'This is just a dream come true'
Jun. 12—HURON — Friday was a dream come true for the Piggyback Foundation as the foundation opened its third retail store — When Pigs Fly By the Lake, in Huron.
The shop, an upscale resale and retail store, is managed by Buffy Greenawalt, a board member of the Piggyback Foundation.
"This is just a dream come true," Greenawalt said. "This is my new passion."
By the Lake offers new clothing and accessories, home decor, and upcycled collectibles.
Last year, Greenawalt saw a sign in the storefront, proposed the idea of opening a new location in Huron, and with the support of the foundation, By the Lake came to be.
"It's all come together with the help of all the board, volunteers," she said. "My hope is that this will become part of the commercial district, just to be a part of the community."
Huron Mayor Sam Artino thanked Greenawalt for bringing the foundation to Erie County.
The Piggyback Foundation helps families maintain a sense of normalcy during times of life-threatening illness by providing assistance to meet the emotional needs of the children.
The foundation has two retail locations in Norwalk, When Pigs Fly and When Pigs Fly Too.
Greenawalt has worked as a counselor in schools for years and started volunteering with the foundation, working at the Norwalk locations. She said she worked her final day as a counselor on Monday morning.
"I just didn't know what COVID would do to counseling and education," she said. "We had a business plan together in a week."
The storefront combines what were previously two stores into one. The owners of the building removed a wall that separated the areas.
"This is a dream come true," she said. "We help provide joy for these kids when there's a life-threatening illness."
Greenawalt said in her career, she's seen what serious illnesses in the family can do to children, but through the foundation, children are able to be involved in extracurriculars or sports that they may not have been able to previously.
"We'll be able to help families, we're expanding in Erie County," she said. "So if there is a family in Erie County with a life-threatening illness, they can come here and apply. We take that application to the board, then we match a liaison from the board to work with that family."
Since the foundation's creation in 2007, it has raised more than $1 million for families and 95 percent of proceeds from the shops support the foundation.
When Pigs Fly By the Lake is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Wednesday through Sunday at 511 S. Main St., Huron.
