Auction celebrates a home away from home
According to Deb Miller, Holmes County Home executive director, everything her organization offers is right there in the title of the name: Home.
Miller said the Holmes County Home has been a home away from home for its residents for many years, and on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 20-21, the annual Holmes County Home Benefit Auction saw the love and support from the community.
“This is such a special day for all of us, and we are so grateful for the incredible support we continue to get, not only on this day, but throughout the year from our community,” Miller said.
The annual auction always earmarks a culmination of the type of support Miller expressed, with the auction committee and the Holmes County Home Auxiliary playing vital roles in the ongoing success the home continues to experience.
Miller said the auction committee once again outdid itself in creating a weekend filled with activity, fellowship and support, from the Friday evening volleyball tournament to the final bid at the auction and everything in between.
In addition, she said they are always grateful for the many people who pencil this auction into their schedules on a regular basis to come bid and show their support for the Holmes County Home and its staff and residents.
“Near and far, we see many of the same faces year after year, people who make a point of coming here to bid and buy and help us out,” Miller said. “Plus, it’s always exciting to meet and greet many new faces who are experiencing the County Home for the first time.”
She said each bid, each item purchased, and all the food that is bought and consumed add to the general fund, which helps make the lives of the home's residents more enjoyable.
She said that type of love and support from others doesn’t go unnoticed by the residents.
“They love this weekend, and they understand the importance and value of this event,” Miller said. “They love to come out here and experience everything that’s going on, and everything that takes place truly helps us make this a home for all of our residents.”
Miller provided tours for anyone wishing to visit the Holmes County Home and see what all the funds have gone toward over the years for its residents, and while the auction was as crowded and well received as ever, Friday night’s volleyball tournament that featured close to three dozen women’s teams saw an amazing turnout.
According to Miller, the grounds were crowded with visitors who were either viewing the auction goods or partaking in the great menu while many sat and watched the volleyball action.
Miller said they actually ran out of fish and had to purchase more hamburgers to feed the hungry.
Miller said all of it was due to the hard work of the auction committee and auxiliary, who she said were not afraid of trying to bring in new things for the event.
Roman Miller, auction chairman, agreed, noting he is always impressed with the way the committee and community join as one in an effort to support the Holmes County Home and the residents.
“This committee is incredible. We have such a great group, and we appreciate every single one of them,” Roman Miller said. “We enjoy working in conjunction with the auxiliary and all of those who support the auction. We especially are thankful for the many people who come out to support this event. We could put all of the hard work in, but it wouldn’t mean anything if people didn’t show up.”
He said the Holmes County Home has developed a wonderful reputation, both locally and across the state, and he said that is built on the compassion of many who make it a priority knowing it serves a great purpose in the community.
He said the Holmes County Home does a fantastic job of taking care of people from both the Amish and English community, and there are plenty of reasons to celebrate the effort of the staff.
Deb Miller said anytime anyone wants to come in to tour the facility, she is more than willing to show them around to experience firsthand what makes the Holmes County Home so special.