September 2026 Newsletter
The publication of the district newsletter is at the beginning of the month, but articles are posted all during the month. A second email notification mid-way through the month will be sent if there are additional posts to share.
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THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!!
By Lion Peggy TobinFrom the Desk of Governor Jon Kimble – September 2026
DISTRICT 37 BULLETIN
Mobilizing Lions and Leos Across the Big Sky State
Global Impact, Local Action: Lions Clubs International Announces Global Weeks of Service
Fellow Lions,
Lions Clubs International (LCI) has officially unveiled the schedule and focus areas for its upcoming global campaign, calling on all Lions and Leos across District 37 to join forces in addressing key community needs. The initiative focuses on three critical service pillars—Vision, Youth, and the Environment— distributing global efforts into targeted weeks throughout the Lion year.
Mark Your Calendars for District 37 Service Focuses:
- Vision Week: October 8–18, 2026
- Youth Week: February 13–21, 2027
- Environment Week: May 29–June 6, 2027
District 37 leaders encourage local club officers and service chairpersons to align upcoming club projects with these international dates to maximize our collective reach.
Additionally, District 37 will hold a Leadership Retreat at the YOGO Inn in Lewistown, MT. Mark Your Calendars for District 37 Leadership Training – October 2 – 3, 2026. To register, go to this link on the website: https://www.montanalions.org/retreat-registration/
Key Focus Areas & Project Ideas
Vision (October 8–18, 2026)
Kick off the service year by anchoring projects around World Sight Day (October 8) or International White Cane Day (October 15). Clubs can coordinate local vision screenings, collect used eyeglasses for recycling, or launch new visual support initiatives in their communities.
Youth (February 13–21, 2027)
Focusing on the next generation, this week aligns with International Childhood Cancer Day (February 15). Local clubs are encouraged to organize projects benefiting local youth, run Lions KidSight vision screenings, support pediatric hunger initiatives, or promote Lions Youth Camps & Exchange programs.
Environment (May 29–June 6, 2027)
Timed alongside World Environment Day (June 5), this week centers on local conservation, cleanup projects, environmental education, and sustainable community improvements.
Planning & Reporting Resources
To assist club leaders with marketing materials, project planning kits, and reporting tools, full details and downloadable guides are available directly on the Lions Clubs International Weeks of Service Page. Weeks-of-Service
Be sure to log all of your completed activities through the official service reporting portal following each event to ensure District 37’s contributions are counted toward our worldwide impact!
Let’s have a GREAT year!
In Service,
Jon Kimble
District Governor,
Montana Lions District 37
559-352-1455
By DG Jon KimbleFrom the Desk of 2nd VDG Gary Van Dyke – September 2026
Hello Fellow Lions!
Your District leadership team has had a busy end of August.
DG Jon, 1st VDG Gary, and 2nd VDG Gary met in Townsend for the Broadwater County Lions Club Charter Night ceremony, along with many other Lions leaders. The evening featured a speech by DG Kimble, the induction of officers, a delicious meal prepared by the American Legion staff, and a few Tail Twistings, culminating with a scrumptious dessert auction. It was an honor and pleasure to join our fellow Lions in friendship and camaraderie.
Later in the week Lions meet again to honor and remember PDG Steve Hadnagy, who passed away in Butte on August 1st. Lion Ben Apeland shared a post on Lions Steve’s amazing life’s accomplishments and his unselfish dedication to serving Lions. There was an impressive showing by local, state, and international members of Lions to honor Lions Steve’s memory and service.
Following the ceremony, Lions gathered to visit and remember, and to discuss many new and exciting ideas from other clubs and projects. This dialog brought a new spark of enthusiasm to this year’s planning to make Montana District 37 even more amazing helping those in need.
These photos are from PDGs Steve’s funeral service. He was a photographer, and during the memorial the Priest mentioned the importance photographs have to capture memories.
Gary Van Dyke, Second Vice District Governor, Montana Lions District 37
By 2VDG Gary VanDykeLeo Update – September 2026
Leos Are the Future — and the NOW — of Lionism!
As school has just started in pretty much every community in our district, I want to take a moment to say how happy I am to serve as the Leo Chair for SD37. I have a few ideas and reminders as we begin another exciting year with our Leos.
First, a reminder about reporting. The Leo50-A is a required form, so please make sure your Leo club information and membership reporting are kept current. The sponsoring Lions club is responsible for maintaining records of parental/guardian consent for Leo members who are under the legal age of majority.
Please complete both pages and keep the completed form on file with the sponsoring Lions club. The form should not be sent to International Headquarters. Click here to find the form: Leo Application Form
Keep Your Leo Records Up to Date
Another important reminder as we begin the new school year: work with your Leo president and secretary to make sure all of your Leo members are entered into the Lions portal. Keeping membership information accurate and up to date is important for good record keeping and helps ensure that your Leos receive the recognition and resources available to them.
Take a few minutes to sit down with your Leo officers and help them understand how to use the portal. This is also a great opportunity to make sure new members are added and information for existing members is correct.
I also encourage every Lions club supporting a Leo club to visit the Lions International Resource Center and simply type “Leos” into the search box. You will find a tremendous amount of information and resources to help make your Leo club as successful as it can be.
Stay Connected With Your Leos
One of the most important things a sponsoring Lions club can do is meet with your Leos on a regular basis. Your involvement is critical. Our young people need to know that their sponsoring Lions club is right there beside them and ready to help whenever they need it.
That support can take many forms. Maybe your Lions provide a safety vehicle for a highway cleanup, help the Leos organize a community service project, or team up with them to help at a community golf scramble. These shared activities don’t just get things done — they build relationships between Lions and Leos.
Every Community Deserves a Leo Club!
Leos are the future — and the NOW — of Lionism in the world.
Every community deserves the opportunity to have young people involved in service, leadership and making a difference. If your community doesn’t have a Leo Club, START ONE NOW!
And remember, I’m here to help!
If there is anything you may need regarding Leos — whether it’s starting a new club, supporting an existing club, finding resources, working with your Leo advisors or simply bouncing an idea around — please feel free to contact me.
PDG Raleigh G. Peck
Leo Chair – SD37
406-480-5000
[email protected]
Thank you for all you do, and especially for everything you do to support the young people who will carry the Lions’ service mission forward.
Let’s make this a great year for our Leos!
By Leos AdvisorFrom District Treasurer Steve Dogiakos
HEADS UP CLUB TREASURERS (& PRESIDENTS)!!
From last month’s newsletter article – Lions Clubs International issued semiannual dues invoices to every club on June 30, and they are payable now. If your club’s treasurer hasn’t logged into the MyLCI portal recently, this is the reminder to do it this week. If your club’s treasurer has not created an account on the portal, that is the first step to completing this process. The login is the email address that LCI has on file for each officer. If an email address has not been provided to your club secretary, you will NOT be able to create an account in the Lion Portal.
LCI no longer mails paper invoices. Your invoice exists only in the MyLCI portal. If you’re waiting on something to arrive by mail, it isn’t coming, and the clock on payment is running whether or not anyone has looked.
What to do – Log into MyLCI using your credentials. Your login will be the email address that LCI has on file for you. (If you have changed your email address, let your club secretary know so that it can be updated in LCI.)
- Navigate to your club’s account and click on the “Statements” tab to see
- Submit payment through the portal, or route the invoice to whoever handles your club’s payments if that isn’t the treasurer directly.
- Unpaid dues can affect your club’s standing with LCI and create complications for member transactions, so don’t let this sit unchecked because no envelope showed up.
By Lion Steve DogiakosDistrict LCIF Co-Chairs PDG Raleigh Peck & PDG Mike Tobin – September 26
LCIF: Helping Lions Make Their Communities Better
I just returned from my first LCIF Coordinator training in New Orleans, and what a great learning experience it was! I’m very glad I decided to become the LCIF Coordinator for the Eastern part of Montana.
Working alongside Mike Tobin, who serves the Western part of Montana, we will be reaching out to all of our clubs to see how we can assist you. We would love the opportunity to come to your club and make a personal appearance, sit down with your members, and go through the many ways LCIF can help your club make an even greater impact in your community.
So, start thinking about this question:
What is it that would make your community an even better place to live?
Maybe it’s helping children or supporting our elderly population. Maybe it’s disaster relief, helping food banks, improving community facilities, or making gathering places more accessible. Whatever the need, LCIF may be able to help turn your club’s vision into action.
One of the things that stood out to me during my training is the importance of starting with the strengths, resources, and ideas already present in our communities. Lions know their communities better than anyone, and our job is to help you connect those local needs and ideas with the resources available through LCIF.
Our goal is simple: to help you make your community — and ultimately our world — a better place to live.
Please know that I am happy to help in any way I can. Whether you have questions about LCIF, want to explore a project idea, or would simply like someone to sit down with your club and talk through the possibilities, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Mike and I would love to hear from you and work with your club.
Thank you for all you do for your communities and for the service you provide every day.
PDG Raleigh Peck , 1575 10th Ave SW., Sidney, MT 59270, 406-480-5000, [email protected]
PDG Mike Tobin – PO Box 408, Sunburst MT 59482, 406-450-2780, [email protected]
By LCIF CoordinatorsGlobal Leadership Team – PDG Mike Collins-September 2026
Calling all District 37 Lions!
6th Annual Montana Lions Leadership Retreat
Lewistown October 2-3, 2026
Dear Montana Lions,
The leadership retreat is a unique opportunity for Montana Lions to enhance your leadership skills, gain new insights, and strengthen the connections within our Lions community. Your role as an officer in your Lions Club is vital to the success and growth of our service and Lionism in Montana, and this retreat is designed to support you in that mission.
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By Global Leadership TeamYour Club’s Photos Could Recruit Montana’s Next Lions. Send Them Now.
Montana Lions are launching a statewide membership campaign this fall built around one message: Make an Impact. Right Here in Montana. The ads will run across the state, and the first thing Montanans will see is not a slogan. It is a photo of Lions serving their community.
Here is the problem: we do not have enough of those photos. We reviewed everything on the District website going back to 2023, and most of what we have is posed group shots and convention pictures. Those photos have their place, but they will not convince a stranger to join. What convinces people is seeing service actually happening.
That is where your club comes in.
What we need
Candid photos of Lions in the middle of service. Think of the moment before anyone says “everybody look at the camera.”
- Vision screenings in progress
- Lions serving food, stocking shelves, or working a food drive
- Highway and park cleanups with trash bags in hand
- Flag programs, playground builds, ramp projects, tree plantings
- Any project where a Lion’s hands are doing the work
Faces and action together are the gold standard. A photo of two Lions laughing while they unload a truck beats a photo of twelve Lions standing in a row every time.
Phone photos are perfectly fine. Send the original file at full resolution, not a screenshot or a copy pulled from Facebook. Horizontal photos work best for ads, but send what you have.
What to skip
Please do not send:
- Posed group photos, lineups, or banner shots
- Check presentations and award ceremonies
- Convention, banquet, and meeting photos
- Screenshots, photos of printed photos, or heavily filtered images
- Blurry or very small files
Nothing is wrong with these photos. They are just not what a membership ad needs.
A note on permissions
Only send photos where the people shown are comfortable appearing in statewide advertising. If a photo includes anyone under 18, confirm you have a parent or guardian’s permission before submitting it.
How to submit
Email your photos to [email protected] with your club name and a one-line description of the project shown.
Send them by September 30th. The campaign schedule is moving, and photos received early have the best chance of appearing in the first wave of ads.
Your club’s service is the best recruiting tool this district has. Let Montana see it.
Two Lights Montana – September 2026
March 23, 1775 — the Quote Heard ’Round the World
WHAT – Patrick Henry warned the Second Virginia Convention in Richmond that conflict with Britain was inevitable; the colonies must prepare to defend their liberty. His speech ended with one of the most famous lines in American history: “As for me, give me liberty or give me death!”
WHO – Henry was a prominent Virginia-born lawyer known for challenging British authority. His courtroom success launched a political career and made him a leading voice for colonial resistance.
WHAT FOLLOWED – The Convention narrowly approved Henry’s call to organize a Virginia militia. Soon after, armed conflict began between colonial forces and Britain, pushing the colonies toward revolution.
WHAT MOST DON’T KNOW – Henry’s speech was not written down at the time. The version known today was reconstructed decades later from eyewitness accounts.
ONE SIMPLE TAKEAWAY – Henry’s speech marked a turning point when many colonial leaders accepted that resistance—and eventually independence—would require war.
Join Lions across Montana in celebrating our nation’s 250th anniversary through learning, civic participation, and community service. Plan or participate in a service project on October 24—Montana Makes a Difference Day—and share your efforts using #TwoLightsMT and #D37Lions.
By Global Service Team2027 MLS&HF Raffle Tickets Have Been Mailed!
This year’s raffle tickets for the ATV were mailed out on Monday, August 24, 2026. If you have NOT received your tickets in the mail, please contact Lion Monte Weisser via email at [email protected]. You don’t want to miss out on a chance to win!!
By Montana Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation
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