It's an annual tradition in Lancaster County. The 30th annual Hospice & Community Care’s Labor Day Auction kicks off Monday morning at the Lampeter Fairgrounds. [851 Village Rd., Lampeter]
All proceeds from the Auction help Hospice & Community Care patients and families. Thousand of people attend every year from all over Pennsylvania and beyond. The annual Labor Day Auction is their biggest fundraiser.
More than 5,000 items donated from the community will be up for grabs. New items including purses, handmade quilts and Amish furniture, vacation packages, fine jewelry, and framed original artwork will be auctioned off in the main area.
Autographed sports jerseys, footballs, and baseball bats will be auctioned in the sports memorabilia auction.
Used items and plants will be auctioned off in other areas.
An Amish buggy, ride-on tractor, a motorcycle and two used cars are also up for grabs.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
Monday, September 1
7:30 a.m.: Breakfast made by friends from the Amish community begins. Baked goods and food made on-site are available throughout the day.
8:30 a.m.: General Auction opens, featuring quilts, artwork, Amish furniture, and more. Plants, Shrubs and Garden Auction also opens, featuring Garden Guy, Steve Gallion.
9:00 a.m.: Sports Memorabilia Auction Opens. Items up for bid include a basketball signed by Wilt Chamberlain.
11:00 a.m.: Chicken and Rib BBQ opens!
Noon: Select quilts auctioned in the Main Building featuring guest auctioneer Paul Scott.
12:30 p.m.: Special items up for bid include a Columbia Snow Thrower; “A Little Taste of Italy,” a private food tour of Philadelphia’s Italian Market; and a one week getaway in a two-bedroom oceanfront condo in Ocean City, MD.
1:00 p.m.: Original paintings by Suk Shuglie and Dale Ziegler will be auctioned. All other pieces of artwork will be up for bid throughout the day. Sheds and Outdoor furniture will be up for auction
4:00 p.m. Drawing for Grand Slam Raffle: 2014 Ford Mustang; $2,500 Visa® Gift Card; 3-Night Cruise for Two; 50” Flat Screen HDTV
6:00 p.m. Auction concludes.
INTERESTING EVENT FACTS:
· Many people bid on auction items as a way to say thank you for what Hospice did for someone in their family.
· In 2013, food alone brought in more than $40,000, all prepared by friends from the Amish community. More than 200 local Amish residents volunteer their time to bring together a huge variety of food choices, including chicken corn soup, fruit, sticky buns, fried shrimp, donuts made on-site, cakes, Auction-famous “pretzel logs,” milkshakes and an enormous chicken and rib BBQ!
· The Sports Memorabilia Auction, which began in 2005, generated more than $40,000 in 2013. This all-day auction, which is a huge hit with sports fans, is held on Monday in its own dedicated tent and features thousands of sports items, many autographed, from just about every sport.
· A large portion of the Auction proceeds also comes from raffle sales. This year’s “Grand Slam” raffle offers a chance to win a cherry red 2014 Ford Mustang, a $2,500 Visa® Gift Card, 3-day cruise for two, and a 50” flat screen HDTV.
