Mennonite sale brings in $234,300 for relief efforts

Photo by Andrew Millette

A volunteer glazes 12 of the 16,000 maple doughnuts sold at the Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale Oct. 2.

$234,300 was raised for Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) last weekend during the 38th annual Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale at Rockingham County Fairgrounds. "So far the totals that we have are up from last year," said Marvin Nisely, chair of the Relief Board.

The auction raised more funds with a larger variety of homemade furniture and quilts than previous years. The estimated total is about $10,000 more than the total for last year with a record-breaking 23 items selling at $1,000 or more. A grandfather clock handcrafted by Harry Krauss Sr. of Harrisonburg, VA sold at the highest price of $4,000. Anna Mary Burkholder's white, imperial rose quilt sold with the highest bid of $3,000.

"I have a really positive feeling about the sale this year," said Nisely. "It's great to see all generations are involved. The sales are a great way to be involved in MCC."

The Relief Board has made a deliberate effort the past two years to encourage EMU students to volunteer at the sale. "I did this last year and enjoyed it so much I came back this year," said Martin Irungu. "I believe in MCC and the good that it is doing around the world."

Students could be seen at Ten Thousand Villages, making doughnuts, taking care of the children, and handling auction purchases. "Next year I would like to encourage students to help clean up," said Nisely.

Sons of the Day, a local men's a cappella group, and Finely Tuned, a local women's quartet, provided the entertainment Friday night, while families of several generations enjoyed homemade food and baked goods donated by Virginia Conference churches.

Volunteers worked around the clock to make 16,000 doughnuts for breakfast Saturday morning. "That's enough doughnuts for one person to eat three doughnuts a day for fifteen years!" said a volunteer from Zion Mennonite Church.

Springdale Mennonite Church in Waynesboro, VA made 150 gallons of Brunswick stew, and sold about 130 gallons. Mountain View Mennonite Church in Augusta County prepared approximately 4,000 quarts of apple butter, which sold rapidly. 1,762 pounds of corn meal and 700 pounds of ground wheat were prepared and sold by Powhatan Mennonite Church.

Ten Thousand Villages of Dayton sold their fair-trade items in a new location this year, with sales grossing $12,000. "It is a lot more pleasant to be out of the barn. People and merchandise aren't getting dusty," said manager Valerie Weaver.

Plants donated by EMU's greenhouse, Misty Morning Plants, and various church groups brought in approximately $2,000 with 400 plants sold.