The Lyon Roars
New & Updates
Volunteer Month
Thank you to all our amazing volunteers! In honor of National Volunteer Month, we celebrate their commitment to our communities. Shown below are our Hilltown Church Food Pantry Volunteers, who helped move 4,000 pounds of food in March, feeding hundreds of people with the assistance and support of 11 drivers. We appreciate our volunteers today and…
Calling Our Community to Action for Student Success
We take our name from the pioneering 19th-century educator, Mary Lyon, a Buckland native and the founder of Mt. Holyoke College in 1837, who devoted her life to providing access to education for everyone. Her words, spoken roughly 150 years ago, “Go where no one else will go. Do what no one else will do.”…
The Davin Scholarship: Carrying on Tanja’s Legacy & Motivating Future Doctors
Tanja Davin knew she wanted to be a doctor from a young age. Her mother and father, Lizz and Bruce Davin, were elated for their daughter to have the ambition, drive, and intellect to make her dream come true. “We just watched and waited, and sure enough, she graduated, went onto Tufts, went into pre-med,…
Emily Willis, Friends of the Foundation Spotlight
Emily Willis, former Mary Lyon Foundation board member and devoted librarian, is steadfastly committed to fostering student success. Through her involvement with the Mary Lyon Foundation, Emily ensures the Mohawk Trail Regional School District (MTRS) literacy and library programs are successful. She’s passionate about the benefits of the library, and she was eager to partner with the Mary Lyon Foundation for…
Letter from the Executive Director: Spring 2023
Spring has sprung, and it’s time to celebrate the tireless work of our Volunteers! April is National Volunteer Month, and the Mary Lyon Foundation is exceptionally grateful for the service of our volunteers. Their impact is immeasurable. The Mary Lyon Foundation has eleven volunteers who assist us with our grocery delivery program through Hilltown Church’s…
Providing Warmth and Care During a Cold, Hard Winter
Scarlet Kitchen and her son recently moved to Massachusetts from Hawaii. Going from a warm, sunny climate to a cold, dark New England winter was a shock to their systems. To make the challenging transition harder, Scarlet’s furnace broke in November. Scarlet contacted several offices in the area to receive assistance, but no one returned…
Board Member Peter Stevens Believes in Giving Back
Long-time Shelburne resident and board member Peter Stevens has spent his life giving back by working with education-focused non-profits – and he doesn’t plan to stop. Initially invited into the Foundation by founder Sue Samoriski, Peter has played a vital role in the Mary Lyon Foundation’s success for nearly seven years. He currently serves as Vice-Chair…
Narcan: Train the Trainer Certification
The CPHS health district is excited to announce a free training aimed at municipal employees, local officials, and community members! Is there anyone in your town who may be interested in learning how to identify an opioid overdose and how to respond AND teach others to do the same? This would be a great way to…
Alyssa Collins is Supporting Student Success
Alyssa Collins works hard to give her students the tools and opportunities to thrive. As an MTRS-supported classroom teacher, Alyssa received the Mary Lyon Foundation’s educator assistance grant in October. Now, she can offer more social-emotional support programs and self-regulation tools to help students manage difficult emotions. Going Above and Beyond “Mary Lyon’s educator assistance…