Our Roots - How Grow Lyons came to be.

Hello, my name is Alicia Snow. I grew up in Berwyn, IL and graduated from Morton West. As a Military Intelligence Sergeant in the U.S. Army, I worked as an Operations Manager and a Human Intelligence Collector, which made me really good at gathering and processing information. Medical issues cut my military career short, and our house hunt led us to Lyons. It was in our budget, close to family, and had potential for future remodeling.

When we moved here, people would tell us that we should stay in Lyons until we can “afford to move somewhere better.” How many people can realistically afford to just up and move? Where does that leave those of us who stay?

I know that Lyons has its issues, but we love it here. I love the location and the people. I decided to find out how I can help make Lyons a better place for us all. Research led me to Strong Towns, a nonprofit which advocates for residents to take action to improve their towns from the ground up. They have resources available for anyone wanting to learn.

Strong Towns inspired me to start Grow Lyons. Honestly, I had a million ideas and did not know where to start. I’m still figuring it out. But the gist of it is that I want to help make Lyons a better place for not only my family, but for everyone here. I know there are other residents who feel the same, so I invite them all to join this cause. Together, we can Grow Lyons.