Dear Montana Lions,

We have come to the end of another Lionistic year, and what a year it has been. A pandemic that has challenged our clubs in ways we never imagined. A loss of meetings, fundraisers, service projects and our annual convention.

The last report shows that only 46.3% of District 37 Lions Clubs supported the Lions Clubs International Foundation  this Lionistic year. District 37 received over $100,000 from LCIF for the Lions Park in Laurel for a handicap fishing dock and an Emergency Preparedness Grant during this Lionistic year.

There are several grants being worked on from around our district at this time. Is one of them for your community? Why not? We at District 37 and the former MD37 have received over $1,000,000 dollars during the past 50 years.Your Foundation is there for you, not just every other club around the world. At the same time it needs your support to continue to meet humanitarian needs here in Montana as well as around the world.

Visit lcif.org/donate to donate online and to learn about other ways to give.
Yours in Lionism,

PDG Lary Garrison, LCIF Chair

When visiting clubs I occasionally hear a Lion say we need to take care of the United States first and that they are tired of the United States supporting relief to other countries and that those countries never help us in return. That is not how our Lions Clubs International Foundation works.On some years the Lions of the United States donate more money to the Lions Foundation than is returned in grants to the United States, yet, on other years the Lions Foundation grants more money in grants to the United States than donations from the United States.

Every day Lions and Lions Clubs worldwide make donations to the International Foundation not knowing when or where that donation will be used. Every day our Lions Foundation receives those same donations not knowing where or when they will be needed. Where will the next  fire, flood or earthquake occur? No one knows, but our Foundation is ready to quickly respond anywhere in the world. When will the next hurricane or tornado occur? No one knows, but our Foundation is ready to quickly respond anywhere in North America. Disasters don’t make their needs known until they occur i.e. COVID-19!

Do we make a donation to the American Cancer Society, the American Diabetes Association, the Alzheimer’s Association or any other charity with the expectation we or someone we know will be the beneficiary? Most of us are hopeful we or our relatives or friends will never need it, but we do know that someone somewhere will.
In the long run Lions in the United States will hopefully always donate more to our Foundation than we receive, but it is a fact that the majority of our donations are used in the United States.

Because other disasters do not stop for COVID-19, Campaign 100 has been extended for another year. You or your club can make a donation at: donorassistance@lionsclubs.org or by calling 1-630-203-3836. Remember individual donations are tax deductible.

Lary Garrison, District 37 LCIF Chair