Organization

2^nd Vice District Governor Gary Van Dyke

Lion Gary Van Dyke has had the privilege of living his entire life in the great State of Montana, moving from various small towns during his youth, to finally settling down in Roundup, MT with his amazing wife Lion Jennell, where they raised their now adult son Lion Aaron. 

Lion Gary was first introduced to Lions during the Billings Lions Club’s annual Charles Campbell Children’s Camp, held every July since 1961 at their Lions Beartooth Mountain Youth Camp. Gary first attended Camp as a counselor in 2005, immediately falling in love with the majestic mountain views, the babbling creek, fresh pine scented mountain air, and most importantly, the amazing opportunities that the volunteer Lions members and staff gave to youth experiencing physical disabilities – providing them an amazing opportunity to just be a kid in the wilderness away from the “real world” for a week at Camp!

Shortly thereafter, Lion Gary joined the Billings Lions Club, the first club in Montana, founded in 1921. During his tenure with the club, he has held the offices of vice president and president, and recently completed a second term following a small break. Lion Gary also was a zone chair, and a regional zone chair. Gary serves on the Camp Committee, ensuring the camp continues to be available for youth organizations and others to enjoy, is a member of the Charles Campbell Children’s Camp staff. He can usually be found running around Camp in various costumes or wild hats.  He is also a founding member and director of the Camp’s Counselor Scholarship Committee, giving scholarships to counselors of the camp as a small token of appreciation to their dedication and the impacts they make on humanity. 

Lion Gary has volunteered and worked in a variety of pre-hospital and emergency settings starting as a high school senior with a small rural ambulance service in central Montana.  He currently is a critical care paramedic with a busy rural service in South Central Montana.

In his scant free time, Lion Gary can be found spending time with Jennell and their beagles, visiting with their son Aaron, helping Gary’s brother with various projects, and during the summer, in the pristine Beartooths working around Camp and just enjoying the peacefulness of nature.