LEAF bringing Christmas joy to residents

It’s been a difficult year, but Santa KNOWS HARD WORK, and he came to Lyons this week to help supervise the hard work of Lyons Emergency & Assistance Fund (LEAF) and their many donors and volunteers.

SUPER DUPER FOOD PANTRY
The team handed out dozens of spiral hams courtesy of Higher Grounds Ministries. Special decorated holiday cookies were courtesy of Laura Levy Group at Coldwell Banker, and more. The elementary school and middle/high school had food drives and brought in approximately 1,000 pounds of food and household and hygiene items, with volunteer Morgane Daty leading the food drive. Calvary Foothills Church also donated. And, the Lyons Community Church provided the hall for storage and distribution. Some of Cemex employees came to help hand out the food, There was about two dozen volunteers running back and forth all afternoon on Wednesday for the Super Duper Holiday Food Pantry. Dozens of cars lined Main Street in front of the Community Church to get their box of canned goods, lots of fresh veggies, ham and cookies, and personal care items! It is believed that 61 boxes were distributed. Santa talked with each child. “I was good Santa,” said one girl, and he replied “I know, I remember you.”

GIFTS FOR THE NEEDY
After a month of collecting “wish lists” from LEAF clients in need, and writing the item and description of the person on paper ornaments, and hanging them on “Giving Trees” in three Lyons stores (Uniquely Lyons, Stone Cup, and Barking Dog cafe), plus putting about half of them online for people to pick up virtually, the volunteers held their breath and waited. Within a couple of weeks, all the ornaments were taken, and local residents were off and running to buy gifts (valued at $40 or less) or gift cards. On Saturday, December 19, yet another group of volunteers will spend the day delivering the wrapped anonymous gifts to the doors of the recipients. Volunteers have said in the past that the smile on the recipients’ faces is such a big reward for them; and sometimes both of them end up shedding tears of joy!
The community bought gifts for 142 recipients===
38 for “under 18”
18 for “18-30”
14 for “30-50”
21 for “50-65”
16 for “66+”
35 did not answer “age,” but were adults.

FUNDRAISER – VIRTUAL –
Tune in this SUNDAY, December 20 at 7 p.m. A Virtual Winter Solstice Celebration and Benefit for LEAF, Lyons Emergency & Assistance Fund

This is a celebration of the darkness and the light— A Colorado Heart(h) Warming 2020 | LEAF, Lyons Emergency & Assistance Fund featuring special musical guests Daniel Rodriguez (Elephant Revival) and Emma Rose with Arthur Lee Land & Friends.
LEAF’s Mental Health Therapist Cherie Maureaux (LPCC, NCC Registered Psychotherapist) will facilitate an intimate conversation with artists gathered by the Hearth fire, fueled by their songs and life experiences of 2020, to raise funds and awareness of LEAF’s Mental Wellness & Addiction Recovery program, along with tools to support the overall health of our creative community. Presents:: bit.ly/hearthwarming

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