(Posted June 20, 2016)

From left, Henry A. "Alex" Gibbel, Henry H. Gibbel, chairman of Lititz Mutual Insurance; and Henry R. Gibbel, president and CEO of Lititz Mutual.
From left, Henry A. "Alex" Gibbel, Henry H. Gibbel, chairman of Lititz Mutual Insurance; and Henry R. Gibbel, president and CEO of Lititz Mutual.

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Lititz Mutual Insurance Co., a regional insurance company that is part of a four-company insurance group, donated $50,000 to Juniata College through the Pennsylvania Department of Education's Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program to help fund the college's acclaimed Science in Motion and Language in Motion outreach programs.

The Lititz, Pa.-based firm, comprised of Lititz Mutual Insurance Co., Penn Charter Mutual Insurance Co., Farmers' and Mechanics' Insurance Co. and Livingston Mutual Insurance Co., is a longtime supporter of Juniata College and its programs. It's founder, Henry R. Gibbel, was an 1888 Juniata graduate, as are the late Henry B. Gibbel, a 1926 graduate, and current chairman, Henry H. Gibbel, a 1957 graduate, and Henry R. Gibbel, a 1981 graduate and president and CEO of Lititz Mutual.

"Lititz Mutual has had a strong connection with the educational mission of Juniata College. Four generations of Juniata College graduates, all Henry Gibbel, have provided leadership to Lititz Mutual since 1892. A fifth-generation Henry Gibbel graduated in 2015 and is now employed by the company," says Henry R. Gibbel. "Juniata College's Science in Motion and Language in Motion programs extends the educational mission of the college and brings positive change to the youth of the greater Huntingdon area. The Pennsylvania Education Improvement Tax Credit Program allows our company to direct a portion of its state taxes to specific educational programs of our choosing. Juniata College's outreach programs were especially appealing."

The company designated $30,000 to help fund the Science in Motion program, which offers secondary science instruction in public and private schools for students from sixth grade through high school. Science in Motion, founded in the late 1970s at Juniata, currently is a statewide program offered by various colleges and universities across Pennsylvania. The Lititz Mutual gift, funds the program at Juniata directly. During the 20115-2016 academic school year, Science in Motion at Juniata served 12 public school districts, making 839 classroom visits. In addition they collaborated with 81 teachers and offered lessons to more than 47,000 students.

Lititz Mutual also designated $15,000 to fund the college's Language in Motion program. Language in Motion, an, innovative language and culture outreach program supporting students in grades K-12, takes lessons in international culture and language to 18 area school districts, making 214 presentations to more than 2,780 students. The program currently serves about 24 schools.

"Lititz Mutual has had a strong connection with the educational mission of Juniata College."

Henry R. Gibbel, president and CEO, Lititz Mutual

The Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program is a state program that offers tax credits to businesses that contribute to scholarship organizations, educational improvement organizations or pre-Kindergarten scholarship organizations.

Lititz Mutual is the largest company using the tax credits to donate to Juniata or its educational programs.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.