters of public interest; provided, however, that partisan politics and sectarian religion shall not be debated by club members.

• To Encourage service-minded people to serve their community without personal financial reward, and to encourage efficiency and promote high ethical standards in commerce, industry, professions, public works and private endeavors.