82-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 4, 2003
Clinic’s Event Draws Thousands At 13th Annual Auction
MICHELLE KUNJAPPU
Sections Staff
LEOLA (Lancaster Co.)
Again this year donated quilts,
food, and furniture combined to
draw thousands to a benefit auc
tion now in its 13 th year.
The event, which benefits The
Clinic for Special Children,
Strasburg, is one of three benefit
auctions for the clinic. An auc
tion in Shippensburg in July and
Morrison Cove in early Septem
ber preceded the largest auction
conducted recently at the Leola
Produce Auction, Leola.
The Leola event is the largest
of the three auctions. The other
two auctions were created for
people who wanted to “support
the clinic, but not drive all the
way to Lancaster,” said Caroline
Morton, executive director of the
clinic.
The Shippensburg auction,
conducted July 19, included a
spring wagon made specifically
for the event and 22 quilts.
Auction offerings included
household decorative items, fur
niture, quilts, crafts, and food.
More than 80 quilts were do
nated from all over the county.
“Many of them were made by
friends or relatives of patients of
the clinic,” said Morton. Most of
the quilts were from Amish and
Mennonite communities in the
Lancaster County area, however
groups in other counties donated
their handiwork, as well.
Besides individual contribu
tors, “sewing circles and church
The to-scale schoolhouse was also built and then do
nated by community members.
Items such as this gazebo were built by community
members and then donated to the auction. The auction
accounts for one-third of the annual operating budget.
Amidst the busyness of the auction, the horses quietly
dozed in the sunshine.
groups” were also suppliers of
quilts. The highest-selling quilt of
the day, featuring the postage
stamp design, brought $925.
In addition to quilts, funds
may come from other areas.
“Food is also a large portion,”
said Morton, who pointed out
that last year volunteers sold
20,000 doughnuts.
For example homemade lem
onade, soft pretzels, chicken bar
b-que, pizza, strawberry pies, and
ice cream churned on the prem
ises has proven to be popular
with auction-goers.
Locally-made furniture has
also become a draw for buyers.
Outdoor furniture such as a
gazebo, sheds or playhouses in
cluded a scale replica of an
Amish schoolhouse which was
complete with a bell.
Swingsets, an Amish buggy, a
two-seater open carriage, and
pony and wagon were a few of
the wares sold outdoors.
“All proceeds go directly to
support the clinic,” said Morton.
Last year more than 6,000 at
tended the event, and by the end
of the day at this year’s auction,
more than 1,300 buyer numbers
were handed out.
The event is organized by a
committee comprised of a dozen
Amish and Mennonite couples,
according to Morton. Event or
ganizers may call on businesses,
-besides members of the commu
nity, for donations.
“It is just absolutely amazing
how much is donated every
year,” she said. “It’s overwhelm
ing to us how much always turns
up.”
Labor is also donated. “We
have some volunteers that return
year after year after year,” said
Morton.
Last year, for example, 19 auc
tioneers donated their time.
The 2001 auction also featured
4,000 donated items that in
cluded 16 sheds. Auction-goers
ate 600 pounds of potato chips,
4,0Q0 subs, and 3,500 soft pretzels
and washed it all down with
2,500 cups of lemonade and 769
cups of rhubarb fruit drink.
Next year’s auction will take
place on Saturday, September 28.
The clinic, a non-profit diag
nostic and medical care service
for children with inherited disor
ders, depends on the auctions.
‘The auctions are significant
contributors to our operating
costs,” accounting for one-third
of its annual operating budget,
according to Morton. Besides the
auction, the clinic is also funded
through fees for services and pri
vate contributions. Because of the
community’s support each year
via the auctions, the clinic can
provide services at a low cost for
families.
The facility has a total case
load of about 500, For more in
formation, the website is located
at www.clinicforspecialchildre
n.org.
Pounds of potatoes plus a little lard, a little salt, and a
lot of laughter equal crowd-pleasing homemade potato
chips. This Strasburg-based business, Stoltzfus Potato
Chips, keeps employees busy from September to Christ
mas making potato chips to sell for customer orders. Vol
unteers worked to make chips to sell during the auction,
with proceeds going to the clinic.
Volunteer auctioneers sold more than 80 quilts during
the event.
Who would like to start the bid for this quilt?
In addition to quilts and wallhangings such as the one
pictured, auctioned items included home decorating
items, furniture, food, and lawn furniture.