July 2025 Newsletter
We are continuing to evolve the format of the newsletter notification emails. This month, instead of printing each article in the email, we are providing the beginning of each one and you can select to read more or move on.
The publication of the 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.
You can reply to this email to give us feedback on the new format. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!!
By Lion Peggy Tobin
Meet 2025-2026 Int’l President A.P. Singh
Lead to Serve. Serve to Lead
2025-2026 International President AP Singh
Incoming International President A.P. Singh, of Kolkata, India, is a practicing chartered accountant and has family business interests in automobile dealerships and has three children.
A Lion since 1984 and a member of the Calcutta Vikas Lions Club, IPE Singh has held many positions within the association, including district governor and council chairperson. He has served as GMT international coordinator for four years and as a member on a number of ad hoc board committees. He was chairperson for the 2017 DGE seminar in Chicago, USA, and has served as faculty at more than 50 ALLIs/RLLIs, RLLIs, FDIs and LCIP certification programs. He has also served as multi-national coordinator for Campaign SightFirst II, CA leader for Campaign 100, member of the LCIF Steering Committee and as chairperson of the National SightFirst Committee of India. Vice President Singh has participated in and presented seminars at Area Forums in all constitutional areas. He was the co-chairperson of the Organizing Committee for the ISAAME Forum in Kolkata, India.
Polaris Raffle
The annual raffle sponsored by the MT Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation culminated at the Helena Convention on Saturday night when International Director, Robert “Ski” Marcinkowski from Fairbanks, Alaska pulled out the winning raffle ticket. The winner was Lion Steve. The Raffle netted the foundation $18,400 and represented the 3rd highest profit since they started the ATV Raffle. (The highest profit was received right after COVID).
Did You Know? Lions Trivia
JULY TRIVIA
To Walk with Lions: 7 Spiritual Principles I Learned from Living with Lions Paperback – by Gareth Patterson (Author)
“To Walk with Lions” describes the seven spiritual principles of the lion: Self-Reliance, Loyalty, Fellowship, Willingness to Care, Unconditional Love, and Courage. Do these traits sound familiar? There’s a reason that we are called LIONS!
What is the main purpose of the Lions Club International? Our mission is to empower Lions clubs, volunteers and partners to improve health and wellbeing, strengthen communities, and support those in need through humanitarian service and grants that impact lives globally, and encourage peace and international understanding. And we fulfill it every day, everywhere we serve.
Special Notices – July 2025
ALL CLUB SECRETARIES
IF YOU HAVE NOT ENTERED YOUR OFFICERS FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR,
PLEASE CALL LION PEGGY TOBIN AT 406-461-4206 OR EMAIL HER AT [email protected] !! YOU WILL NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE LIONS PORTAL UNTIL THIS ISSUE IS RECTIFIED.
For Club Treasurers
PLEASE NOTE THAT LCI DUES WILL BE INCREASING JULY 1, 2025. THE INCREASE WILL BE $2/YEAR ($1/6-MONTH BILLING CYCLE) FOR FULL MEMBERSHIPS. NOTE: New members are charged at a prorated amount depending on date joined.
District 37 Club Officer Training Videos
These videos are all accessible via the district website, www.montanalions.org under “Training/Resources”.
- Club President: Trainer PDG Mike Tobin
- Club Secretary: Trainer Lion Peggy Tobin
- Club Treasurer: Trainer PDG Mike Collins
Short videos about how to do specific secretary or treasurer tasks:
Filing your 990-N (e-Postcard) (9 minutes)
With the release of the new LionPortal, we have added links to some of the short videos provided by LCI:
Newsletter Information
Any Lions club member can submit information associated with any type of Lions project or general club information. You can submit Club News ANYTIME! You are also welcome to email your news (hopefully with photo) to: Lion Peggy Tobin at [email protected].
Website Updates
The new “Tri-Fold Generator” is now available for clubs to create their own club brochures using a tri-fold format that your club can use to share your information to prospective new members. You will find it under Training/Resources on the website.
Free Club Websites!
The club-level website is still being offered by Montana District 37 at NO COST! If you don’t already have a domain name, Deanna can provide one for a cost of $20/year after the first year. If you are interested in getting a website for your club, please contact Peggy Tobin at [email protected] or call 406-461-4206.
Dates to Remember – July 2025
JULY CLUB ANNIVERSARIES
68 years of service!
Billings Heights 07/23/1957
UPCOMING DISTRICT MEETING DATES
MT Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation – August 2, 2025 @ 8:00am MT School for the Deaf and the Blind, Great Falls, MT
District Cabinet Meeting – August 2 2025 @ 10:00am MT School for the Deaf and the Blind, Great Falls, MT
2026 DISTRICT 37 CONVENTION
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!
APRIL 17-18, 2026, COLUMBIA FALLS, MT
LIONS CLUB INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION SCHEDULE
2025 Orlando, FL – July 13-17 (Updated)
2026 Hong Kong – Jul 3-7
2027 Washington DC – July 2-6
2028 Singapore -June 23-27
2029 Minneapolis, MN
2030 San Antonio TX
2031 – Helsinki Finland
UPCOMING USA/CANADA FORUMS
USA/CANADA LIONS LEADERSHIP FORUMS CAN BE RELATED TO ALL AREAS OF YOUR LIFE – NOT JUST LIONS
2025 Atlantic City, NJ – September 18-20
Registration is open online at
https://members.lionsforum.org/event-5804241/Registration
2026 Memphis TN – September 3 – 5
2027 Huntsville, AB – September 16-18
President Fabricio’s Final Message 2025
Make Your Mark with International President
Fabrício Oliveira
Dear Lion,
As I come to the end of my presidential year, I want to thank you all for making your mark through your dedicated service. Every time you served your community and invited a new member to join our mission, you helped us continue our legacy as the world’s greatest service organization.
While you celebrate your incredible accomplishments, now is also the perfect time to prepare your new officers for their roles and your clubs for the new year.
Congratulations once again on your achievements! I look forward to seeing how you continue making your mark as a Lion, every day, with every act of service.
At your service,
Fabrício Oliviera
International President
Upcoming Training for 2025-2026 Lionistic Year
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Memorial Day in Sidney
Sidney Lions, in partnership with the VFW Auxiliary and the Boy Scouts, post 120 flags each Memorial Day at 7am. These flags fly throughout the day, while a parade of flags, a program and lunch at Veterans Memorial Park, highlight the day. At 4pm, Lions has the honor of refolding each of these flags.
Sidney has a unique program called “The Flags of Honor” coordinated by the VFW Auxiliary, where family members can donate their loved ones flags. Currently, there are approximately 750 flags being stored in the humidity controlled room at the park. Each Memorial Day, 120 flags are displayed, on a rotating basis. This project is a wonderful way to honor all veterans! And Sidney Lions is proud to serve.
Winnett Lions Spring News
Our club has had a busy couple of months. We put on a spay and neuter cat clinic for the abundance of cats that have been a problem for the town folks. Veterinarian Nancy Belk volunteered her services and Lion members were the ‘cat catchers’ for her. We were able to do 45 cats in one afternoon.
PDG Melody did eye screening at the Amish colony and the Roundup elementary and pre-school kids.
The club donated $1000 for parade of green at convention giving to Leader Dog, MT Sight and Hearing, Ronald McDonald house, and MT Diabetes.
Five of our officers attended the Officers Zoom training.
Our big project was making Main Street beautiful again by purchasing and planting approximately 250 flowers in sidewalk pots and haystack hanging baskets.
The Winnett Lions furnished Lion insurance for the basketball and softball tournaments.
We will be doing a ‘Color for Cancer’ walk in June with putting together raffles, and will be promoting sales of luminaries.
