As we approach our 10th anniversary from the devastating flood of 2013, I
reflect on what our community endured and the strength, grit and determination we demonstrated to persevere and grow to where we are today. Our updated infrastructure, parks, bridges and new affordable housing just starting to be occupied continues to obscure the evidence of our catastrophic flood and has allowed us to move forward. Many of us still have PTSD when we experience heavy thunderstorms but hopefully that will continue to fade over time. The flood brought a new awareness to the meaning of giving, helping and supporting those around us. September 11 th 2013 brought a change in history to our little town that affected every one of us living here at that time. From the day the flood started, our community gathered together as a family to create a united front. Those who had never been involved stepped up to assist community leaders and took on new roles that they never imagined they would ever have to fill. As soon as the flood hit, people from all over the country started reaching out to our community asking what they could do to help. Many offered donations that the Lyons Community Foundation (LCF) carefully collected, a plethora of kind hearted volunteers drove from all over the country to help muck out our homes and others opened up their doors and gave us warm places to live for many weeks as we patiently waited to return to our community. FEMA, United Way, Red Cross, Salvation Army, Life Bridge Church, Team Rubicon, Christian Ministries and many other organizations from around the country came to our assistance immediately. Folks, not only here in town, but from far away held fundraisers to support Lyons. Events such as Lyons Homecoming, the Holiday BBQ Fundraiser for Lyons (that was responsible for feeding a local family for 6 months), Celebrating Lyons Music Concert/Rebuild Lyons One Life at a Time, NOLARADO in New Orleans, Flood Relief Benefit Concert by The Songwriters Association in Washington DC, The Lyons Holiday Bazaar and many more. Local businesses such as Gwynne’s Greenhouse and Lyons Quilt Shop donated proceeds from recent sales to help the LCF collect money. Lyons own South Creek Limited held an online auction and donated the proceeds, with generously donated items from their longtime customers, to the LCF. Residents held birthday fundraisers, school children near and far held bake sales, put up lemonade stands and sold beanie babies so they could collect funds to donate to the LCF fundraising efforts. Lyons, New York, a sister community with a common name, even donated to our Lyons, Colorado. The Community Foundation in Boulder (LCF’s fiscal manager), had been instrumental to the success of the LCF’s fundraising efforts. They supported the LCF and the town of Lyons by working tirelessly behind the scenes to help nurture large donations to help our residents start to recover. Local and national organizations such as Oskar Blues CAN’D AID Foundation, established by Lyons own Dale Katechis, Foothills United Way, The Dr. Scholl Foundation and other extremely generous donors gave handsomely to our fundraising cause. I don’t want to forget our local and nearby residents who made substantial donations which gave us our start to gather matching funds and allowed us to collect large swaths of money. We should all be forever grateful for this unprecedented support during these tough times. In just a short few months we raised over $1,000,000 and the temporary board of our local Rebuild Lyons One Life at a Time team was responsible for approving and delivering funds to eligible local residents by Christmas 2013. I do ask our community to remember Mr. Gerry Boland who perished in the 2013 flood. Gerry was a beloved teacher, coach and resident of Lyons. His family created a memorial found in front of the elementary school that reads “May we forever remember Gerald Boland, teacher, coach and lifelong resident of Lyons. Through caring, compassion and leadership, he taught our children well for 30 years.” Because there have been many recent tragic natural disasters around the world, I find it hard not to mention other communities and the suffering they are now experiencing. Local community foundations are entrenched in the day to day needs of their residents and I find it a great resource for those wanting to donate to these community necessities. At this 10 year milestone, I ask that you continue to support your local Lyons Community Foundation and its ongoing community support efforts. You are Lyons and we, my friends and neighbors, ARE collectively the LCF. Sincerely, Liz Erley Former Chair: Lyons Community Foundation Comments are closed.
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AuthorLyons Community Foundation Archives
October 2023
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