APRIL NEWSLETTER
The Club discussed the 2026 Spring Forum that was held in Brandon on April 10 & 11, 2026. There were 53 registered participants. The following Lions worked the event: Lions Beaird, Holland, Klutman, Kuhnert, Martin, Olson, Peiper. Stroh, Jan Martin and Gabriel Kniech.
All agreed it was a very good event. The financial report was reviewed. A surplus of $135.18 will be given to the South Dakota Lions Foundation.
Lion President Kuhnert presented Lion Meyer with his twenty year of service chevron. Lion Stroh brought a cake in celebration of Lion Peiper’s twenty years of service. She will receive her chevron in August.
Aluminum Can Project:
Lion Martin reported that on March 31, 2026 Lions Martin, Olson, Meyer and Dianne Holland sold 443 pounds of cans to TJN. The Club received $.75 per pound for a total of $332.25.
Plastic Bag Collections:
It was reported that 22 bags of plastics that totaled 258.2 pounds were delivered to Sioux Falls on March 31, 2026 for shipping to NexTrex.
It was reported that 26 bags of plastics that totaled 268.3 pounds were delivered to Sioux Falls on January 29, 2026 for shipping to NexTrex. Pictures were sent to the Garretson Branch for filing credit.
Golf Course Ad Sign Project:
Lion Olson reported that 9 of 17 ad clients have paid.
It was agreed to place “thank you” ads in the Journal for the golf course ad project and the aluminum can project.
Loyalty Day Parade:
The Brandon Loyalty Dy Parade will be held beginning at 1:00 p.m. on May 3, 2026. Lineup will begin at 11:00 a.m. in the high school parking lot. Lion Klutman will pull the can trailer. Lion Kuhnert will wear the Lions costume.
It was to authorize Lion Peiper to purchase $100.00 of kids sun glasses to pass out at the parade. Motion carried. Small lions made from a 3-D printer will also be past out at the parade.
Garretson Lions Club Branch Meeting:
The Garretson Lions Club Branch had a meeting on April 27, 2026 at the Gulch Bar & Grill.
The next meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. on May 27, 2026 at the Gulch Bar & Grill.
Future Events:
Zone 7 Service Project. Big Sioux Cleanup on April 25, 2026 at 10:00 am at Legacy Park at 7001 West 12th Street. Meet at the canopy near the restroom.
Dell Rapids Lions Pancake Breakfast on April 26, 2026 from 8:00 am to 12:30 pm at St. Mary Catholic Church at 608 E 8th Street, Dell Rapids, SD.
The Celebration United Methodist Church in Brandon is sponsoring a Carnival event to be held on May 22nd, 23rd and 25th of May in McHardy Park. Lion Peiper moved Lion Beaird seconded that the Brandon Lions Club will have the Eye Screening Van at the event from 9:00 am to 6:00 p.m on Saturday, May 22, 2026. Motion carried. Volunteers to work are welcome.
The MD5 Convention will be on May 28-30, 2026 in Aberdeen, South Dakota.
MARCH NEWSLETTER
A letter from the Brandon Fire Department requesting funds for operations. A motion was approved to give a donation of $200.00.
Club visitations were reviewed. The following Clubs were visited to promote the 2026 Spring Forum to be held in Brandon on April 10 & 11, 2026. Brookings, Sioux Falls Empire, Tea, Dell Rapids, Sioux Falls Downtown, Madison, Lennox, Alcester and Sioux Falls Siouxland. Only one scheduled visit remains to Sioux Falls Sunrise on April 6, 2026.
The Celebration United Methodist Church in Brandon is sponsoring a Carnival event to be held on May 22nd, 23rd and 25th of May in McHardy Park. Lion Peiper moved Lion Beaird seconded that the Brandon Lions Club will have the Eye Screening Van at the event from 9:00 am to 6:00 p.m on Saturday, May 22, 2026. Motion carried. Volunteers to work are welcome.
A motion was approved to approved the following officers for 2006/2027 year.
President,...................... Lion Marie Kuhnert
First Vice President,..... Lion Greg Holland
Past President,.............. Lion Marie Kuhnert
Secretary,...................... Lion Dennis Olson
Treasurer,..................... Lion Dennis Olson
Membership,................ Lion Lance Klutman
Tail Twister,................. Lion Lance Klutman
Program Coordinator,.. Club
Club Activities,............ Open
CIF Coordinator,.......... Lion George Martin
Trustee pf Trustees,..... Lions: Roy Beaird, George Martin, Dennis Olson,
Alice Peiper and Marie Kuhnert.
The following will head the Club’s major projects:
Can Project: Lion George Martin
Eye Glasses Project: Lion Alice Peiper
Grocery Bag Project: Lions Alice Peiper and Dennis Olson
Golf Course Sign Project: Lion Dennis Olson
Programs and Zoom Broadcast: Lion Roy Beaird
Aluminum Can Project:
It was reported that on February 26, 2026 Lions Martin, Olson, Stroh, Holland and wife Dianne sold 390 pounds of cans to TJN. The Club received $.75 per pound for a total of $292.50.
Plastic Bag Collections:
It was reported delivering 17 bags of plastics that totaled 175.2 pounds to Sioux Falls on February 26, 2025 for shipping to NexTrex. The total to date from September 28, 2025 is 1,139.3 pounds.
Golf Course Ad Sign Project:
The clients for the Golf Course Ad Sign Project have been billed.
Eye Glasses Collection:
It was reported that on March 3, 2026, he delivered 168 pairs of glasses from Jones Family Eyecare to the south side Walmart for shipping to Lions International. Olson worked 1 hour.
Exam and Glasses:
One exam and a pair of glasses were paid for in March for $235.00 for a total of ten for the current fiscal year.
Future Events:
The next meeting of the Garretson Lions Club Branch will be at 6:30 p.m. on March 23, 2026 at the Gulch Bar & Grill.
The 2026 Spring Forum on April 10 & 11, 2026 in Brandon, SD. Setup on Friday from 2:00 to 5:00 pm. Especially need cleanup help on Saturday after closing at 4:30 pm.
Lions Pancake Days in Sioux Falls. April 14 & 15, 2026. Advanced tickets are $10.00 at the door $12.00, kids under 6 are free. Tuesday the 14th eat between 4 pm to 8 pm. Wednesday the 15th eat between 6 am to 8 pm.
Zone 7 Service Project. Big Sioux Cleanup on April 25, 2026 at 10:00 am at Legacy Park at 7001 West 12th Street. Meet at the canopy near the restroom.
Dell Rapids Lions Pancake Breakfast on April 26, 2026 from 8:00 am to 12:30 pm at St. Mary Catholic Church at 608 E 8th Street, Dell Rapids.
FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER
The Club discussed the proposed Charter sponsorship. The original proposal was to sponsor the Brandon Elementary School but the VFW was given that sponsorship. Lion Peiper moved Lion Beaird seconded to reject the sponsorship of the Inspiration Elementary School proposal but would seriously consider the sponsorship of a club in the new elementary school to be built on the east side of Brandon. Motion carried.
New member Lion John MacAuthur was presented with a vest, name tag and a Lion pin by his sponsor Lion President Kuhnert. Congratulations!
Lion Fred Sprenger earned his 35-year award. Being unable to attend he was mailed his Milestone Chevron Award. Congratulations!
The Club received 40 raffle tickets to support LCIF. Each ticked would sell for $20.00. It was approved to have the Club purchase 20 tickets for a total expenditure of $200.00.
Aluminum Can Project:
I was reported that on February 5, 2026 five Lions sold 618 pounds of cans to TJN. They received $.75 per pound for a total of $463.50.
Plastic Bag Collections:
It was reported that 18 bags of plastics that totaled 188.2 pounds were delivered to Sioux Falls on January 29, 2025 for shipping to NexTrex. The total to date is 964.1.9 pounds.
NexTrex is redoing their web site so the last two trailer loads have not been reported to NexTrex.
Eye Glasses Collection:
It was reported that on February 3, 2026, 61 pairs of glasses from Jones Family Eyecare and Lion Holland were delivered to the south side Walmart for shipping to Lions International.
2026 Spring Forum, Meeting Report:
On February 17, 2026, Olson, Beaird, Kuhnert, Peiper and Stroh attended a Forum Committee meeting at the Brandon Lutheran Church. Setup will be from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 10th. Cleanup will begin after the Forum concludes at 4:30 p.m. and continues until finished.
Future Events:
a. Club visitations.
b. Lions Pancake Days in Sioux Falls. April 14 & 15, 2026. Advanced tickets are $10.00, at the door $12.00, kids under 6 are free. Tuesday the 14th pancakes will be served between 4 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Wednesday the 15th pancakes will be served between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m..
c. Garretson Lions meeting at 6:30 p.m. on March 23, 2026 at the Gulch Bar & Grill in Garretson.
Garretson Lions Club Branch Meeting:
The Garretson Club did not have a meeting on February 23, 2026.
JANUARY NEWSLETTER
Executive Director Erin Nosal fromJANUARY NEWSLETTER the Sioux Council Center for Scouting was the speaker. She requested that the Brandon Lions Club become a Charter Sponsor for a Pack at Inspiration Elementary School in the Brandon Valley School District.
Charter Organization responsibilities are:
1. Serves as a main link between the chartered organization and the Scouting unit.
2. Ensures leadership is in place and supports the unit’s success.
3. Communicates between the unit and the organization.
4. Approves adult volunteer applications.
5. May attend district or council meetings (optional but encouraged).
6. Annual Charter Fee of $100.00 & COR fee of $89.00.
7. Provides a meeting space or help secure one.
The Club discussed the proposed Charter sponsorship. The discussion was that the Pack will be centered at the Inspiration Elementary School that is about as far way from the City of Brandon as it could be yet located in the Brandon Valley School District. No one knew where the school was located and did not know anyone in that area. The original proposal was to sponsor the Brandon Elementary School but the VFW was given that sponsorship. There will soon be a new elementary school built on the east side of Brandon, perhaps that would be a better fit. They agreed to make a decision at the next meeting.
Lions President Kuhnert attended with others from Zone 7 in serving meals at the west side Banquet on January 6, 2026. She worked four hours.
A payment to the Brandon Chamber for the 2026 due for $175.00 was approved.
A payment to Jones Family Eyecare for five exams and glasses for a total of $1,175.00 was approved.
Aluminum Can Project:
It was the plan to take cans to TJN to sell on Friday January 2, 2026. The can shed was overflowing so we got the can trailer and filled it up with the overflow from the can shed, then headed to TJN to unload. They were closed! We headed back to Brandon.
It was reported that on January 7, 2027, 519 pounds of cans were sold to TJN. We received $.60 per pound for a total of $311.40
Plastic Bag Collections:
It was reported delivering 24 bags that totaled 244.9 pounds to Sioux Falls on January 6, 2026 for shipping to NexTrex. The total to date is 775.9 pounds.
Eye Glasses Collection:
It was reported that on December 16, 2025 he dropped off 65 pair of glasses from Jones Family Eyecare to the District Office for processing.
Future Events:
It was agreed that a planning session for the April 11, 2026 Spring Forum will be held at 6:00 pm on Tuesday, January 27, 2026 at Lion Olson’s residents at 205 Seth Street, Brandon, SD. Pizza and beverages will be provided. All members are welcome.
There will be a District 5-SE cabinet meeting on January 24, 2026 at the District Office in Sioux Falls. Lion Olson has ask that those attending to stay afterwards to review an agenda and registration form draft of the Spring Forum.
Garretson Lions Club Branch Meeting:
The Garretson Club had a meeting on January 26,2026 at the Gulch Bar and Grill. They heard reports on the Spring Forum, Nextrex changes and attracting new members.
