Trending
MIFFLINTOWN -- More than two decades after a tragedy shook Juniata County, a foundation created in response to unimaginable loss continues to change the lives of local children.
That mission was on display during the Oct. 15 Juniata County School District Board of Directors meeting at the administration building in Mifflintown, where Wings of Kindness founder Ted Pannebaker accepted a $3,500 donation from the Juniata County Education Association and, in turn, presented the district with three microscopes and a LeapFrog Magic Adventures Globe.
JCEA collected the funds from a dressdown fundraiser and decided to bring along the items, which Wings of Kindness had received from Amazon.
"Wings of Kindness appreciates this," Pannebaker told Cameron, JCEA president, and the board. "This helps children, and that's what we're all about."
He also said that Amazon ships a variety of items to Wings of Kindness for distribution to organizations or children in the area.
"We never know what we're going to get," Pannebaker shared. "They give it to Wings of Kindness, and we have to give it away. They've been very kind to us."
While the donations were unrelated, together they reflected the spirit that has guided Wings of Kindness since its creation in 2002: helping young people discover opportunities, overcome obstacles and reach their potential.
The Wings of Kindness Foundation was established in memory of Mark, Marcy, Elena and Amanda Pannebaker, whose deaths devastated the Juniata Valley community in January 2002. In the wake of that loss, family members, friends and community members made a decision that continues to impact local children today. Rather than allowing tragedy to define the family’s legacy, they chose to create something that would give hope to future generations.
Founded in March 2002, Wings of Kindness was built around a simple mission: to provide spiritual, economic and educational opportunities for deserving youth throughout the Juniata Valley.
Since then, the all-volunteer organization has quietly helped countless children and families. The foundation has provided assistance for scholarships, college textbooks, food, clothing, camp tuition and other needs that might otherwise place opportunities out of reach for young people.
The group’s slogan, “Caring for kids of the Juniata River Valley,” has become more than a motto. It has become a promise.
“Wings of Kindness has made an impact with Juniata County School District families and youth,” Juniata County School District Superintendent of Schools Christie Holderman said. “They have provided essential aid for clothing, glasses, medical hardships or enriching educational resources. Through the JCEA ‘Be Kind’ initiative, the Juniata County School District raises vital funds to help Wings of Kindness continue its mission of supporting local families.”
That promise was evident in the educational supplies presented to the district.
For students, the microscopes will help bring science lessons to life, allowing them to explore worlds invisible to the naked eye. The interactive globe will help young learners discover distant countries, cultures and geography in ways that textbooks alone cannot provide.
They are modest gifts in size but significant in purpose. Each microscope placed in a classroom represents a student’s opportunity to ask questions, make discoveries and develop a love of learning. Each lesson supported by those materials becomes part of a larger investment in the future of Juniata County’s children.
The $3,500 contribution will help ensure that investment continues.
The foundation was created to provide help where it is needed most, recognizing that every child’s circumstances are different. Over the years, support has come in many forms, from educational opportunities and mission trips to assistance for families facing illness, school necessities and other resources that help children thrive.
The impact often extends far beyond the dollar value of a donation.
For a child who receives help attending camp, purchasing textbooks or obtaining something as basic as proper clothing, the support sends an important message: someone in the community believes in them.
That spirit continues to drive Wings of Kindness 24 years after its founding.
What began as a response to heartbreak has become a source of encouragement for generations of local children. Every donation received and every gift distributed carries forward the memory of four lives while creating opportunities for others.
The exchange of donations reflected a shared commitment to supporting local children, while Pannebaker’s gifts to the district opened new opportunities for learning. It represented more than dollars and supplies. It reflected a community’s commitment to its children and a belief that even the darkest chapters can inspire something good.
For Wings of Kindness, that mission remains unchanged: turning loss into hope and helping local children learn, grow and dream, one child at a time.