By Kevin Williams
It’s been a busy week for Amish-related news. Here are the most notable stories:
Tragedy in Kentucky: An Amish family in Kentucky is mourning after a buggy entered a flooded roadway and five children lost their lives. The scale of this loss is heartbreaking and difficult to comprehend. Local and national coverage has detailed the accident and its aftermath.
Priest Offers Help: The accident occurred in Bath County, Kentucky, about 50 miles northeast of Lexington. A Catholic priest from Lexington has reached out to the grieving family and is covering funeral expenses. His gesture has been widely noted as an example of compassion and community support.
New Wilmington’s Amish are known for their distinctive brown buggies; recently they have also been sewing face masks to help during the pandemic.
Amish Making Face Masks: Across several communities, Amish sewists have ramped up production of face masks to support public health needs. One striking example comes from New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. A local organizer asked an Amish quilter to make about 50 masks and posted the request on Facebook. The post went viral, reaching roughly 100,000 people across western Pennsylvania and northeastern Ohio, and thousands of orders followed. This rapid response has put local sewing operations into overdrive to meet demand.
Millie in a Pandemic: Illinois columnist Millie Otto shared her experience of life during the pandemic, describing how routines and familiar rituals have been disrupted. She also offers a home rhubarb jam recipe, reflecting the way many families are returning to homestyle cooking and preservation while spending more time at home.
Amish Cinnamon Bread: A Kansas City television station featured a popular Amish cinnamon bread recipe. The recipe highlights simple ingredients and traditional techniques that have made this loaf a favorite in many households.
These stories show different sides of Amish life right now: deep sorrow and community support, practical contributions to public health, and the comforts of home cooking and tradition during uncertain times.