About Monticello Lions

Local Lions Clubs & Monticello Lions Club

For over 50 years the Monticello Lions Club has served the Illinois area roughly bounded by the Monticello school district, carrying out the motto of Lions everywhere: We Serve.

There are Lions Clubs in the Piatt County, Illinois, area in Arthur, Bement, and Cerro Gordo.

When We Meet – Our Bi-Monthly Dinner Meetings

Monticello Lions meet at 6:30 p.m., the second Monday of the month, for a delicious meal and interesting program.  The club meets at the Red Wheel Restaurant, located on Illinois Highway 105 at the Interstate 72 interchange. Order your choice from the excellent menu.

Our Donations

The Monticello Lions Club also donates substantially to Mary Bryant Home for the Blind in Springfield, Illinois, and Leader Dogs for the Blind in Rochester, Michigan. $2,000 in scholarship funds are provided each year to graduates of Monticello High School.

A list of Monticello Lions contributions can be found on this website.

Lions are the largest service club organization in the world, with 1.35 million members in more than 46,000 clubs worldwide, in more than 208 countries and geographic areas.

History of Lions Clubs

In 1917, Melvin Jones, a 38-year-old Chicago business leader, told members of his local business club they should reach beyond business issues and address the betterment of their communities and the world. Jones’ group, the Business Circle of Chicago, agreed.

After contacting similar groups around the United States, an organizational meeting was held on June 7, 1917, in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The new group took the name of one of the invited groups, the “Association of Lions Clubs,” and a national convention was held in Dallas, Texas, USA in October of that year. A constitution, by-laws, objects and a code of ethics were approved.

Within three years, Lions became an international organization. Since then, we’ve earned high marks for both integrity and transparency. We’re a well-run organization with a steady vision, a clear mission, and a long – and proud – history.

Our Contributions

Monticello Lions Donate Locally, Nationally & Internationally

Below is a list of donations in recent years.

Mary Bryant Home For The Blind is in Springfield, Illinois.

Leader Dogs For The Blind is in Rochester, Michigan, and serves Illinois and Indiana, among other states.

10/20/06 Mary Bryant Home For The Blind $1,000.00
11/27/06 Monticello High School Madrigals $100.00
12/17/07 Piatt Coounty Nursing Home $200.00
03/26/08 Local aid $250.00
11/24/08 Mary Bryant Home $1,000.00
12/20/08 Piatt County Nursing Home $250.00
01/18/09 LPCCI (Lions Project for Canine Companions for Independence) $150.00
02/10/09 Rotary International (Veterans sign project) $50.00
04/27/09 American Diabetes Association $450.00
06/19/09 John Burse Benefit $300.00
08/30/09 Leader Dogs for the Blind $500.00
11/09/09 Mary Bryant Home $1,000.00
01/20/10 Lions International $500.00
01/25/10 Piatt Co. Nursing Home $250.00
02/14/10 Boy Scout Troop 490 (anniversary) $1,000.00
02/15/10 Lions District 1-L Convention $100.00
03/22/10 LIF Camp Lions Adopt-A-Child $ 525.00
03/24/10 Boy Scout Troop 490 $150.00
06/08/10 Starkey Hearing Foundation $250.00
09/13/10 Piatt County Faith in Action $250.00
09/14/10 Boy Scout Troop 490 $150.00
10/09/10 Mary Bryant Home $1,000.00
10/09/10 Piatt Co. Toy & Gift Program $500.00
10/11/10 Leader Dogs for the Blind $1,000.00
11/08/10 Lions of Illinois Foundation $250.00
11/15/10 Peace Meal Senior Nutrition Program $714.00
12/05/10 Boy Scout Troop 490 $75.00
12/20/10 Piatt County Mental Health Center $1,000.00
03/18/11 Boy Scout Troop 490 $75.00
03/28/11 Monticello Life Savers $1,000.00
03/28/11 Lions International Foundation $712.00
08/01/11 Lions of Illinois Foundation $500.00
10/17/11 Mary Bryant Home $1,000.00
10/17/11 Lions of Illinois Foundation $250.00
10/17/11 Piatt County Toy & Gift Program $500.00
12/17/11 Piatt County Mental Health Center $500.00
02/13/12 Piatt County Faith in Action $250.00
02/27/12 Lions District 1-L $100.00
03/13/12 Harrisburg Lions Club (tornado relief) $500.00
03/26/12 Lions of Illinois Foundation $525.00 Camp Lions of IL scholarship
07/21/12 Lions International Foundation $288.00 Melvin Jones Fellowship
07/21/12 Lions International Foundation $1,000.00 Melvin Jones Fellowship
09/17/12 Leader Dogs for the Blind $1,200.00 In memory of Lion Harold Frye
09/21/12 American Legion Post 101 $200.00 Signs honoring active duty forces
11/05/12 Mary Bryant Home $48.00
01/28/13 Monticello FFA $100.00
01/28/13 Mary Bryant Home $1,000.00
02/11/13 Camp Lions of Illinois $527.00 scholarship
02/25/13 Boy Scout Troop 490 $1,000.00
02/25/13 Habitat for Humanity Piatt County $1,000.00
03/15/13 Girl Scouts-Central IL Division $300.00
08/16/13 Elizabeth Pfiester $1,000.00 Diabetes work – travel grant
09/23/13 Lions of Illinois Foundation $250.00 Candy Day donation
12/09/13 Food Bank Donation $66.86
12/09/13 Piatt County Nursing Home $250.00
01/20/14 Mary Bryant Home $1,000.00
01/28/13 FFA $100.00
01/28/13 Mary Bryant Home 1,000.00
02/11/13 Camp Lions of Illinois $527.00
02/25/13 BSA Troop 490 $1,000.00
02/25/13 Habitat for Humanity Piatt Co. $1,000.00
03/15/13 Girl Scouts-Central IL Div. $300.00
08/16/13 Elizabeth Pfiester $1,000.00 Diabetes
09/23/13 Lions of Illinois Foundation $250.00 Candy Day Donation
12/09/13 Walt Powell $25.00 Food Bank Donation
12/09/13 Piatt Co. Nursing Home $250.00
06/20/13 (Ck to Walt for Fun Day) $507.65
06/19/14 Pinky’s Restaurant $636.65
01/20/14 Mary Bryant Home $1,000.00
03/03/14 Leader Dogs for the Blind $500.00
04/18/14 Crossroads Church $300.00 Hearing Aids for Tim Parker
01/12/15 Lions of Illinois Foundation $250.00
01/12/15 Monticello FFA $200.00 Candy Day Donation
02/02/15 Mary Bryant Home $500.00
03/09/15 St. Jude’s Hospital $50.00 Donation – Terry Lieb Memorial
06/08/15 Camp New Hope $160.00
10/12/15 Cindy Striegel $500.00 Vision Assistance – Josh Striegel
11/16/15 Josh Watzlawick $50.00 Eagle Scout Gift – Troop 490
11/16/15 Luke Zocher $50.00 Eagle Scout Gift – Troop 490
11/16/15 Owen Myers $50.00 Eagle Scout Gift – Troop 490
11/16/15 John Halton-Berns $50.00 Eagle Scout Gift – Troop 490
11/16/15 Zachary Mesplay $50.00 Eagle Scout Gift – Troop 490
11/16/15 Terran Trusner $50.00 Eagle Scout Gift – Troop 490
11/16/15 Earnest Helferich $50.00 Eagle Scout Gift – Troop 490
11/16/15 Lions of Illinois Foundation $100.00 Candy Day Donation
11/16/15 Mary Bryant Home $500.00
11/23/15 Piatt Co. Toy & Gift Program $100.00
01/25/16 Monticello Railway Museum $250.00
10/17/16 Mary Bryant Home $500.00
11/14/16 Lions of Illinois Foundation $250.00 Candy Day Donation
01/07/17 Camp New Hope $250.00
06/12/17 BSA Troop 490 $500.00
10/27/17 Mary Bryant Home $500.00
10/27/17 Lions of Illinois Foundation $250.00 Candy Day Donation
04/20/18 BSA Troop 490 $200.00 Eagle Scout Project – David Frazier
05/26/18 LCIF $1,000.00
05/26/18 LCIF $1,000.00