Perryville High School receives donated piano after tornado loss

FOX23 News at 9 p.m.

PERRYVILLE, Mo., (KBSI) — Perryville High School has received a donated baby grand piano to replace one lost when a tornado damaged the school in March 2024.

Taylor Kluender said in a social media post Wednesday that students had spent years raising money for the original piano. Since the tornado, Kluender has moved classrooms more than 12 times and used a portable electric piano on a cart.

The school applied at the beginning of this school year for a replacement through Pianos for People, a St. Louis nonprofit that places donated pianos with new recipients and provides free piano education.

The application was approved, and the school received the piano Wednesday.

“Thankful just doesn’t do how I’m feeling justice,” Kluender wrote.

Kluender said the donation will benefit hundreds of students this school year and thousands in the years ahead.

Kluender credited administrative assistant Angie Pfaff with helping coordinate the donation and thanked school administrators and Danny Ravensberg of Pianos for People for their support.