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The Lyon Roars

New & Updates

The long days of summer are behind us, and as we look forward to the fall, the needs of our families and students in West County are at the forefront of my mind.     I spend a lot of time thinking of ways we can help more families and significantly impact our community. The children of our…

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Mary Lyon Foundation’s Agricultural Grant Funding Helps Build a Community Garden at Bug Hill Farm

No matter your financial situation, we all deserve access to affordable, fresh, local vegetables and food harvested with a bit of extra love and care. That’s why the Mary Lyon Foundation has a well-established partnership with Greenfield Cooperative Bank. The Foundation receives $750 annually in grant funding. This funding serves multiple purposes – helping to…

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Friends of the Foundation: Tom Miner, Local Optometrist & Co-Owner of Foxtown Diner

Meet Tom Miner, one of the Mary Lyon Foundation’s community partners! Tom owns the Foxtown Diner and serves as Shelburne’s resident optometrist through his local practice, The Optician. He first became involved with the Mary Lyon Foundation while it was under the direction of former Executive Director, Susan Samoriski. Through Sue, Tom discovered the essential…

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Board Member John Cornman Lives By Example

John Cornman firmly believes in the Mary Lyon Foundation’s mission of helping local families in need. That’s why he joined their Board of Trustees three years ago when he was recruited by the current Vice Chair, Peter Stevens. John was especially eager to get involved because of his family’s past dedication to the Foundation, and…

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Amanda Lane is On Her Way

Amanda Lane has never been easily discouraged or defeated. That’s why she founded the company Team Fit Vision Forward and serves as their CEO while caring for her two young boys as a stay-at-home mom. In 2015, Amanda uprooted her family, hoping to start over in a place that provided a strong community spirit and prioritizes…

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Warming Up the Community This Winter

The Mary Lyon Foundation is delighted to provide winter gear to our children and help families with extra costs associated with the cold weather. Together with local newspapers and service organizations, our Warm the Children program helps children access much-needed winter clothing and footwear. The Greenfield Recorder is our area sponsor, raising and distributing funds in Franklin…

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The Harper & Paulyne Gerry Student Assistance Corner

Etiquette Breakfast  On Friday, May 6, 2022, the Mary Lyon Foundation funded a very special breakfast for sixth-grade students at the Buckland Shelburne Elementary School! As part of their preparation to visit Nature’s Classroom in Ocean Park, Maine, they learned table etiquette when eating family style, including what a place setting looks like, where to…

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Mary Lyon Foundation News

Mary Lyon Spearheads the Development of a College and Career Readiness Center at Mohawk Trail Regional Schools   The Foundation is delighted to confirm that we recently received $30,000 in grant funding from the Mary Stuart Rogers Foundation, which will be used to establish a Career and College Counseling Center in the high school library.  The…

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Helping Families During the Winter Cold: 150 Youngsters Receive Winter Clothing Through ‘Warm the Children’ Program

The freezing temperatures of wintertime often force families in Western Franklin County to make difficult choices. For example, will a family choose to heat their home or replace the winter coat that their child has outgrown? By participating in the Warm the Children Program this winter, Mary Lyon Foundation helped provide winter gear to our…

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