VB Gives Back
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Penny's Flight Foundation
An unexpected—and welcome—partner in the Penny’s Flight mission to “spread wings” while raising awareness of neurofibromatosis (NF) has been the college chapters that have opened in support of the nonprofit. “What I love most about these chapters is that they bring kids together who wouldn’t otherwise know each other but are coming together to make an impact,” says founder Kate Doerge.
Riley McNeill, a third year at the University of Virginia, and Brooke Koundourakis, a sophomore at Boston College, were the first to launch Penny’s Flight chapters on their respective campuses. McNeill’s stepdad is Dr. Kaleb Yohay, Penny’s neurologist, and her mom is a genetic counselor specializing in NF. Though she never met Penny, McNeill has spent much of her life around the NF community and sees the UVA chapter as a testament to Penny’s lasting influence. “Those who knew and loved Penny have told her story, and it’s up to everyone else to keep sharing it,” says McNeill.
Brooke Koundourakis is the older sister of one of Penny’s best friends and knew her well. “I joined my mom and sister at one of the first Penny’s Flight meetings before it was even launched,” she says. “I found it so inspiring how the Doerges turned their grief into action.”
Here, the two women tell us more about how they’re “spreading wings” with our current VB Gives Back partner and what other students can do to get involved.
Q&A
What inspired you to launch the chapters at your schools?
RM: Growing up, I spent summers at a sleepaway camp for kids with NF because my parents were on the medical staff. I even wrote my college essay about growing up in a community where I was the only kid who didn’t have NF. I attended the first Penny’s Flight Family Jamboree with my parents in 2023, and I felt compelled to further the Doerge’s mission of raising money and awareness for a cure, while also sharing the values that Penny lived her life by.
BK: In that first meeting I joined before Penny’s Flight launched, there was a lot of talk about getting involved in high schools. I had just gone to the club fair at BC and introducing Penny’s Flight on campus seemed like something that would align with their game plan. I got the sense that many BC students were stressed with work and often lost sight of the small joys in life. I knew Penny’s story and the bright light she shined would inspire students.
“I’ve never been more hopeful that change is on the horizon.” - Riley McNeill
What kinds of events do you host? What do you hope people get out of them?
RM: The UVA chapter recently hosted “Pedal for Penny,” a donation-based cycle class where riders wore glow in the dark purple glow bracelets. We’ve also hosted several pop-up events to sell Penny’s Flight merch and hand out flyers that describe the foundation and tell Penny’s story. I hope these events inspire other young people to join our cause and make a difference in the lives of those affected by NF.
BK: Our main priority is to spread awareness about NF and tell Penny’s amazing story. We also hope to raise money to fund NF research, but we don’t expect college students to donate anything very significant. We held a “Patches Party” where we customized sweatshirts with Penny’s Flight patches and embroidery, donating the proceeds to PFF. We also held a “Pizza for Penny'' event at Crazy Dough’s Pizza, where they kindly donated 10% of their profits from that day. And along with a number of other schools, we set up a pop-up on campus where we sold merch, gave out donuts, and informed students about the foundation's mission.
How can other students start chapters at their college or high school?
RM: I strongly encourage anyone interested in starting a Penny’s Flight chapter at their school to reach out through the foundation’s Instagram or to info@pennysflight.org. By expressing interest, students can receive guidance and support in establishing a chapter at their school. Together, we can continue to spread awareness and make a positive impact in the NF community.
BK: Riley and I have created a template for starting a school chapter, so you will not be alone in creating your chapter. It’s been so great having Riley and my co-president, Jack Linardos, to share ideas with. I hope to create this sense of community among all the PFBC members and throughout all of the school chapters.
Do you have any memories to share of Penny?
BK: We loved having Penny for sleepovers because she made everything more fun! We would all make videos on my home computer dancing to music and wearing crazy outfits. My sister and Penny always seemed to have new, crazy outfits to wear. Most of the energy in these videos came from whatever they baked that night. Penny was pretty picky but she LOVED cupcakes, so we always made cupcakes when she came to our house.
From now to the end of June, we will donate a portion of proceeds from every single veronicabeard.com/en-sc order to Penny's Flight Foundation. Keep an eye on the VB Edit to see more of the inspiring ways people are "spreading wings" with Penny's Flight--and learn how you can get involved.
