From the Desk of Governor Jon Kimble – August 2026
Fellow Lions,
In a renewed bid to broaden its impact and reverse a longstanding membership decline, Lions Clubs International (LCI) continued a multi-year strategy – Mission 1.5 – aimed at expanding both its membership and the reach of its service projects. The plan, reiterated at this year’s International gathering in Hong Kong, aims to achieve 1.5 million Lions Members by the 2027 – 2028 Lions Year.
The core objective is straightforward: “more members, more service!” Lions’ service is wide given the sponsored programs: vision, health, environmental improvement, among its service programs around the world. LCI leaders emphasized that increasing enrollment is not merely about numbers, but about expanding our service to communities in need, from vision screenings in rural clinics to disaster-response relief, youth mentorship programs and diabetes awareness and treatment.
District 37 has engaged The Wendt Agency to promote Lions across Montana. The initial phase of the project will be aimed at engaging our neighbors where Lions Clubs are no longer active or have never been present. The new members and Clubs are expected to contribute to the Lions Mission, strengthen Lions in Montana, and serve more of our communities. Changes to LCI administration include:
- Expanded recruitment and onboarding: new digital tools to simplify sign-ups, streamlined mentoring for new members, and targeted outreach to women, younger professionals, and diverse communities.
- Strengthened youth and family pathways: renewed support for Leo Clubs and college-age volunteers as pipelines for future Lions, with enhanced training and project funding.
- Local-to-global service alignment: a framework to connect local clubs’ service projects to broader international campaigns, improving impact visibility and collaboration.
- Strategic partnerships: collaborations with corporations, nonprofits, and government-led public health and humanitarian initiatives to provide scaled opportunities for service.
Success will be reason to celebrate! If you would like to know more, visit https://www.montanalions.org/ or https://www.lionsclubs.org/en
Let’s have a GREAT year!
Jon Kimble
District Governor,
Montana Lions District 37
559-352-1455
By DG Jon KimbleFrom the Desk of District Governor Elect Jon Kimble – May 2026
Montana Lions District 37
Invitation to Service: May 2026
Our Montana Lions are great assets to their communities! Our kindness and caring really add to the fabric of our lives. Our Single-District 37 is organized to broaden service and fellowship by dividing the large District into four regions. Those four regions are further divided into 14 Zones. A member from each Zone volunteers to be a liaison between the District Cabinet and the Clubs. For the coming Lion year, 2026-2027, we have several volunteers who have accepted the position. We still need a few more…
If you wish to help support our District operations, please consider serving at this level. It will be a great opportunity to connect with other Lions Clubs, and it can be rewarding and fun!
I extend a “Welcome Back!” to our returning Zone Chairs and a hearty “Welcome!” to the new volunteers who have agreed to help: They are:
Zone Lion Clubs Served
Zone 1 Rob Shaffer Hamilton, Missoula, East Missoula, Seeley Lake
Zone 2 Nick Ostle Superior, Plains, Hot Springs
Zone 3 Naomi Valentine – Kalispell, Kalispell Sunrisers, Eureka, Whitefish, Columbia Falls, ColFalls Mountain Branch, Kalispell Rising Lions Branch
Zone 4 Butte – Mile Hi, Deer Lodge
Zone 5 Tom Naegle Helena, Helena Gold Rush, Townsend (Broadwater), White Sulphur Springs
Zone 6 Neil Swift Cascade, Great Falls, Great Falls Sunrise
Zone 7 Jerry Kuhn Chinook, Havre, Turner/Hogeland, Fort Benton
Zone 8 Jack Preston Choteau, Conrad, Cut Bank, Fairfield, Sunburst, Sun River Valley
Zone 9 Rosemary Weber Baker, Glendive, Sidney
Zone 10 Scobey, Wolf Point, Culbertson, Nashua, Plentywood
Zone 11 Mark Manning Billings, Billings Hts, Forsyth, Huntley Project, Hysham, Shepherd
Zone 12 Big Timber, Joliet, Laurel, Red Lodge
Zone 13 Julie Bartos Bozeman, Bozeman Gallatin Empire, Bozeman Sweet Pea, Dillon, Ennis
Zone 14 Denton, Roundup, Winnett
As you can see, we still need support for Zones 4, 10, 12 and 14. If you are a member of those Clubs served, and want to contribute to our District Governance, please contact us. We have several goals for the year for the improvement of service across the State, so you will be a welcome member of the District Team.
GO LIONS!!
DGE Jon Kimble
From the 1st Vice District Governor’s Desk – August 2025
From the 1st Vice District Governor’s Desk
1st VDG Jon Kimble-August 2025
Dear Lions of Montana District 37,
I hope this message finds you all in great spirits! I recently had the privilege of attending the Lions International Convention 2025 in Orlando, Florida. The energy and dedication of Lions from across the globe were truly inspiring, and I’m excited to share some highlights and initiatives that can benefit our district.
A key moment at the convention was the address from our International President, A. P. Singh. He challenged every Lions Club to expand its membership this month. His inspiring motto, “Lead to Serve, Serve to Lead,” reminds us of the power and impact we have as service leaders in our communities. Membership growth is essential not only for our sustainability but for our ability to serve effectively. Let’s take up this challenge—together, we can make a substantial difference!