Relief sale gives globally while staying close to home
Part of the joy in giving is knowing every single penny will go toward helping people around the world. My Coins Count has been an instrumental part of the relief sale for many years and continues to allow everyone to pitch in for the cause.
Not everyone is called to go halfway around the world to support other countries as a missionary. That doesn’t mean opportunities aren’t available locally that allow everyone to be an integral part of reaching out in compassion around the globe.
The annual Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale is one avenue that allows people to make a global impact on the lives of many without having to travel far.
For more than half a century, the Mennonite churches in Northeastern Ohio, in particularly Wayne, Stark and Holmes counties, have worked together to put on an event to raise funds for Mennonite Central Committee.
MCC is the relief and community development arm of the Mennonite church and works in many countries around the world to send aid when disasters strike, drill wells for clean water, teach people skills to help support themselves and their families and more.
One of the organization’s largest support systems is its annual auction, and this year’s auction July 7-8 will take on a new look as it moves into its new digs at the Mt. Hope Event Center.
The new feel will have the entire auction under one roof, in an enclosed space that is large enough to host the entirety of the two-day event, and it’s all in the confines of an air-conditioned facility, which will make participation in the event more enjoyable during the Ohio summer heatwave that usually greets the event.
The other new aspect of the auction is it has moved up one month prior to the former early August dates. With the changes the board believes the relief sale can be bigger and better than ever.
“We’re excited to see where this new move and new date take us in terms of participation,” board member Adam Heath said. “We think this venue is ideal. We’re stoked to set up in a tremendous facility like the Mt. Hope Event Center, and while that’s new, we have all of the old favorites that have made the relief sale so beloved over the years.”
The event will kick off Friday, July 7 at 4 p.m. with a silent auction, plenty of food, an artisan’s market, quilter’s corner and a full display of all of the auction items.
At 6:30 p.m. local favorite John Schmid will take the stage to present a free concert while the evening will see a huge girls volleyball tournament throughout the night, all of this taking place inside under one roof.
On Saturday the event will move into high gear, with a full breakfast of pancakes, fresh sausage, eggs and more.
The annual 1k kids run and the 5k Run and Walk for Relief will start at 7:30 a.m., with the artisan’s market, quilter’s corner, auction displays and food stands opening at 8 a.m.
The big highlight, the main auction, will start at 9 a.m. with quilts, wall hangings, locally made furniture, tools and more hitting the auction block. One highly collectible piece will be an authentic Showalter guitar valued at $2,750. The sycamore and cherry guitar comes with a letter of authenticity and will be a highlight to the auction.
New this year will be a focus on a venture the board hopes people will really enjoy.
Businesses throughout Amish Country dug deep and donated thousands of dollars in gift cards, which will be auctioned off. The gift cards are great for Christmas, birthday, anniversary or any occasion, and whether used by the winning bidder or given away as gifts, the gift cards are a great addition to an already-packed auction lineup.
“We really thought it would be fun to get the community involved and promote the gift card theme this year,” Heath said.
While the adults are busy bidding, the kids aren’t forgotten. They can invest in playing in the kids area, where there will be plenty of activities and a bounce house, or they can partake in the children’s auction, where the kids themselves — with the permission of their parents — are allowed to purchase a bidding card and bid on items of their choosing.
“Kids can register with their parents and do their bidding for items just like the big auction,” Heath said. “This is always a great time, and it’s fun to see the kids bidding against each other for their favorite items.”
The children’s auction will begin at 10:30 a.m. and is for children age 12 and under.
Another addition that came to the auction last year was the ability for those not attending to bid online. Online buyers have the option to either purchase via the Buy It Now button offered on select items through July 7 or they can secure an online proxibid for items, log on the day of the sale and have at it just as though they were there live.
For more information or to sign up for an online bidding number, visit the website at www.ohiomccreliefsale.org. Some of the items in the auction also may be viewed on that site.
Throughout the day there will be plenty of food including the Laotian egg rolls for which the relief sale has become so well known. Other foods will include barbecued chicken, Amish noodles, homemade ice cream, Amish fry pies and more.
“We invite everyone to come and eat with us, enjoy the music, participate in an auction, or just come and watch and join in the fellowship,” Heath said. “It’s a fun weekend and a wonderful way for all of us to work together to support world relief and enjoy fellowshipping with one another.”
The Mennonite, Brethren, Apostolic and Amish churches of Northeastern Ohio have come together for the 58th year of an event to raise funds for the work of Mennonite Central Committee.
While the big money supports the auctions, there is a golden opportunity to let your coins do some talking through the My Coins Count program.
Specially designated to support MCC’s Clean Water Project is the spare change collection. Guests can save spare change or also checks and $100 bills and drop them off at the Relief Sale My Coins Count collection site. The old adage “every penny counts” is definitely true when it comes to this project.
There also will be plenty of opportunities to meet and greet representatives from MCC. Eric Kurtz, MCC Great Lakes executive director who has just returned from several MCC mission sites, will give a presentation Friday evening, and there will be MCC representatives manning a table throughout the event to discuss the many relief outreach ministries MCC is working on now and in the future.
The Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale is grateful to all who donate, with the major sponsors including Everence, Dutcher Door, MJ Miller & CO., Tilmor, Yoder-Bontrager Insurance, Hummel Insurance, Countryside Plumbing, Mennonite Mutual Insurance, Goodville Insurance, Vaughn Insurance Agency and Orrvilla Retirement Community.