Submitted photo
Justice Sheaffer holds photos of her late uncle, Justin Henry, during his high school days, where he was a standout athlete at Lewistown. In his honor, Sheaffer held a fundraiser for Miracles in Sight, one of the largest eye banks in the world

LEWISTOWN — Justice Sheaffer wasn’t certain how much spaghetti she cooked for her high school senior project.

“A lot more than I expected,” the Mifflin County High School senior said after her recent benefit spaghetti dinner.

In the end, it didn’t matter. The night — and the dinner — wasn’t about the food; it was about the cause. Sheaffer held the benefit as a fundraiser for Miracles in Sight, one of the largest eye banks in the world.

With the help of her family and friends, the Lewistown teenager raised nearly $2,000 from the Dec. 9 event, held in the Fellowship Hall at the Ellen Chapel Church in Lewistown.

“We had no idea how much we raised until we counted it once the dinner was over,” Sheaffer said. “It means a lot. I actually got to count the money and when I got the total amount, I almost cried because I wasn’t expecting it to be that much.”

Sheaffer’s uncle, the late Justin Henry, a former standout athlete at Lewistown Area High School and Division I University of Rhode Island, had his corneas sent to Miracles in Sight after his tragic death in 2004.

Sheaffer never met Henry as he passed away before she was born.

Miracles in Sight restores sight and changes the lives of thousands of people each year. They provide ophthalmologists with high-quality tissue for corneal transplants and help to develop new, cutting-edge procedures.

Jennifer Sheaffer, Justice’s mother and Justin’s sister, couldn’t have been more proud of her daughter’s efforts and thankful for the community support.

“Time and time again, this community shows up in a big way,” Jennifer said. “Our family is so blessed.

“We are so grateful to our family, friends and our Ellen Chapel Church family who supported her in this project, whether through donations or giving of their time. Everyone had a great time and left with their stomachs full.”