Longtime Staff Member Retires

Donna Shaffer retired from the Masonic Children’s Home in December 2022, after serving 42 years as a private tutor and then as an educational coordinator.

During that time, Donna and her husband, who spent 30 years as a house parent, built a home in State College. Earlier in her career, Donna lived on the Elizabethtown campus. The couple have one son, Jordan.

Prior to coming to the children’s home, Donna spent 12 years teaching sixth grade at Juniata Valley Elementary School in Alexandria, PA.

She said she will miss spending time at the children’s home, especially working with “my seniors and college students.”

“That was always my mission – not just to get the kids to graduate high school, but to get into and through college,” she said. “I have three [kids] this year graduating from college and one of my former kids attends Fordham Law School. She came and visited me in December.”

“I enjoy building relationships with the children and really getting to know them,” she added. “That was the great thing about the children’s home. You could establish relationships and watch them grow.”

Donna earned her bachelor’s degree in health and fitness from South Dakota State University. She also attended graduate school at Pennsylvania State University, earning a master’s degree in curriculum and supervision education.

“It’s really hard saying goodbye to the kids, but I know we’ll keep in touch,” she said.

Donna, you will be missed!