SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER

Hello Fellow Lions

As we move into fall, we begin to see changes all around us. The days grow shorter, the air

becomes cooler, and the leaves begin to change into beautiful shades of red, orange, and gold.

Fall reminds us that change is a natural part of growth. It is also a season when we can look back

at what has been planted, appreciate the strong roots beneath us, and prepare for what comes

next.

That makes International President Mark Lyons’ theme, “Rooted in Service,” especially

meaningful.

Our Lions Clubs have strong roots. Those roots are our longtime members who have built our

clubs, created traditions, organized fundraisers, served their communities, and provided the

foundation that allows us to continue moving forward.

But strong roots also need new growth.

That is where our District 14-P “Cooking Up New Members!” Membership Challenge comes in.

Our goal this Lions year is to welcome 105 new members, achieve a net growth of seven

members, and charter one new Lions Club.

I am happy to report that we have already welcomed 10 of our 105 new-member goal. That is a

great start, but we still have plenty of cooking to do! Every new member brings new energy, new

ideas, and another set of hands ready to serve.

Membership growth is about more than numbers. It is about planting seeds.

Every time we invite someone to a service project, ask a friend to help at a fundraiser, welcome a

guest to a meeting, or tell someone about the work Lions are doing, we are planting a seed. We

may not always know which invitation will grow into a new member, but we need to keep

asking.

Sometimes the simplest question can make the biggest difference:

“Would you like to help?”

I have truly enjoyed traveling throughout District 14-P and seeing the many ways our Lions are

serving. So far this year, I have had the opportunity to visit the Shartlesville, West Goshen,

Kutztown, Fleetwood, Shoemakersville, Blandon, Avon Grove, Exeter, Oxford, Governor

Mifflin, Coventry, and Honey Brook Lions Clubs.

Each club is different, but the common thread is service. Every visit gives me the opportunity to

hear about your traditions, your projects, your successes, and sometimes your challenges. It also

reminds me just how deeply Lions are rooted in communities throughout Berks and Chester

Counties.

One of my personal goals this year is to attend a service project or fundraiser for every club in

District 14-P whenever my schedule allows.

For those clubs I have not yet scheduled, please reach out and let me know what you have

coming up. Whether it is a service project, fundraiser, community activity, or special event, I

would love the opportunity to attend and see your club in action.

Fall also reminds us that while seasons change, strong roots remain.

Our clubs will change. We will welcome new members. New leaders will step forward. New

ideas will be introduced. Some traditions may grow in new directions. That is all part of keeping

our clubs healthy and strong.

As we move through this fall season, let us continue to honor the Lions who planted the roots of

our clubs while also making room for new growth.

Let us listen to our newer members, mentor future leaders, invite others to serve beside us, and

continue planting the seeds that will strengthen Lions for years to come.

Together, we can help District 14-P grow stronger one member, one club, and one act of service

at a time.

Enjoy the beautiful fall season, and thank you for everything you continue to do for your clubs,

your communities, and Lions.

District Governor Paula Hilbert

District 14-P — We Serve

Our club is in a bit of an unsettled situation right now, but we do have our 50th annual Halloween Parade coming up on October 14th at 7pm in West Lawn, PA.

As the FVDG I visited the Exeter Township Lions with the DG on September 16, and I am visiting the Bally Lions with her tonight. October 19 through 21 I was in Detroit to visit with and learn about Leader Gods for The Blind. Lion Ilse, my partner in service, accompanied me and we had a marvelous time, especially the Dinner in the Dark. What a worthwhile organization, although perhaps not as well-known as it should be.

Demetrios Thermenos

Spring Township Lions Club

First Vice District Governor

District 14P

Lions Eyes Article for September 2026

2VDG – Matt Hensinger, Global Membership Coordinator for District 14P.

Greetings Fellow Lions! Fall is upon us and the beautiful color palette can be seen

increasing in number every day. It makes me think about what we can do to increase

membership in our clubs. Here are some ideas that are proven and links to getting

additional help.

It is a proven fact that personal invitations and engaging prospective members through

hands-on community service are the most effective ways to increase membership in a Lions

Club. We need to be proactive “Just Asking” others to become Lions.

Some Direct Recruitment Ideas:

• "Just Ask": Ask friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers directly to attend a meeting or

event. Personal invitations remain the single most successful recruitment tool.

• Share Passion: Talk enthusiastically about your club' s impact and share personal stories

regarding the difference you make locally.

• Bring Prospects to Projects: Invite potential members to participate directly in a service

project or volunteer day before asking them to officially join.

Club Engagement & Environment:

• Keep Meetings Fun: Make meetings enjoyable, welcoming, and productive by

incorporating social time, inviting interesting guest speakers or having light meals.

• Diversify Projects: Align service projects with the specific passions of your current and

prospective members, such as hunger relief, environmental work, or vision screening.

• Be Family-Friendly: Create an inclusive environment that welcomes families and offers

flexible engagement options.

Visibility and Marketing:

• Wear Branded Gear: Wear official Lion shirts, hats, or pins while out in the community

and during service events to spark curiosity and conversations. Have your own club gear to

wear.

• Leverage Social Media: Post photos and success stories from recent community projects

on platforms like Facebook or Instagram to show active community involvement. Appoint

a member to be your Social Media Manager. Make sure members can add their own

stories to the club pages.

• Use Local Media: Publicize major club milestones, fundraisers, and community projects

in local newspapers or radio stations.

Increasing membership is no easy task. We always have a club member that moves out of

the area or is at risk for other reasons out of our control. We must have a consistent

membership drive ongoing all year long in every club, or we take the chance of falling

behind. Your Recruiting Chair should always be keeping an eye on the health of your club.

Enjoy the falling leaves and brilliant colors of Fall. Now is the time to clean up the leaves

that have fallen and look forward to Spring. I wish you all good luck in planting seeds for

the future, because with that, we have new life. Plant seeds for growth in your club. I look

forward to meeting each of you in person in the near future!

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HELP NEEDED-KIDS SIGHT TRAILER

District 14-P Lions KidSight Program would like a list of individuals who are willing and able to tow the KidSight trailer and set it up for events. Training will be available. If you are interested or need more information, please contact trailer coordinator

Lion Nelson Moeller at moe_from_Pa@hotmail.com or Secretary Linda Long at lindaslong27@gmail.com.

NEW MEMBER CONTEST

LION JAMES E. "BING" MILLER CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Past International Director James E. "Bing" Miller (1974-1976)

Pennsylvania State Council Chairperson (1968-1969)

District Governor (1967-1968)

Member of the Paoli-Berwyn-Malvern Lions Club

click on application below to view

Updated application for Grant (2025)

Updated application for Fellowship (2023)

Updated application for Knight Fellow (2023)

CLICK ON LOGO FOR MORE INFORMATION

ABOUT BEACON LODGE

Attached is a flyer promoting the rental possibilities at PA Lions Beacon Lodge
Camp. Our goal is to have Beason Lodge become a year-round facility. There is an
exerted effort made to generate interest in leasing the camp during the off season
from September to April. During those months, the primary source of income
is from rentals.
We ask that you include the attached rental flyer in your District Newsletters.
To make rental arrangements and to include specific services, please contact Lion Kelly McMullen, Programs Director at 814-542-2511or Kellym@beaconlodge.org.
The camp can be leased for Lions and business retreats, family gatherings, business conferences, weddings, etc. and our chef is on site if meals are desired in the rental package.
Thank you, best regards,

Thank you,

2nd Annual Beacon Fall Fest!
Fall fun is coming back to PA Lions Beacon Lodge Camp! Join us for our 2nd Annual Beacon Fall Fest — a day of community, fall festivities, vendors, and fun at camp!
Saturday, October 10th
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
PA Lions Beacon Lodge Camp
114 State Route 103 S
Mount Union, PA 17066
Interested in becoming a vendor?
We’d love to have you join us! For more information or to register as a vendor, contact the camp:
814-542-2511
office@beaconlodge.org
Mark your calendars, bring your friends and family, and come spend a beautiful fall day with us at Beacon Lodge!
Please help us spread the word by liking and sharing this post!
2nd Annual Beacon Fall Fest!
Fall fun is coming back to PA Lions Beacon Lodge Camp! Join us for our 2nd Annual Beacon Fall Fest — a day of community, fall festivities, vendors, and fun at camp!
Saturday, October 10th
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
PA Lions Beacon Lodge Camp
114 State Route 103 S
Mount Union, PA 17066
Interested in becoming a vendor?
We’d love to have you join us! For more information or to register as a vendor, contact the camp:
814-542-2511
office@beaconlodge.org
Mark your calendars, bring your friends and family, and come spend a beautiful fall day with us at Beacon Lodge!
Please help us spread the word by liking and sharing this post!
#BeaconFallFest #BeaconLodgeCamp #palionsbeaconlodgecamp #mountunionpa #vendors #ShopLocal #fallfun#CommunityEvent #fallfestival

PEACE POSTER CONTEST

It's not too early to start thinking which schools you can contact about the PEACE POSTER CONTEST.

September to Deadline in October is a very short time for the students to work on their posters.

For last year's contest the District only received 2 posters. The Poster doesn't have to come from a Leo; any student can enter. Please think about reaching out to schools in your area and encourage them to do a poster.

Our Peace Poster Contest Brings Your Community Together

The Peace Poster Contest invites young people around the world to express their creativity while sharing their unique vision of peace. This special blog shows the powerful impact the contest has on our clubs, our youth and our communities.

CROSSON PARK 250TH CELEBRATION

The Leos helped around the park and with the Lions eye screenings.

CHARTER EARLY CENTER EYE SCREENINGS

Members of the Avon Grove Charter School Leo Club helped the Lions with eye screenings at the Charter Early Learning Center. They escorted the children from and back to their rooms, made sure the children stayed in alphabetical order and read to them.

AUGUST

HONKING FOR HEROS

Longswamp Lions Club Honking for Heros event is in the books.

Another successful event to allow us to continue to serve.

Congratulations to all the winners and a huge thank you to all who participated and volunteered.

Longswamp Lions Club

DONATION

Thank you, Performance Toyota, for your generous $500 donation!!

6TH ANNUAL DRRISTI DASH

We had a fantastic time at the 6th Annual Drishti Dash fundraiser

supporting the blind and visually impaired!

The Paoli Berwyn Malvern Lions Club was proud to partner with

Lions KidSight to provide free vision screenings during the event.

Thank you to everyone who came out to support such an important cause in our community!

COPS, CARS, AND COFFEE

APB: Dutch Fries on the Loose!

We have an APB out for hungry car lovers! Dutch Fries were be SOLD

at the Kutztown Fairgrounds during the Cops; Cars & Coffee event this past Sunday!

Seriously cool cars, met officers, of course, grabbed a fresh order of our famous Dutch Fries!

CAR SHOW

Thanks to Lions John, Doug, and Jay with helping to direct the show cars

with parking at today’s Cop, Cars, and Coffee event.

They really enjoyed see all the cool cars!

POOL CLOSING

With the help of some amazing SVMS athletic students, the Bern Township Lions officially closed the Bern Pool for the season!
Equipment was disassembled, utilities were organized, and all areas were thoroughly scrubbed, sanitized, and put away until next season.
While the pool may be closed until next year, the Bern Township Lions are still hard at work serving our community! Keep an eye out for upcoming events and opportunities to get involved. We’re proud to continue making a positive impact in the Bern Township community.
A huge thank-you to all of the SVMS students who came out to lend a hand. Your help and hard work are truly appreciated!

BINGO

SIGN MAINTENANCE

Beautiful morning to do some maintenance on one of the welcome signs to Kutztown. Did you know that the lions club owns and maintains the 4 welcome signs coming into Kutztown?! Anyone interested in helping us with projects, please message us. Great way to have fun, meet people, and support our community.

MUSIC FEST

MUSIC FEST

GATHERING IN THE GROVE

Gathering at the Grove – free music event was held on September 13, 2026, at Maier’s

Grove in Blandon.

The day started out cloudy and rainy, but by the time the event was to start, the rain

stopped and the sun started to peek through.

More than 130 music enthusiasts attended the event – three bands were lined up for

entertaining the crowd.

Free burgers, hot dogs, chips, soft drinks, cake, donuts, cookies and soft pretzels were

on the menu.

This event was the Blandon Lions Clubs way of saying “thank you” to the community

that supports us throughout the year.

We are now in our third year and plan to continue in the future with this annual event.

We are always trying to engage with the community to show them exactly what the

Lions Club is all!

Exeter as well as some other clubs took advantage of the

free highway sign offered by Lions International.

CROSSON PARK

Lions conducted eye screenings and handed out information about Lions.

OXFORD FIRST FRIDAY CAR SHOW

Food trailer produced $2,000 net to our

Charity account. The Lions served at least 250 hungry patrons

DISTRICT GOVERNOR PAULA'S VISIT

CAR SHOW

OXFORD HARVEST FEST

The Lions had their food trailer at this event.

Food trailer produced $697.82 for our charity account.

AMERICA'S 250TH

Eagle-Glenmoore Lions Club participated in America’s 250th & Wallace Township’s 174th Anniversary in Glenmoore on Saturday, September 19, 2026.

The club members paraded through the Village of Glenmoore handing out candy and balloons in a Lions decorated wagon ending in Wagonsellor Park, 140 Park Lane, Glenmoore, PA. Once in the park, the club participated in handing out hats, candy, balloons, flags and additional items to attendees from their decorated table.

Food & Fun activities, including games, inflatables, colonial demonstrations, picnic, and a celebration cake were all part of this full-day community celebration.

MEAL PACKING ST MICHALE'S LUTHERN CHURCH

Members of the Avon Grove Lions handled 15,000 meals

COW CHIP BINGO

Chip and Patty have been training for months. High fiber diet. Stretching. Visualization. They were ready to deliver.

The good news? The prize money did not get rained out.

So happy for Friend Inc. The new facility looks fantastic. We are so proud that our Lions Dist 14P and Lions Clubs International Foundation helped us with a grant to support this fantastic community project. Looking forward to further opportunities to support

Friend, Inc. Community Services

KIDSIGHT EYE SCREENINGS AT THE CHART EARLY LEANING CENTER.

BLANDON'S MOTHLY SPOTLIGHT

This month, our spotlight is a person who is originally from West Virginia and yes, a favorite song is John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” –

there isn’t an event that doesn’t have that song included!

The Annual Lions Halloween Parade starts at 2:00 pm on October 24th.

Following the parade, head to Minch Park for The Fall Fest and TRUNK OR TREAT.

If you would like to register your “Trunk” please message Parks & Recreation or email us at: pburgparksandrec@gmail.com

The PA Lions Sight Conservation & Eye Research Foundation is reminding you of the Eye Research Seminar at Hershey Medical Center on October 24, 2026. The brochure is attached with all the details. Please share with the Lions in your districts.

DIRECTORS

Congratulations to our newly elected Directors and Officers! Pete Kostick, Matt Fessler, Steve Skrocki, Terry Pearson, Bob Penney, Demetrios Thermenos & Dawn Hart

MELVIN JONES

A huge congratulations go out to Brenda Hensinger and Kerry Meitzler!!

Both received the Melvin Jones Fellowship award,

the highest form of recognition from the Lions Clubs International Foundation for commitment to humanitarian service. Thank you to both for years of service!

MELVIN JONES FELLOWSHIP AWARDS

A huge congratulations go out to Brenda Hensinger and Kerry Meitzler!!

Both received the Melvin Jones Fellowship award,

the highest form of recognition from the Lions Clubs International Foundation for commitment to humanitarian service. Thank you to both for years of service!

SERVICE AWARDS

Wendy Smith with a 15-year chevron;

Mike Baker with a 10-year chevron and

Charles Jarman with a 50-year chevron.

Congratulations on a Well-Deserved Honor!

We are proud to recognize Brian Yoh & Mike Yoh as recipients of the Bing Miller Award through Lions Clubs International. This special honor recognizes dedicated service and commitment to the Lions mission of “We Serve.” It is a wonderful reflection of the time, energy, and heart that Brian & Mike have given to serving others and making a difference in our community.

Please join us in congratulating Brian & Mike on this meaningful achievement!

We Serve — Today, Tomorrow and Always.

AWARDS

SERVICE AWARDS

We welcome one of our newest members, Bonnie Tremmel! Bonnie hosted our club when she was the proprietor of the Bowers Hotel and saw firsthand what we do for the community. We are proud she chose to become a member of our club! Welcome Bonnie!