 Colorado’s largest day of giving, Colorado Gives Day, is taking place on Tuesday, December 4, 2018. On this day, thousands of people come together to support Colorado nonprofits like ours. When you donate to LEAF, you’re helping your friends and neighbors in need right here in Lyons. Our program is the only nonprofit in Lyons providing a weekly food pantry, Meals on Wheels, and basic needs assistance. Please help us reach our goal of $5,000. Thanks to the $1 Million Incentive Fund from Community First Foundation and FirstBank, your donation goes further on Colorado Gives Day. To donate to us on Colorado Gives Day, go to https://www.coloradogives.org/LyonsEmergencyAssist…/overview on Colorado Gives Day!
 Contest winners Jay & Lori Stott Emily Dusel Executive Director, LEAF LYONS – For the fourth year in a row, the biggest adults only Halloween Party in Lyons, Rave to the Grave, was held on Friday October 26th at the Wildflower Pavilion at Planet Bluegrass. The party was a fundraiser hosted by Lyons Emergency Assistance Fund (LEAF). “We are so thankful to all of the artists, musicians, party-goers, donors, clients, sponsors, and volunteers for making Rave to the Grave a huge success raising over $39,000! The money raised for LEAF will directly benefit our friends and neighbors in need,” says Tanya Daty, chair of the LEAF board of directors. Rave to the Grave is a benefit for LEAF, whose mission is to offer a human services safety net to those in need in the Greater Lyons area. This year, partygoers had an opportunity to experience a visual tour of LEAF created by Peggy Dyer. Powerful photos greeted partygoers with messages such as “LEAF saves people’s lives”. The profit from Rave to the Grave will really help our friends and neighbors in need, such as Betsy, a Lyons elder featured in one of LEAF’s videos. In the video, Betsy shares “Because of you I’ve been able to eat and I’ve met so many cool people. That’s really important to someone who is kind of homebound. I’ve never had this kind of kindness. I mean, it’s kindness every time you turn around”. The music by Arthur Lee Land, gogoLab, and special guests was incredible! Along with a video DJ show by Needmore productions, wild costumes, and lots of dancing, this party was epic. Congratulations to Jay and Lori Stott for winning the costume contest as Middle Aged Ken & Barbie. Local artist Kahlie Sue Pinello took the lead on artistic vision and decorations along with her team and wow did they deliver! This year Kahlie’s vision of Medieval Magic was brought to light with sponsor banners flogging the walkway and a magically decorated pavilion. Jess Kutrombus, owner of HiKu Graphics, blew it out of the park with designing graphics and the poster yet again this year. We are incredibly grateful to Jess for donating her time and talents for LEAF. Planet Bluegrass donated the venue along with the proceeds from alcohol sales directly to LEAF. This event would not have been possible without their generosity. Thank you to Craig Ferguson and all of the planet staffers that helped! Rave to the Grave sponsors covered all of the hard costs of the event, allowing every dollar raised that night to go directly to LEAF’s programs. Thank you to title sponsor Laura Levy, beer sponsor Oskar Blues, after party sponsor Pizza Bar 66, premier sponsors Headquarters Cannabis Company, Gateway Realty Group, Bud Depot, and Stonescape Steel Roofing. LEAF is also incredibly grateful for the 25 additional sponsors. The business community really stepped up to support LEAF! LEAF serves over 100 people every week with programs including the Lyons Community Food Pantry, Basic Needs and Resource Matching, and Lyons Meals on Wheels. For more information, go to www.leaflyons.org. P.S. Are you interested in helping those in need during the holiday season? LEAF is hosting our third annual Giving Tree program. You can pick up ornaments on the Giving Trees at the Stone Cup, the Barking Dog, or the Library starting just before Thanksgiving until all ornaments are gone – they go fast!. Also, if your children are in school at Lyons Elementary or Lyons Middle/Senior, be on the lookout for opportunities to give to the food and households goods drive coming up soon. Didn’t make it to Rave to the Grave but want to support LEAF? Colorado Gives Day is December 4th!
 We wanted to share a feel good moment over here at LEAF today. Meet Sutter, who decided to ask for food pantry donations instead of gifts at his birthday party. If you are in need of food, please come visit us at Lyons Community Food Pantry every Wednesday from 3:30-5 at 350 Main Street.
For more information about donating food, please visit:https://www.leaflyons.org/donate-food.html  By Kate Kerr
LEAF Volunteer Each Wednesday afternoon, local residents gather outdoors as they wait for the Lyons Community Food Pantry to open at 3:30pm. Latecomers need to arrive by 5pm. Each household is guided through the food choices with a food pantry volunteer. While waiting, folks can enjoy conversation over cups of coffee donated by The Barking Dog Cafe. Foods usually available each week include rice, pasta, beans, canned soups and stews, cereal, snacks, frozen meat, milk, eggs, yogurt, bread, household goods as well as canned and fresh fruit and vegetables. Kids are delighted by special snack bags just for them. Much of the food comes from the Boulder Community Food Share where Lyons volunteers “shop” each week, especially for milk and eggs. Other food is donated locally by individuals, businesses, school groups and farmers. Special thanks for donations from Lyons Elementary, Ralph’s Farmstand, Steamboat Natural Foods, St. Vrain Market, Stonebridge Farm and Lucky’s Market (in Boulder). Ten years ago in 2008, both the Lyons Community Foundation and the Lyons Food Pantry were created. Former pastor of the Lyons Community Church, Claire McNulty Drewes, noticed that there were residents of Lyons who didn’t have enough to eat. Also, there were those needing help paying for basic needs like utilities, rent and medical bills. The church congregation asked the newly formed Lyons Community Foundation (LCF) to assist with funding for the creation of a Food Pantry and a Basic Needs Emergency Fund (BNEF). The Food Pantry started by providing a few families with boxes of non-perishable foods. Assisting with other emergencies was limited. After the flood in 2013, the increase in needs was astronomical. At that time the LCF, with its 501(c)3 status, served as steward for the vast donations coming in to assist flood-impacted Lyons residents. Within 4 months after the flood, over 1 million dollars was distributed to 300 local households. In helping with the flood recovery, it became apparent that BNEF and the Food Pantry needed their own unique non-profit status. In July 2014 the Lyons Emergency Assistance Fund (LEAF) was created including both the food pantry along with basic needs and resource matching. Recently Meals on Wheels has been added. Special thanks to the LCF for continuing support and for the $5,000 grant to the Food Pantry for 2018 operations. In this small town, volunteers are willing to deliver food to those who can’t leave their homes. For example, each week, Lyons Food Pantry volunteer Debbie Tabor phones homebound resident Betsie Montieth to see what food she needs from the pantry. Debbie then delivers the food and has a visit. They have become close friends. “Because of you I’ve been able to eat and I’m met so many cool people. That’s really important to someone who is kind of homebound. I’ve never had this kind of kindness. I mean, it’s kindness every time you turn around.” – Betsie Montieth, Lyons elder and Lyons Community Food Pantry participant Nearly 1 in 10 Coloradans (10.3%) struggle with hunger, not always having enough money to buy food. Nearly 1 in 6 Colorado kids (16%) may not always know when or where they will get their next meal. Thank you to the many volunteers and donors who have helped the Food Pantry continue as a vital service for those in our Lyons community who need nutritional support. Here are Food Pantry Statistics for 2017 · 1,844 Food Pantry visits · 81 Households · 167 Individuals · 45 Children · 38,165 pounds of food from Boulder Community Food Share · 14,941 pounds of food collected outside of Boulder Community Food Share · 1,500 volunteer hours · $21,957 dollar value of donated food Singer and Spellman 2,627.5 lbs St. Vrain Mkt 1,406.5 lbs Stonebridge 810 lbs Steamboat Mtn Nat Foods 327.5 lbs Lyons Elem. garden 299.5 lbs Lucky's Market 1,036 lbs The Food Pantry is open Wednesdays 3:30-5pm at 350 Main St. (Lyons Community Church). Participants are asked to show proof of local residency. Donations of food and household products are accepted Wednesdays 10am-3pm. The vast majority of LEAF’s work is funded through local donations. Everyone is invited to support LEAF which offers a human services safety net to those in need in the greater Lyons area. Services include the Food Pantry, Meals On Wheels, Basic Needs and Resource Matching. To contact LEAF, call 720-864-4309 or email info@leaflyons.org  Thank you for your spectacular support of LEAF on Colorado Gives Day! 34 donations were made to support LEAF to the tune of $6,405. Your support on this day super-charges our organization and affirms our value. We hope your donation experience on ColoradoGives.orgwas easy, fun and meaningful.
  #COGivesDay features a $1 Million Incentive Fund, one of the largest gives-day incentive funds in the country! Every nonprofit receiving a donation on Colorado Gives Day gets a boost from the fund, increasing the value of every dollar donated. When you donate to LEAF, you are helping community members like Jamie. Click on the video below to see her story.  Top 3 Costume Contest contesants. Mr. Clean, the Mona Lisa, and a jellyfish. LYONS – For the third year in a row, the biggest adults only Halloween Party in Lyons, Rave to the Grave, was held on Friday October 27th at the Wildflower Pavilion at Planet Bluegrass. The party was a fundraiser hosted by Lyons Emergency Assistance Fund (LEAF).
“We are so thankful to all of the artists, musicians, party-goers, donors, clients, sponsors, and volunteers for making Rave to the Grave a huge success raising over $28,000! The money raised for LEAF will directly benefit our friends and neighbors in need,” says Pam Browning, chair of the LEAF board of directors. Rave to the Grave is a benefit for LEAF, whose mission is to offer a human services safety net to those in need in the Greater Lyons area. This year, partygoers had an opportunity to experience a visual tour of LEAF created by Peggy Dyer. Powerful photos hung on along the walls of the pavilion with messages such as “Love, Family, and Community – Beating cancer and caring for each other”. The profit from Rave to the Grave will really help our friends and neighbors in need, such as Betsy, a Lyons elder featured in one of LEAF’s new videos. In the video, Betsy shares “Because of you I’ve been able to eat and I’ve met so many cool people. That’s really important to someone who is kind of homebound. I’ve never had this kind of kindness. I mean, it’s kindness every time you turn around”. The music by Arthur Lee Land, gogoLab, and special guests was incredible! Along with a video DJ show by Needmore productions, wild costumes, lots of dancing, and great food and drink, this party was epic. Congratulations to Mary Capone for winning the costume contest as the Mona Lisa. Local artist Kahlie Sue Pinello took the lead on artistic vision and decorations along with her team and wow did they deliver! She transformed the pavilion into an enchanted forest with custom made gravestones featuring sponsors, skulls, antlers, and more. Planet Bluegrass donated the venue along with the proceeds from alcohol sales directly to LEAF. This event would not have been possible without their generosity. Thank you to Craig Ferguson and all of the planet staffers that helped! Rave to the Grave sponsors covered all of the hard costs of the event, allowing every dollar raised that night to go directly to LEAF’s programs. Thank you to title sponsor Laura Levy, premier sponsors Headquarters Cannabis Company, Bud Depot, Oskar Blues, and Pizza Bar 66. LEAF is also incredibly grateful for the 27 additional sponsors. The business community really stepped up to support LEAF! LEAF serves over 100 people every week with programs including the Lyons Community Food Pantry, Basic Needs and Resource Matching, and Lyons Meals on Wheels. For more information, go to www.leaflyons.org. P.S. Are you interested in helping those in need during the holiday season? LEAF is hosting our second annual Giving Tree program. You can pick up ornaments on the Giving Trees at the Stone Cup, the Barking Dog, or the Library from November 18th – December 3rd (or until all ornaments are gone – they go fast!). Also, if your children are in school at Lyons Elementary or Lyons Middle/Senior, be on the lookout for opportunities to give to the food and households goods drive coming up soon. |
Archives
April 2020
|
|
350 Main St. / PO Box 324
Lyons CO 80540 info@leaflyons.org 720-864-4309 |
RSS Feed