Lion-Sponsored Boy Scout Troop 490 Celebrates 20th Anniversary
Monticello, Illinois, Boy Scout Troop 490 celebrated its 20th Anniversary at a banquet Saturday, April 17, 2010. The Monticello Lions Club has been the Chartering Organization of Troop 490 for its entire 20 years of Scouting. In addition to the annual charter funding, the Monticello Lions have provided the Scouts with a trailer to transport their gear to outdoor campouts, and furnished major financial support for Troop 490's anniversary celebration. Monticello Lions were honored at the banquet, along with present and former Scoutmasters and Eagle Scouts. Each of the five Patrols in Troop 490 presented skits at the banquet. The Monticello Lions Club raises money for its Scout funding through various projects like Lions' Christmas home-made peanut brittle sale, the Sangamon Valley Bike Ride in May, and the monthly fish fries at the Monticello Community Building.
Monticello, Illinois, Lions Help Haiti
The Monticello, Illinois, Lions club has donated $500 to the Lions Club International Foundation for aid to Haiti. The LCIF has already sent $2-million to Haiti since the earthquake in its "Hope For Haiti" project. The Monticello Lions Club is celebrating its 45th anniversary this year. Lions Clubs are the largest service club organization in the world, with more than 1.3 million members in 205 countries and geographic areas, who belong to 45,000 local Lions clubs, including clubs in Iraq since 2007.
Monticello, Illinois, Lions Double Local Scholarship Grant
The Monticello Lions Club has awarded scholarships to Monticello High School graduating seniors for many years. The grant is $500 per semester per student, for eight semesters as long as satisfactory progress is made in the course work. The club had previously budgeted $2000 per year to fund these. The Monticello Lions recently decided to double this funding to $4000 annually so more scholarships can be awarded. Details on applying for the Monticello Lions scholarships are available from the Monticello High School Guidance Office. The Monticello Lions Club raises money to fund these scholarships through their fish fries, bike ride, and other fundraisers. The club meets every second and fourth Monday in the Monticello Community Building and welcomes new members.
Our Projects
Monticello
Lions conduct a number of projects each year to raise money which is
spent locally to help people. $2000 in scholarship money for further
education is awarded each year to Monticello High School graduates.
$1000 is given to Mary Bryant Home For The Blind in Springfield. Periodic
gifts are made to Leader Dogs For The Blind in Rochester, Michigan,
which is mostly funded by Lions in Michigan and Indiana.
The Monticello Lions also buy eye exams and glasses for those in the
Monticello school district who could not otherwise afford them. Campers
are funded to diabetes camp and to the annual Weldon Fun Day for special
needs children. The first Sunday in December, Lions serve a free turkey
dinner, with all the trimmings, to all senior citizens who want one.
If the senior cannot attend the dinner at the Monticello Middle School,
the dinner will be delivered by Lions volunteers. The Ron Milton Senior
Citizens' Dinner is named after Ron Milton, a life-long Monticello
Lion who started the tradition and chaired the project for many years.
See our events schedule to attend these events and more!
Fish Fry
Monticello Lions continually work, themselves, to raise money for these causes. A fish fry is held one Friday most months in the Monticello Community Building (watch for the signs).
Bike Rides
Lions host their nationally-known Sangamon Valley Bike Ride in May, which brings over a hundred riders from central Illinois and beyond to Monticello to "Ride the River". Lions serve a famous lunch of brats or pork chop sandwiches to the riders and other visitors. Lions also make and sell a lot of peanut brittle at Christmas.
