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 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 Help Others

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.

Leader Dogs give the visually impaired the gift of mobility at no cost to them.

Monticello Lions provide eyeglasses to those in the Monticello, Illinois, school district who could not otherwise afford the glasses.

Here is a list of recent donations:

  • Oct. 2006 – Mary Bryant Home For The Blind – 1,000.00
  • Nov. 2006 – Monticello High School Madrigals – 100.00
  • Jun. 2007 – Weldon Lions Club – 250.00
  • Jul. 2007 – Alan Winder – 11.26
  • Dec. 2007 – Piatt County Nursing Home – 200.00
  • Mar. 2008 – Local aid – 250.00
  • Aug. 2008 – Weldon Lions Club – 200.00
  • Nov. 2008 – Mary Bryant Home – 1,000.00
  • Dec. 2008 – Piatt County Nursing Home – 250.00
  • Jan. 2009 – LPCCI (Lions Project for Canine Companions for Independence) – 150.00
  • Feb. 2009 – Rotary International (Veterans sign project) – 50.00
  • Apr. 2009 – American Diabetes Association – 450.00
  • May. 2009 – Alan Winder – 50.00
  • May. 2009 – Weldon Lions Club – 400.00
  • Jun. 2009 – John Burse Benefit – 300.00
  • Aug. 2009 – Leader Dogs for the Blind – 500.00
  • Nov. 2009 – Mary Bryant Home – 1,000.00
  • Jan. 2010 – Lions International – 500.00
  • Jan. 2010 – Piatt Co. Nursing Home – 250.00
  • Feb. 2010 – Boy Scout Troop 490 (anniversary) – 1,000.00
  • Feb. 2010 – Lions District 1-L Convention – 100.00
  • Mar. 2010 – LIF Camp Lions Adopt-A-Child – 525.00
  • Mar. 2010 – Boy Scout Troop 490 – 150.00
  • May. 2010 – Weldon Lions Club – 200.00
  • Jun. 2010 – Starkey Hearing Foundation – 250.00
  • Sep. 2010 – Piatt County Faith in Action – 250.00
  • Sep. 2010 – Boy Scout Troop 490 – 150.00
  • Oct. 2010 – Mary Bryant Home – 1,000.00
  • Oct. 2010 – Piatt Co. Toy & Gift Program – 500.00
  • Oct. 2010 – Leader Dogs for the Blind – 1,000.00
  • Nov. 2010 – Lions of Illinois Foundation – 250.00
  • Nov. 2010 – Peace Meal Senior Nutrition Program – 714.00
  • Dec. 2010 – Boy Scout Troop 490 – 75.00
  • Dec. 2010 – Piatt County Mental Health Center – 1,000.00
  • Mar. 2011 – Boy Scout Troop 490 – 75.00
  • Mar. 2011 – Monticello Life Savers – 1,000.00
  • Mar. 2011 – Lions International Foundation – 712.00
  • Aug. 2011 – Lions of Illinois Foundation – 500.00
  • Oct. 2011 – Mary Bryant Home – 1,000.00
  • Oct. 2011 – Lions of Illinois Foundation – 250.00
  • Oct. 2011 – Piatt County Toy & Gift Program – 500.00
  • Dec. 2011 – Piatt County Mental Health Center – 500.00
  • Feb. 2012 – Piatt County Faith in Action – 250.00
  • Feb. 2012 – Lions District 1-L – 100.00
  • Mar. 2012 – Harrisburg Lions Club (tornado relief) – 500.00
  • Mar. 2012 – Lions of Illinois Foundation – 525.00
  • Jun. 2012 – Walt Powell – 533.33
  • Jul. 2012 – Lions International Foundation – 288.00
  • Jul. 2012 – Lions International Foundation – 1,000.00
  • Sep. 2012 – Leader Dogs for the Blind – 1,200.00
  • Sep. 2012 – American Legion Post 101 – 200.00
  • Nov. 2012 – Mary Bryant Home – 48.00
  • Jan. 2013 – Monticello FFA – 100.00
  • Jan. 2013 – Mary Bryant Home – 1,000.00
  • Feb. 2013 – Camp Lions of Illinois – 527.00
  • Feb. 2013 – Boy Scout Troop 490 – 1,000.00
  • Feb. 2013 – Habitat for Humanity Piatt County – 1,000.00
  • Mar. 2013 – Girl Scouts-Central IL Division – 300.00
  • Jun. 2013 – (Ck to Walt for Fun Day) – 507.65
  • Aug. 2013 – Elizabeth Pfiester – 1,000.00
  • Sep. 2013 – Lions of Illinois Foundation – 250.00
  • Dec. 2013 – Food Bank Donation – 66.86
  • Dec. 2013 – Piatt County Nursing Home – 250.00
  • Dec. 2013 – Walt Powell – 25.00
  • Jan. 2014 – Mary Bryant Home – 1,000.00
  • Mar. 2014 – Leader Dogs for the Blind – 500.00
  • Apr. 2014 – Crossroads Church – 300.00
  • Jun. 2014 – Pinky’s Restaurant – 636.65
  • Jan. 2015 – Lions of Illinois Foundation – 250.00
  • Jan. 2015 – Monticello FFA – 200.00
  • Feb. 2015 – Mary Bryant Home – 500.00
  • Mar. 2015 – St. Jude’s Hospital – 50.00
  • Jun. 2015 – Camp New Hope – 160.00
  • Oct. 2015 – Cindy Striegel – 500.00
  • Nov. 2015 – Josh Watzlawick – 50.00
  • Nov. 2015 – Luke Zocher – 50.00
  • Nov. 2015 – Owen Myers – 50.00
  • Nov. 2015 – John Halton-Berns – 50.00
  • Nov. 2015 – Zachary Mesplay – 50.00
  • Nov. 2015 – Terran Trusner – 50.00
  • Nov. 2015 – Earnest Helferich – 50.00
  • Nov. 2015 – Lions of Illinois Foundation – 100.00
  • Nov. 2015 – Mary Bryant Home – 500.00
  • Nov. 2015 – Piatt Co. Toy & Gift Program – 100.00
  • Jan. 2016 – Monticello Railway Museum – 250.00
  • Oct. 2016 – Mary Bryant Home – 500.00
  • Nov. 2016 – Lions of Illinois Foundation – 250.00
  • Jan. 2017 – Camp New Hope – 250.00
  • Jun. 2017 – BSA Troop 490 – 500.00
  • Oct. 2017 – Mary Bryant Home – 500.00
  • Oct. 2017 – Lions of Illinois Foundation – 250.00
  • Apr. 2018 – BSA Troop 490 – 200.00
  • May. 2018 – LCIF – 1,000.00
  • May. 2018 – LCIF – 1,000.00
  • Aug. 2018 – Lions of Illinois Foundation – 65.00
  • Oct. 2018 – Lions of Illinois Foundation – 250.00
  • Oct. 2018 – Mary Bryant Home – 500.00
  • Jan. 2019 – Faith in Action – 100.00
  • Sep. 2019 – Piatt Co. Nursing Home – 178.00
  • Oct. 2019 – Leader Dogs for the Blind – 500.00
  • Oct. 2019 – Mary Bryant Home – 500.00
  • Oct. 2019 – Lions of Illinois Foundation – 100.00
  • Nov. 2020 – Mary Bryant Home – 500.00
  • Jan. 2021 – Leader Dogs for the Blind – 500.00
  • Aug. 2021 – Gibson City Lions Club – 500.00
  • Oct. 2021 – Gary Nixon – 500.00
  • Nov. 2021 – Mary Bryant Home – 500.00
  • Nov. 2021 – Lions of Illinois Foundation – 250.00
  • Apr. 2022 – Leader Dogs for the Blind – 500.00
  • Sep. 2022 – Lions of Illinois Foundation – 200.00
  • Nov. 2022 – Mary Bryant Home – 500.00
  • May. 2023 – Christ Lutheran Church – 100.00
  • Jun. 2023 – Leader Dogs for the Blind – 500.00
  • Oct. 2023 – Mary Bryant Home – 500.00
  • Jul. 2024 – Leader Dogs for the Blind – 500.00
  • Nov. 2024 – Mary Bryant Home – 500.00
  • Jul. 2025 – Leader Dogs for the Blind – 500.00

Since 2006 Monticello Lions have provided over $40,000 in college or trade-school scholarships to graduating seniors at Monticello High School. Photos of recent winners are on our Scholarships page. The scholarship money is usually paid directly to the institution. Here is a list:

  • Aug. 2006 – Parkland College (John Moody) – 500.00
  • Jan. 2007 – Parkland College (John Moody) – 500.00
  • Aug. 2007 – ISU (Erin Anderson) – 500.00
  • Aug. 2007 – Parkland College (John Moody) – 500.00
  • Jan. 2008 – Parkland College (John Moody) – 500.00
  • Jan. 2008 – Illinois State Univ (E. Anderson) – 500.00
  • Aug. 2008 – Illinois State Univ (E. Anderson) – 500.00
  • Aug. 2008 – Univ of Illinois (Carson King) – 500.00
  • Jan. 2009 – Illinois State Univ (E. Anderson) – 500.00
  • Feb. 2009 – Univ of Illinois (Carson King) – 500.00
  • Aug. 2009 – Sou. IL Univ (Sean Patrick) – 500.00
  • Sep. 2009 – Univ of Illinois (Carson King) – 500.00
  • Jan. 2010 – Sou. IL Univ (Sean Patrick) – 500.00
  • Apr. 2010 – Univ of Illinois (Carson King) – 500.00
  • Aug. 2010 – Sou. IL Univ (Sean Patrick) – 500.00
  • Aug. 2010 – Southern IL Univ (Kyle Patrick) – 500.00
  • Aug. 2010 – Parkland College (Rachel King) – 500.00
  • Jan. 2011 – Sou. IL Univ (Sean Patrick) – 500.00
  • Jan. 2011 – Southern IL Univ (Kyle Patrick) – 500.00
  • May. 2011 – Parkland College (Rachel King) – 500.00
  • Aug. 2011 – Parkland Coll. (Autumn Winder) – 500.00
  • Aug. 2011 – Millikin Univ. (Kalyn Miller) – 500.00
  • Aug. 2011 – Southern IL Univ (Kyle Patrick) – 500.00
  • Dec. 2011 – Autumn Winder – 500.00
  • Jan. 2012 – Southern IL Univ (Kyle Patrick) – 500.00
  • Feb. 2012 – Univ of Illinois (Rachel King) – 1,000.00
  • Feb. 2012 – Millikin Univ. (Kalyn Miller) – 500.00
  • Jul. 2012 – Parkland Coll. (Autumn Winder) – 500.00
  • Aug. 2012 – Alyssa Hanson – 500.00
  • Aug. 2012 – Parkland Coll. (Billi J Rhinehart) – 500.00
  • Dec. 2012 – Autumn Winder – 500.00
  • Feb. 2013 – Alyssa Hanson – 500.00
  • May. 2013 – Parkland College – 500.00
  • Sep. 2013 – Univ of Illinois (Emma Reinbold) – 500.00
  • Nov. 2013 – Greenville College – 500.00
  • Jan. 2014 – Parkland College – 500.00
  • Jan. 2014 – Greenville College – 500.00
  • Feb. 2014 – Univ of Illinois (Emma Reinbold) – 500.00
  • Apr. 2014 – Parkland College – 500.00
  • Jul. 2014 – Greenville College – 500.00
  • Aug. 2014 – Univ of Illinois (Emma Reinbold) – 500.00
  • Sep. 2014 – Parkland College – 500.00
  • Sep. 2014 – Univ of Illinois (Joey Toombs) – 500.00
  • Jan. 2015 – Univ of Illinois (Emma Reinbold) – 500.00
  • Feb. 2015 – Greenville College – 500.00
  • Mar. 2015 – University of Illinois – 500.00
  • Mar. 2015 – Parkland College – 500.00
  • Aug. 2015 – University of Illinois – 500.00
  • Aug. 2015 – Illinois State University – 500.00
  • Jan. 2016 – Illinois State University – 500.00
  • Apr. 2016 – Rebecca King – 1,000.00
  • Aug. 2016 – Illinois State University – 500.00
  • Aug. 2016 – Millikin University – 500.00
  • Jan. 2017 – Illinois State University – 500.00
  • Mar. 2017 – Millikin University – 500.00
  • Jul. 2017 – Parkland College – 500.00
  • Sep. 2017 – Parkland College – 500.00
  • Jan. 2018 – Parkland College – 500.00
  • Jan. 2018 – Claire Caldwell – 500.00
  • Jul. 2018 – Parkland College – 500.00
  • Jul. 2018 – Illinois Wesleyan University – 500.00
  • Jan. 2019 – Parkland College – 500.00
  • Feb. 2019 – Illinois Wesleyan University – 500.00
  • Jul. 2019 – Millikin University – 500.00
  • Sep. 2019 – Monmouth College – 500.00
  • Feb. 2020 – Monmouth College – 500.00
  • Aug. 2020 – Illinois State University – 500.00
  • Aug. 2020 – Monmouth College – 500.00
  • Jan. 2021 – Illinois State University – 500.00
  • Feb. 2021 – Monmouth College – 500.00
  • Jul. 2021 – Illinois State University – 500.00
  • Jan. 2022 – Illinois State University – 500.00
  • Jul. 2022 – Loyola University – 500.00
  • Jan. 2023 – Loyola University – 500.00
  • Jul. 2023 – Loyola University – 500.00
  • Jan. 2024 – Loyola University – 500.00
  • Jul. 2024 – Matthew Barnick – 500.00
  • Feb. 2025 – Matthew Barnick – 500.00
  • Jul. 2025 – Olivet Nazarene Univ. – 500.00
  • Aug. 2025 – Southern IL Univ. – 500.00