{"id":43451,"date":"2019-10-09T09:58:02","date_gmt":"2019-10-09T13:58:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/?p=43451"},"modified":"2019-10-14T11:22:00","modified_gmt":"2019-10-14T15:22:00","slug":"virginia-relief-sale-sets-new-record","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2019\/virginia-relief-sale-sets-new-record\/","title":{"rendered":"Virginia relief sale sets new record"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Roving reporter and retired EMU public information officer Jim Bishop ‘6<\/em>7 graciously contributed this article and the accompanying photos. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Right on the heels of record-setting temperatures the first several days of October in the Shenandoah Valley, things literally cooled down overnight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But at the 53rd annual Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale held Oct. 4-5 at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds, heated bidding and buying from the huge crowd led to record-setting sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Adam Yoder (left). EMU crosscultural co-leader, and Professor Peter Dula making preparations for lamb curry at the Community Mennonite Church booth on Saturday.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
This year\u2019s sale \u2013 powered by more than 1,000 volunteers, including students and staff from Eastern Mennonite University \u2013 raised preliminary proceeds of $385,033 for the worldwide relief, service and peacebuilding program of the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). Last year\u2019s final sale proceeds totaled $370,181.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
I know I\u2019ve said this before, but every year I love the way people come together in a spirit of unity, both the many volunteers and in the generous giving to the work of MCC. Through this event, we work together to help others around the world whom Jesus calls us to serve. <\/p>Dave Rush, relief sale chair<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe definitely had a hugely successful event \u2013 it is a new record,\u201d said an elated Dave Rush<\/strong>, relief sale chair. \u201cAnd, we may eventually raise the final total once all expense reports are finalized.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Activities\ngot under way Friday evening with a large turnout for the barbecued beef dinner,\nmusic by Good Company and Striking Accord \u2013 local acapella music groups – and\nthe start of the live and silent auction that resumed Saturday morning and ran through\nearly afternoon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The\nannual auction of handmade quilts, wall hangings, knotted comforters and\nafghans, artwork and wooden handcrafted items accounted for $128,083 of the\ntotal funds raised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Campus Pastor Brian Martin Burkholder serves fish in a flash.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Total funds raised included $24,804 from the annual \u201cMy Coins Count\u201d project from 27 Valley area churches. Area congregations and other groups collected coins and currency in large water jugs for weeks, then brought their containers to the sale for sorting and tabulating done by employees of Park View Federal Credit Union. \u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lindale\nMennonite Church north of Harrisonburg topped all donors with $3,359.30,\nfollowed by Harrisonburg Mennonite Church with $1,962.69, Park View Mennonite\nChurch with $1,782.20 and Ridgeway Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg with\n$1,749.55.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This\nyear\u2019s funds will go to support refugee work in the Middle East and Jason\nWagner\u2019s chaplaincy work at Harrisonburg-Rockingham Regional Jail through\nVirginia Mennonite Missions and water access and conservation projects in\nJordan through MCC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A portion of this year\u2019s \u201cspecial project\u201d funds – $5,750 \u2013 will be given to LOVE Inc., a local faith-based ministry, and New Bridges Immigrant Resource Center in Harrisonburg. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Director of Athletics Dave King pedals the equivalent of five miles while churning five gallons of (chocolate) ice cream.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Again this year, the Relief Sale board promoted an opportunity to add to the total relief sale giving through a \u201cS.O.S. (Sharing Our Surplus)\u201d campaign spearheaded by local pastor, counselor and community advocate Harvey Yoder<\/strong>. A special table was staffed by Everence volunteers during the sale for persons to donate money to MCC\u2019s war and famine refugee relief. Yoder reported that approximately $25,777 came in for this initiative, with a three-year total of nearly $100,000 raised. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPeople came up to me and expressed\nappreciation for the opportunity to contribute in this way,\u201d Yoder said. \u201cI\u2019m\ngrateful for their [verbal and financial] responses, and we expect to continue\nthis \u2018extra\u2019 effort as part of the overall relief sale culture.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the auction, a picture of the David Heatwole home in hand-carved wood and donated by Betty Heatwole, drew a top bid of $4,000. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A 41\u201dx 41\u201d vintage feedsack wall hanging pieced by Carmen Wyse<\/strong> of Harrisonburg and quilted by Mac McArthur Fox<\/strong> of Blacksburg, Va., was auctioned for $3,500.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reporter Jim Bishop (right) takes a moment to hang out with former colleague Dave Detrow, EMU registrar (and relief sale cook). <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
A slant-top desk in walnut with 10 drawers crafted by Norman Lambert<\/strong> of North Carolina went for $2,500, and a handmade guitar with spalted maple top and mahogany body by Darrell Weaver <\/strong>of Stuarts Draft sold for $2,500.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For the fourth year, John<\/strong> and Jennifer Murch<\/strong> and their children \u2013 Jonathan,<\/strong> 19, Rebecca<\/strong>, 18, Caroline<\/strong>, 15, and Nicholas<\/strong>, 13 \u2013 of Linville headed up the carefully-orchestrated donut-making operation. Around 15,550 of the confectionary delights were sold out by noon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other food offerings drawing long lines included kettle-cooked potato chips (1,350 pounds of potatoes used), 1,680 tamales made by members of Immanuel Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg, 675 quarts of Brunswick stew made on the premises by members of Springdale Mennonite Church in Augusta County, Mississippi catfish dinners, grilled pinchos (marinated and spiced chicken on a stick), Indian dishes, bean and cheese tacos, homemade ice cream, cider and applebutter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2019\/10\/VAReliefSale-AdamPeter-1024x706.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2019\/10\/VAReliefSale-catfish3-699x1024.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2019\/10\/VAReliefSale-Dave-715x1024.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2019\/10\/VAReliefSale-Bishop-Detrow-1024x729.jpg\")