DG Peggy Hess - "Feed the Need"

 Lions of 39 W.  You are top-tier !!

Life is full of changes.  Convention is just 2 months away.  PIP Brian Sheehan is on the LCI Board and their meeting is the same weekend as our 39W Convention Our new guest will be PID Bruce Beck.  

Let’s go out and “Just Ask” to get new members!!  Many we ask, have never been asked to join.  Growing Clubs is the best way to grow. We can also start new clubs, especially in areas where they used to be.  We have added 45 members, but have dropped 30, leaving us a gain of 15.  We need to keep beating the bushes for new members.  LCI, PIP Brian Sheehan and IP A.P. Singh say, “Stop The Drop”.  The USA is doing ok in recruiting.  Since January 1 we have brought in

**One of my goals for 39W was that ALL clubs would report their service.  Right now we are only at 37%.  Can we please get our reports into LCI.  November’s report showed 11 of 30 clubs that have not reported their service. Some have not reported since 2020, 2022, 2023, or 2024.  I know you are all serving your community.  Even Leo Clubs need to report.
LCI has many learning opportunities:
Wisdom Wednesdays – Jan. 7^th & Feb. 4^th, check with LCI for all the dates.     
Roar & Pour Thursdays – Jan. 8^th & Feb. 12^th. Join the Party.                 
Growth Workshop Series – Jan.6 & 20 and Feb. 3 & 17. 
These are zooms monthly and you just need to let them know and they will send you the contact information.

If you are having a special project or a Charter Party, please let me know.  208-670-5545 or peggjess@pmt.org   Keep me informed of what is going on.  If you have a news letter of club email, please include me on your mailing list.

Let’s keep growing.
DG Peggy Hess

1st VDG Lisa Gier    Learning Together, Growing Together  

MD 39 LCIF Coordinators' Team - Heart of A Lion

A Friendly LCIF Reminder:

January 13, is Melvin Jones’ birthday! We’re celebrating our founder during
LCIF Week, January 11-17, by supporting Lions Clubs International Foundation and the
global impact it makes possible. A $147 gift qualifies you for a limited-edition,
Melvin Jones’ 147^th Birthday pin. Celebrate his legacy. Donate at lionsclubs.org/donate.
Email DonorAssistance@lionsclubs.org with a receipt of your gift of a minimum of $147 and request the special birthday pin through January 30^th, 2026. A photo of the pin follows.

The “Heart of a Lion” recipients listed by clubs are included in this newsletter. Recipients will be able to stop by their district convention’s LCIF table to get their “Heart of a Lion” pin.
This year, recipients that received multiple nominations will be given two (2) pins; one for themselves and one to give to a special Lion of their choice. We also ordered a limited number of extra pins which will be available for a $10 LCIF donation per pin at your district convention.*
(*Applies only to the limited supply available divided between districts; no additional pins will be ordered.)
 
Thank you, for supporting LCIF and this year’s MD39 LCIF fundraiser.
We wish all of you a Happy New Year!
From Your LCIF MD39 Team,
PCC Betty Simpson, Multiple District Coordinator
PDG Lyndon Rinehart, District Coordinator-39E
Lion Bryan Straw, District Coordinator-39W

MD 39 “Heart of a Lion” Recipients by Clubs -2025-2026

*Multiple= Recipient received multiple nominations by MD Lions

Adrian
VDG Marie Virden *Multiple
 
Advocacy Club
Teresa Deighton
 
American Falls
PCC Cliff Hart
 
Arco
Jeremy Hampton
 
Boise Bench
PCC Dennis Burks
PDG Lynne Burks
Gayle Chaney
Evin Bask-Evans
Dan Frison
Patty Frison
Esteban Galan *Multiple
Aarda Justin
Kimberly Kaiser
Curt Kelley
LaDawn Kidd
Larry Kidd
Sharon LaSasso
Larry Locklear
Suzanne Locklear
Karen Newton
Cliff Ogborn

Darlene Storck
Linda Tomilinson
Rick Vogel
Jerry Ward
Toni Ward
Angel Wohlschlegel
  
Caldwell
VDG Lisa Henning (Gier)
CC Lynn Johnson
 
Chubbuck
PDG Lisa Allen *Multiple                           
Martha Alston                                             
Terry Fredrickson                                      
Brian Frew                                                  
Rita Haggart
Bob Jones
Sandy McBride
Alex McDonald
Brian McDonnell
DG Paula Turner
 
Council
Susan Goudie-Adams
Danna Barnhart
Marion Feil
Debi Sherry
 
Dubois
Monica Shook
Lisa Ward
 
Emmett
Stephanie Arnold
Colleen Coates *Multiple
Ron Coates
Shawn Flagstad
PDG Harry Granger *Multiple
Larry Hunt
Kary Mavencamp
Nicole Mock
Jared Welsh
 
 

Franklin
Louis Mendoza *Multiple
 
Gooding
Julie Loder
  
Hamer
Rand Dixon
Phyllis Violette
 
 

Mackey
Lene Wilkie
 
Meridian
Amy Jauregui
Sarah Stearns
 
Midvale
Lois Sutton
 
Mountain Home
Dan Collins
Mark Draper
Shawna Draper *Multiple
Chealsey Straw Holguin *Multiple
Tina Hutton
Kathy Jones
Todd Jones
Kristine Lee
Mark Light *Multiple
Emma Lurak
Somchai Lurak
Christy Martin
Brendan McCarthy *Multiple
Carlotta McCarthy *Multiple
Esteban Mesillas
Jessica Mesillas
Marco Moreno
Missy Moreno
Audrey Perrine *Multiple
Jody Soboslai
Anita Straw *Multiple
Brian Straw *Multiple
Kimberley Sykes
Sharron Weigand
Thomas Weigand

Weiser

PCC Betty Simpson *Multiple
Sheila Sorensen
Debbie Tabbert *Multiple
Lois Watkins
Jill Williams
Jonna Duvall-Williams *Multiple
Linda Youngblood *Multiple

West Jefferson
Mike Cope         
Rob Shively

Community “Friends of Lions”
Mayor Gilbert Hofmeister, American Falls
Jeff Kenly, American Falls High School-Asst. Principal/Athletic Director
Kryst Krein, Power County Commission
CJ Sweeney, Power County/American Falls Fire Chief
Robbie Hanchey, American Falls High School Band Director
Pastor Chris Thompson & Karen Coranado, Director(s) of Willow Bay Foodbank
 

Gentle Reminder for all MD 39 clubs:

Lions International has gone paperless. Your club's Int'l. dues statement billing is now posted on the Portal. Statements will NOT be mailed. Your club President, treasurer, secretary, or Club Administrator can pay on-line.

MD 39 Trivia:

We have 8 Leo Clubs in our Multiple District according to those submitted in the Lion Portal. One in 39E and seven in 39W.
Currently listed in the Lions Portal are the following MD 39 Leo Clubs: 39E- West Side; 39W-Burley, Declo, Lonestar Middle School, Nampa High School, Parma, Weiser High School, West Middle School
Caldwell was added as of January - great job

LIONS USA

IF YOU WANT TO GROW, JOIN THE 500+ USA LIONS THAT ARE DOING IT.

39W Training

Here are the Zoom training dates... Remember you don't have to hold the office / position to take the training contact Lynne Burks or Joyce Saunders for questions or envite. 

Feb 2 - marketing
Mar 2 - guiding Lion
April 6 - LCIF
May 4 - new officer.

ROSE PARADE

Lions float in the Rose Parade today and recipient of the Tournament Volunteer Trophy!

Leader dog

Club & Recruiting Ideas for New Lions & Clubs

Health & Wellness

36. Health & Wellness Club – Promoting public health, wellness education, and fitness programs.
37. Diabetes Interest Club – Raising awareness and supporting diabetes prevention and management.
38. Walkers Diabetes Club – Promoting physical activity for diabetes management and prevention.
39. Cancer Survivor Club – Providing support for cancer survivors.
40. Sports Enthusiasts Club – Organizing and promoting sports events and physical activities.
41. Yoga & Mindfulness Club – Promoting mental health through yoga and meditation.
42. Caregivers & Support Club – Focused on resources and respite for caregivers of all kinds.
 

Recruiting Ideas

28. Honor outstanding community members with awards like Melvin Jones, Awards by Club (certificates), etc.
29. Don’t take age into consideration
30. Make some meetings are social events
31. Build a club web site and a social media presence
32. Use email contacts to promote your club
33. Put posters in public areas (see “We are Lions” club recruitment poster / look at posters other Lions created Pinterest page of posters / or be inspired by Our Global Causes)
34. Ask corporations and employers to sponsor or subsidize membership
35. Have a reward/recognition program for those who bring in new members at Club level
36. Create more fun

Keep an eye on this space for more Ideas next month

NEWSLETTER INFO

Greetings, 39W Lions!

Have you recently completed an exciting project or have an event on the horizon? We want to hear about it! Submit your details, and we'll feature it in our upcoming Newsletter. Enhance your story with a couple of photos for greater impact.

Please provide articles as Word documents or similar text files. Keep your submissions brief and limit photos to two per article. The deadline for newsletter submissions is the first Wednesday of each month.

*Ensure you have consent from a parent or guardian for any photos featuring children.

For club members not receiving the newsletter who wish to subscribe, direct them to email our team at 39WLionsnews@gmail.com.

ONTARIO LIONS

Ontario Lions Club report on Student Art Contest 11-20-25 at Four Rivers Cultural Center, Ontario.

Lion President Mike Pratt, Lion Vice President Sandy Shelton, Lion Katie Gering and Kiwanis President Chris Plummer headed up the first annual Student Art Contest sponsored by Ontario Lions and Kiwanis Clubs. The contest was presented at The Four Rivers Cultural Center on Nov 20, 21 and 22, 2025. There were 117 entries from Jr/Sr High School students in Ontario during the annual Festival of Trees fundraising event for food accessibility for our senior population. The contest theme was creating a Winter Wonderland. There were 960 people that viewed the art work as a part of the local Festival of Trees event. In addition, 276 people voted for their favorite two entries, one Junior High and one High School level.  Lion Katie Gering and Lion Becca Galan were responsible for supporting this contest for their Art Class students within the Ontario Jr/Sr High School systems. $100.00 prizes were presented to the two winners at their schools last week by Lions President Mike Pratt, Lions Vice President Sandy Shelton and Kiwanis President Chris Plummer and Kiwanian Efren Garza. 

As a result of the success of this partnership, both clubs have agreed to continue their effort to support student art and will host another contest during the Festival of Trees in 2026.

In addition, both clubs acknowledge the importance of creating positive changes in their community by working together. These two clubs have agreed to consider  other projects where student art might be supported as well as other community projects that would benefit from a joint sponsorship.

RUPERT LIONS

Giving is our goal.        We truly “FEED THE NEED”
Helping with 100 Christmas boxes for Open Hearts Food Pantry
$300 for Meals on Wheels     $500 for Veterans Christmas Boxes
The Club has paid for 3 eye exams and glasses in December and January. We have applications for 3 more.
Rupert Lions helped with the Santa Mall = A shopping experience for low income to have a happy holiday.  Nothing goes for more than $7 and if they apply they can receive Santa Bucks to help pay for their items.

EAGLE 616 LIONS

We are launching a special project with the Eagle Lions for grieving parents seeking solace and healing—a Little Angel Statue installation. More information can be found by searching "Christmas Box Angel" online.

We hope this newsletter will encourage financial and volunteer support from other Lions clubs. Donations can be sent to Mountain West Bank (1539 E Iron, Eagle, ID 83616) for the Eagle Lions Little Angel account; the club is a 501c-3 organization.

This will be the 191st statue worldwide. My wife and I previously organized a statue in Elko, Nevada, in memory of our son Mario and have now lost another son in a traffic accident. The Angel Statue has helped ease our grief, as it has for many families.

We welcome any support—financial or personal—as the project will cost over $50,000. For more information or to see the project rendering, please contact me at gogaryd59@hotmail.com or 208-841-5778.

Thank you,
Gary B. D'Orazio

BOISE BENCH LIONS

Boise Bench Lions Spread Holiday Cheer Across the Treasure Valley

The holiday season was filled with service, generosity, and teamwork as the Boise Bench Lions (BB Lions) rolled up their sleeves to support families and community partners across the Treasure Valley.

One of the largest efforts took place at the Astegos warehouse in Nampa, where BB Lions helped fulfill the Nyssa School District’s order of nearly 2,000 toys for the Toys for Tots program. This massive toy distribution ensured countless children would experience joy and excitement during the holiday season.

The Lions also dedicated significant time to serving families at the Ronald McDonald House (RMH). Multiple crews prepared and delivered homemade meals and treats, bringing comfort to families staying far from home. Volunteers made chocolate-dipped Oreo turkey cookies, ravioli lasagna with garlic bread and salad, broccoli cheddar soup with cookies, and hearty cheeseburger soup. Another team baked gingerbread cookies, while Boise Bench Lions also helped with cleaning duties to keep the house welcoming. In total, numerous Lions contributed their time and talents to make RMH feel like home during the holidays.

Continuing their outreach, BB Lions delivered 70 handmade scarves to City of Lights and a local senior center, providing warmth and kindness to those who need it most during the colder months. At the Idaho Food Bank, 10 dedicated Boise Bench Lions, joined by one Nampa Lion and friends, packed nearly 2,400

pounds of instant potato flakes into 1,680 two-pound bags, helping ensure food security for families throughout the region.

The Lions also supported the Boise Bicycle Project, which reached an incredible milestone on December 13th by distributing its 15,000th bike during the 19th annual Holiday Kids Bike Giveaway. With many Boise Bench Lions volunteering, the project gave away 650 bikes this year alone—helping children gain mobility, confidence, and independence.

The club also donated $500 to the Envision Illuminate Futures campaign which is focusing on broadening corneal transplant services for Idaho surgeons and patients, while extending impact across the United States

From toys and meals to scarves, food, and bicycles, the Boise Bench Lions demonstrated the true spirit of service this season—proving once again that when Lions serve, communities thrive.

Curt Kelley
Boise Bench Lions
www.boisebenchlions.org
208 859 3642

WEISER LIONS

     The Weiser Lions Club wishes you a very Happy New Year filled with new members, fun, laughter, and awesome service activities!  Our club took a brief break from one formal business meeting the latter part of December. Now, we are busy with our plans for a community-wide food drive service activity the first two weeks of February, with the theme “Giving from Your Heart.” There will be five (5), donation locations in Weiser during those two weeks plus a special one-day, “Fill the Pickup” event at Ridley’s on February 6. A huge “thank you” goes to the following local businesses that will be allowing us to use them as donation locations, February 2-13: Columbia Bank, Zions Bank, Weiser Signal-American newspaper, Weiser City Library, and Ridleys. Donations received will be given to Love Inc. and Rose Advocates. WHS Leo Club members will also be volunteering with the Weiser Lions.  
     During the one-day, “Fill the Pickup” event, we will have a Lions & Leo Club information display table with membership applications on site. This will be manned by Lions & Leos. We hope to gain some new members.
     During the first club meeting in January, Weiser Lions heard an interesting presentation about the plans for a Safe Haven Baby Box at Weiser Memorial Hospital.

TWIN FALLS LIONS