Holmes Senior Center hosting annual Chinese auction Nov. 5
What will Santa’s sleigh be filled with this year? For those who attend the annual Holmes County Darb Snyder Senior Center Santa’s Sleigh Auction, it could be filled with all sorts of outstanding gifts. The event will take place at the St. Peter’s Church in Millersburg on Nov. 5.
Santa Claus is coming to town, and he is making a stop at the St. Peter Catholic Center in Millersburg for an event that serves the people of Holmes County.
The annual Santa’s Sleigh Chinese Auction for the Darb Snyder Holmes County Senior Center will take place Saturday, Nov. 5 at the St. Peter Catholic Center in Millersburg.
The auction doors will open at 11 a.m., and patrons will have a chance to peruse the various prizes and drop their tickets into whatever bag they desire until 1 p.m. The drawing will then begin at 1:30 p.m., and participants must either be present to win or have someone watching their card if they must leave.
According to Helen Hall, this event is the big fundraiser of the year for the senior center, so having missed the prior two years put a dent in the center’s fundraising efforts.
“This is the big one for us, and the absence of the auction the past two years made a big difference and had a big impact on what we are able to do,” said Hall, event coordinator and Meals on Wheels coordinator. “We don’t receive any funding from the county, so we depend deeply on fundraisers like this to provide for our county’s seniors.”
She said the funds go toward the Meals on Wheels program and other senior programs, daily upkeep, and renovation expenses and repairs.
“This event is all about supporting the senior citizens of Holmes County and providing something special for them that makes a nice impact in their lives,” Hall said. “This event is always a lot of fun, and we as a staff look forward to it, and I know a lot of other people do too. It’s like a big Christmas reunion atmosphere where people get together and have a good time.”
The Chinese auction will allow patrons to purchase tickets and place them into bags for whatever item they hope to win. After the time to purchase tickets is done, a name will be drawn for each item.
Whether patrons invest dozens of tickets into winning one prize or come up a winner with only one ticket in play, the auction is always a fun way to participate in a worthwhile Christmas event.
According to Hall, the event has been canceled the past two years due to the pandemic. However, the event being canceled didn’t stop people from continuing to donate items for the auction, so Hall said they have a huge host of items up for grabs this year.
“We probably have close to 180 items, and there is something for everyone,” Hall said. “We have gift baskets, small appliances, gift cards, craft items, toys and a big variety of all new items.”
As the event goes along, the anticipation of the drawing picks up. Then a winner is announced for an item, and either cheers or more often moans can be heard.
“Sometimes people don’t even recall dropping a ticket into a certain prize they now own,” Hall said. “If there is an item someone dropped a lot of tickets on and someone else wins, trust me, you hear a lot of moans and groans, but it’s all in fun.”
Hall also said she has seen on numerous occasions where an adult will win a toy and recognize that a youngster had their hopes set on winning that item. Often the adult will turn around and give the toy to the child, thus perpetuating the Christmas spirit of giving.
In addition to the raffle, there will be a 50/50 drawing and a Lucky Sticker gift card, which is a candy bar sale with the winning candy bar sticker winning a gift card to Rodhe’s IGA. It’s much like the golden ticket in the book and movie “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”
Hall said lucky winners can keep their gifts for themselves, give them away to others at Christmas or even share them with others they know who really wanted any given item.
The cost to participate in the event is $8, which gets each participant 25 tickets. Additional tickets are available for $2 apiece.
Hall praised the many employees and volunteers and a caring community for making this event a success.
“We can’t thank the community for supporting the senior center enough, whether by donation or their willingness to bid to make it a success,” Hall said. “It is such a great feeling knowing we live in a county so willing to lend a hand to the seniors. This is one of those events that the proceeds go right back into supporting the people of Holmes County.”
The center is continuing to take donations and will take them right up until the day of the event. Anyone with questions may call the Darb Snyder Senior Center at 330-674-0580. St. Peter’s Church is located at 379 S. Crawford St. in Millersburg.
Hall said while they have plenty of gift items this year, she encourages those who would like to donate gift items for next year to do so any time.