Two Lights Montana Series – Flag Day
June 14, 1777 – The Story Behind Flag Day
Every June 14th, Americans from coast to coast pause to celebrate Flag Day, honoring the banner that has flown over battlefields, classrooms, front porches, and every great moment in our shared history. But do you know how this cherished tradition began?
A Banner Born in Revolution
The story starts on June 14, 1777, when the Second Continental Congress passed the Flag Resolution. In the middle of a revolution—with the outcome of the war still far from certain—the young nation paused to declare what its banner would be: thirteen alternating red and white stripes, with thirteen white stars on a field of blue, “representing a new constellation.”
The founders weren’t just designing a flag. They were imagining a country that didn’t yet fully exist—a new light among the nations. As the United States grew, so did the flag, gaining a star for every new state while the original thirteen stripes remained a lasting tribute to the courage of those who started it all. Today, fifty stars shine for fifty states, still united under one banner.
One Teacher’s Big Idea
While the flag was born in 1777, the celebration of Flag Day was sparked by a single determined American. In 1885, a 19-year-old schoolteacher named Bernard J. Cigrand stood before his one-room classroom and placed a small 38-star flag in a bottle on his desk. He asked his students to write essays about what the flag meant to them, calling that June 14th the flag’s “birthday.”
That simple classroom lesson became a lifelong crusade. Cigrand spent decades writing articles, giving speeches—reportedly more than two thousand of them—and rallying support wherever he could. For his devotion, history remembers him as the “Father of Flag Day.” It’s a fitting reminder that some of our most enduring traditions began not with politicians or generals, but with ordinary citizens who simply loved their country.
Making It Official
Cigrand’s dream gathered momentum over the years. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation officially establishing June 14 as Flag Day. The cause finally reached its summit in 1949, when President Harry S. Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14 as National Flag Day for good.
Interestingly, Flag Day is not a federal holiday—the post office still runs and the banks stay open—but that’s part of its quiet charm. It’s a day we observe not because we have to, but because we want to. Over the years, Americans have come to see their own values reflected in the flag’s colors: courage and sacrifice in the red, hope and purity of purpose in the white, vigilance and justice in the blue.
We may come from different places and different walks of life, but we are united beneath one banner—the red, white, and blue. Before the Stars and Stripes, the colonies used the Grand Union Flag—13 red and white stripes with the British Union Jack in the corner—first raised in 1775.
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.
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By Global Service TeamMontana Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation – October 2026
Montana Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation Statistics
Please find below the statistics from January 1, 2026 to September 26, 2026
- Applications Received: 29
- Assistance Provided: 14
- Total Cost of Assistance Provided: $27,316.49
- Applications Received From: Belt, Billings, Bozeman, Emigrant, Great Falls, Havre, Helena, Kalispell, Libby, Missoula, Ovando, Polson, Sidney, Trego and Whitefish
Montana Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation Fellowships
Foundation Fellowship: Foundation Fellowships can now be purchased by individuals. Foundation Fellowships are used to recognize outstanding Lions and other deserving individuals. The Board of Trustees of the Foundation endorses this Fellowship. The Fellowship award includes a lapel pin and a mounted certificate and may only be bestowed by a Lions Club on an individual or group of individuals with a donation of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) to the Montana Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation.
PID Fellowship: The PID Dave Hajny, PID Tom Lehman, PID Gary Tschache and PID Ben Apeland Fellowships are now available. The fellowships recognize the contributions to Lionism made by PID’s Dave, Tom, Gary and Ben. The new fellowships are a great way to provide recognition for a deserving Lion. Fellowships can be purchased for five hundred dollars ($500) to the Montana Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation.
Life Membership: A Life Membership to the Foundation, which includes a lapel pin and pocket card can be bestowed by an individual, group of individuals, Lions Club or can be purchased by an individual with a donation of one hundred dollars ($100) to the Montana Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation.
Memorial or Honorarium: Remember a loved one or honor that special person by donating to the Foundation. What better way to remember or honor someone than having your donation live in perpetuity? Your Memorial or Honorarium donation is never spent; only the interest earned on these assets will be used to further the purpose of the Foundation.
Thank you for your continued support of the Montana Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation.
Does Your Club Collect Glasses?
Used glasses can be dropped off in Great Falls at Floors and More, located at 920 1st Ave N, Great Falls, MT.
Please place the following address on boxes of used glasses:
Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center, 9013 Mullen Road SE, Olympia, WA 98513
By Montana Lions Sight & Hearing FoundationPlusoptix – Lion David Falcon – October 2026
District 37 PlusOptix Update
PlusOptix screening totals for school year Sept 2026 to June 2027:
As of the end of September – 2,668 screened with 350 refers.
When you are done screening for the month, please make sure you send me your numbers so I can add them to our District 37 totals.
There is now a course you can take to get certified as a vision screener. This isn’t a requirement, but if you are interested, it is located on www.lionskidsightUSA.org. There is information to study and at the end, there is a 50-question test. Once you get into the website it tells you what to do. If you do get certified, please let me know, and if I find out anything else, I will let you know.
Thanks!
Lion David Falcon, District 37 PlusOptix Chair
314 9th St. W., Kalispell, MT 59901; C. 406-253-1726: [email protected]
By PlusOptix CoordinatorSpecial Notices – October 2026
For Club Secretaries
Lion Portal Forum on Facebook
If you use Facebook, I can highly recommend the “Lion Portal Forum”. They answer all kinds of questions and you can ask questions there too! It is another option for finding the newest “Updated Training Videos” that are now available on the Portal as well as zoom sessions such as “how to prepare for the end of the fiscal year”.
For Club Treasurers
Club statements are no longer being mailed and can only be accessed via the Club Portal.
If your club’s treasurer has not created an account on the portal, that is the first step to completing the process of being able to access your club statements. 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. Below is a short “tutorial” on how to access Club Statements:
Accessing Club Statements on the Lion Portal
1. Log into the Lion Portal.
Note: to create a login, your email address MUST be in the portal as part of your personal information. If you get the message, “email not found” then you need
to update your personal information to reflect the correct email address.
2. Click on “My Club” (2nd Box across the top of the page)
3. Click on “Statements” located under your club information (sixth item to the right).
4. Review your Statement your club’s Monthly activity will be listed along with any
Current Balances owed. IF that statement simply brings a balance
forward from a previous period, then you can scroll down to the “Statements and
Invoices” listing….please note that you can select a prior fiscal year if you have to go
back several months to find the actual invoice that generated the current balance.
Example: For fiscal 2027, the first half of fiscal year was invoiced on June 30th for July 1 – December 31st and is listed under fiscal “2026”. That balance was due July 31st. Also, every time you add a new member (no matter what month of the year), you will be charged a “pro-rated” portion of the annual dues and those invoices will carry forward as well. PLEASE REVIEW YOUR INVOICES ON A MONTHLY BASIS!!
District 37 Club Officer Training Videos
These videos are all accessible via the district website, www.montanalions.org under “Training/Resources”:
- All Club officers: Trainer PDG Mike Collins
- 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)
District 37 Facebook Page
We all know that Lions serve from the heart, and now we want to see YOU in action! Whether you’re planting trees, organizing a food drive, helping out at a community event, or any other service activity, we want to showcase the amazing work our Lions are doing.
We’re looking for candid shots of Montana Lions actively engaging in service. We appreciate the posed group photos that commemorate events but we want to see how you have captured the real moments that show the spirit of Lionism in action!
How to Participate:
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- Snap candid photos of Lions in action during service activities.
- Share your photos via message to the District Facebook Page (https://m.me/MontanaLions).
- Include a brief description of the activity and the names of the Lions involved.
- Bonus points for Lions wearing Lions Club logos on hats, vests, shirts, etc.!
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Let’s fill our media with the heart and soul of our District’s service efforts. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words—let’s show the world the impact of the MT Lions Clubs of District 37!
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
In Addition to the “Tri-Fold Generator” for clubs to create their own club brochures, additional documents have been added including Leo Application forms and Club Service Project Ideas. If you have trouble finding a resource and it’s not currently available on the website, please contact Peggy Tobin at [email protected] or call 406-461-4206.
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.
By Lion Peggy TobinDates to Remember – October 2026
OCTOBER CLUB ANNIVERSARIES
181 years of service!!!
Fort Benton 10/10/2005
Billings 10/20/1921 – 105 years!
Joliet 10/22/1971
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
UPCOMING DISTRICT MEETING DATES
District 37 6th Annual Leadership Retreat – October 2 – 3 2026, Lewistown, MT
MT Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation – October 17, 2026 @ 10:00 Jefferson High School, Boulder MT
District Cabinet Meeting – October 17, 2026 @ noon, Jefferson High School, Boulder MT
2027 District 37 Convention – April 16-17, 2027, Choteau, MT
LIONS CLUB INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION SCHEDULE
2027 Washington DC – July 2-6
2028 Singapore -June 23-27
2029 Minneapolis, MN – June 29 – July 3
2030 San Antonio TX – June 28 – July 2
2031 – Helsinki Finland – July 4-8
UPCOMING USA/CANADA FORUMS
USA/CANADA LIONS LEADERSHIP FORUMS CAN BE RELATED TO ALL AREAS OF YOUR LIFE – NOT JUST LIONS
2027 Huntsville, AB – September 16-18
2028 Grand Rapids, MI – September 21 – 23
2029 Shreveport, LA – September 13 – 15
Seeley Lake Lions Fall News
Fall Highway Cleanup
Twice a year in the fall and the spring, the Seeley Lake Lions gather for our annual highway cleanup in an effort to keep our community beautiful. On September 27, 2026 our own Lion Rachel Feigley along with her husband Lion Pete coordinated the gathering, reflective vests, grabbers and garbage bags to hand out to everyone.
In all we had 17 Lions come out to scour the highway and cover a 2-mile stretch. While it may not sound like much, over a dozen bags of trash was collected! And the Leos did their part by getting permission for their own mile stretch of highway led by Leos advisor Bridget Laird and her band of eight Leos.
It’s very exciting to see the kids get involved with their town. Afterwards pizza was had by all for a job well done. Even our own District Governor Jon Kimble as well as our first Vice District Governor Gary Lewis were on hand to clean it up.
True Lionism by all!
By Seeley Lake Lions ClubWinnett Lions Have Been Busy
On Tuesday, September 22nd we had the honor of hosting our Second Vice District Governor, Gary Lewis, and his wife, Cheryl! Even better, Gary got to help us officially welcome and induct TWO new Lions, Claudia and Joe! We are so excited to have them join our crew!.
And apparently one night of Lion-ing wasn’t enough…
Wednesday, we gathered back up for our fall highway cleanup, and WOW, we had one of the biggest crews we’ve had in a long time! So many helping hands showed up that our entire stretch of highway was cleaned up in LESS THAN AN HOUR!
Turns out, many hands really DO make light work… and make highway cleanup go a whole lot faster! We’re pretty darn proud of this little club, the people who keep showing up, and the new faces joining us along the way.
Because at the end of the day, that’s what being a Lion is all about: WE SERVE!!
And Winnett Lions sure knows how to show up and get it done!
By Winnett Lions ClubHelena Lions Support Sunshine Camp & NAMI
Helena Lions Sunshine Camp is Winterized!
The longstanding Helena Lions Club Sunshine Camp has now been winterized for the winter months. Beginning October 1, 2026, a new season begins for reservations. Please pass the word about this great camp. We anticipate a full summer season ahead, but reservations are needed.
If you know of a group in your community who could use this space for – camping, reunions, weddings, parties, family weekends – please let us know through the Helena Lions Club website, or directly to Lion Gene Hill, President, [email protected]. Fees are listed on the website. Thank you!
Helena Lions Support Helena’s NAMI Walk
The Helena Lions Club gave out 500 hot dogs to the attendees of the 22nd Annual NAMI Walk at Helena’s Memorial Park, Sunday, September 20, 2026.
In addition, on behalf of the Club, Lion President Gene Hill presented a $1000 check to Matt Kuntz, Executive Director of NAMI Helena. NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
By Helena Lions ClubHelena Lions September News
Helena Lions Welcome Helena’s New Mayor
Helena Lions 1st Vice President Art Rinaman and President Gene Hill present the Honorable Emily Dean, Mayor of Montana’s Capital City, as Speaker of the Day on September 8, 2026.
Helena Lions Visit Gold Rush Lions
Helena Lions, Art Rinaman, Gene Hill, Jack Berry, Byron Beley, and Stuart Beagles visited the Gold Rush Lions Club September 10, 2026.
Lion President Gene Hill presented Lion President Cory Sena of the Gold Rush Club a check for $2,500 for the Gold Rush’s service and assistance with the Lewis and Clark Last Chance Stampede Rodeo and Fair.
Two Lights Montana Series – Lexington
April 19, 1775 — the Shot Heard ’Round the World
On April 19, 1775, the Battles of Lexington and Concord marked the beginning of the American Revolutionary War and changed the course of history. What had been a growing political conflict between Great Britain and its American colonies became open armed resistance. The fighting that day did not just launch a war. It marked the moment when Americans took a decisive stand for self-government and liberty.
In the months leading up to the battle, tensions had been rising across Massachusetts. The British government had imposed tighter control over the colonies, while colonial resistance continued to grow. British troops were sent from Boston to seize colonial military supplies stored in Concord and to disrupt the patriot movement. But the colonists were prepared. Riders, including Paul Revere and others, spread the alarm that British regulars were on the move.
At Lexington, a small group of militia faced the advancing British troops on the town green in the early morning hours. No one knows with certainty who fired the first shot, but within moments, the confrontation turned deadly. The British pushed on to Concord, where colonial militia regrouped and resisted at the North Bridge. As the British began their return to Boston, they faced relentless attacks from colonial forces firing from behind walls, trees, and buildings along the road.
By the end of the day, what began as a mission to assert British authority had become a costly retreat. More importantly, the events at Lexington and Concord proved that the colonies were willing to fight. The battles became a defining symbol of resolve, courage, and the belief that freedom was worth defending.
The phrase “the shot heard round the world” is often tied to Lexington and Concord because the significance of that day reached far beyond Massachusetts. The struggle that began there would lead to the birth of a new nation and inspire future movements for liberty around the world.
Remembering Lexington and Concord is not just about looking back at the first battles of the Revolution. It is about remembering the Americans who stood their ground at a moment of uncertainty and risk. Their actions helped begin the long and difficult fight that ultimately secured independence and shaped the United States.
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