Tim Lyon is pictured with his daughter working at The Relief Zone. Lyon was recently recognized as a Volunteer of the Year. Submitted photo

Tim Lyon believes volunteering is essential to communities.

“Volunteering is very rewarding,” said Lyon, who was recently recognized by the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County as a 2022 Volunteer of the Year. “It’s offering a hand to help nonprofits which can be very vital to our local communities.”

Lyon began volunteering with The Relief Zone right from the beginning in 2000, as part of the Saturday Teen Outreach program. He also chaperoned and worked with the youth praise band.

“I started back when there was a teen outreach center,” he said. “It was open every Saturday, and as a part of it I helped to form the band and served as a coordinator for many years before the program closed, after a very long time.”

The Relief Zone has played a role in providing assistance to families, youth and young adults through a variety of children’s programming including Kidz Jump Start Before School Program, Kidz After School Program, No School/Half Days Program, Kidz Summer Day Camp and Cardinal Care After School Program.

These days Lyon volunteers by fixing anything in The Relief Zone that needs it. This can include taking out the trash and dealing with the recyclables. He is known for making weekly repairs across the facility and property and also for replacing “so many toilet handles we have lost count” according to his introduction by The Relief Zone at the United Way event.

“I help fix whatever needs done,” Lyon said. “I get a call and I will show up and do it.”

Some of Lyon’s favorite moments while volunteering with The Relief Zone include hanging Christmas lights in December and doing a fundraiser that involved getting trees in The Relief Zone’s front yard sponsored to raise money. He has also done behind the scenes work during the Relief Zone’s pig roast and helped with and also played at their golf outing.

For Lyon, volunteering is a way to give back to the community and is something that he learned at a young age.

“Volunteering means giving back to the community, and helping programs that help people in need,” he said. “I grew up in the church and learned at a young age that it is important to help others. Some of the most important things in life are done by volunteers.”

When not volunteering, Lyon has a full time job at The Resource Center. He has been married to his wife, Lisa, for 33 years and together they have had four children, Kacie, Tyler, Jordan and Jacob. Lyon has made sure to get all of them involved in the church and youth center.