A Minute with the Mayor

What a great day the 4^th of July was. The weather was perfect as were all the events that went on throughout the day. It all culminated in another fantastic fireworks display. It was an Independence Day done right by Lyons once again! But this year was more than a celebration of our country’s independence.

It was a celebration of Lyons doing what it does best – caring about Lyons, the people living in it and its future! My heart burst for joy seeing all those who came out to support the fun run/walk for Arizona Riecken. It wasn’t as much about raising money as it was it to show him and the Riecken family just how much they are loved and supported by this community. What was raised for financial support pales in comparison to the moral support I know they all felt. And then there was the dedication of the Veterans’ Memorial Plaza. I knew it would be well attended but once again I was overwhelmed with the number of people who came out to support our past, present and future veterans.

It was wonderful to have our state senator, Lydia Brasch, and our lt. Governor, Mike Foley, speak at the ceremony. Their speeches captured the spirit of what the Veterans’ Memorial means to our veterans and the citizens of Lyons. But without community support, the project would have just stayed a dream.   The purchase of the 300 hundred tiles to honor loved ones and the start of the next 300. We can’t forget about the countless fundraisers that were put-on to raise funds for the rebuilding of the plaza because people believed in the dream. Our own school children (you know the younger generation that we always worry about not really understanding just what freedom looks like?) raising over $13,000 for the cause. If you ask me, I don’t think we have much to worry about with at least our group of young people! And then we can’t forget about our American Legion, VFW and Auxiliary. They all worked very hard to provide the people of Lyons with a solemn reminder that freedom isn’t always free and to honor their past, present and future comrades in arms. If you attended the dedication, you heard Jerry Ludwig heap praise on many, many people who helped make this dream a reality.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention our heart-felt thanks to Jerry for being the life blood that worked tirelessly over the last year making this memorial a worthy tribute to our active, retired and deceased service members. It will be a crown jewel in Lyons for generations to come. We should all be very proud. Finally the day couldn’t have happened without the dedication and commitment from the people who make up the Lyons Community Club and Lyons Fire and Rescue. I know I say it every year but it really does take a lot of time and effort to organize and pull-off an all-day event like we do here in Lyons.

It takes countless volunteers to make it all happen. From the beginning of the day with the pancake feed to the end of the day with the fireworks display, none of it would be possible without the help and assistance of the people of Lyons. So for me, the 4^th of July was so much more than celebrating our independence as a nation, it was about celebrating Lyons as a community and all the wonderful people who live, work and raise families here.

I’ll sign off again using the quote from Walt Disney that we have on the wall in the lobby of the community center, “You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality.” Lyons has dream makers and we are so blessed because of it! Enjoy the rest of July. Stay cool! We’ll talk to you soon.

Mayor Andy Fuston