Jim’s coverage of the 2019 sale<\/a> is a fun read, too, and captures the event as it is in normal times.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n***<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Daniel L. (Dan) Bowman, 79, of Harrisonburg may be blind, but is very much in touch with the world around him. Having completely lost his sight at age 12, Bowman has not let that physical disability hamper an aggressive pursuit of personal and career endeavors over the years \u2013 vocational rehabilitation counselor, piano tuning technician for 36 years, accomplished pianist and organist and skilled wood craftsman, and above all, devoted husband to wife Ferne and three adult daughters and their families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Longtime friend Harvey Yoder terms him \u201can engaging conversationalist and extraordinary human being.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dan\u2019s commitment to using his God-given talents to helping others extends to contributing the works of his hands to the annual Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale. This year\u2019s event will be held Oct. 1-3 at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds, with many activities taking on a different form due to COVID-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dan has fashioned and donated woodworking pieces to the relief sale auction over an 11-year period, where they\u2019ve invariably drawn high bids. A wooden marble roller that he donated his first year brought $3,700.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He has made and donated five marble rollers, a set of wooden tops, a cherry study desk, a bedside stand made of ash wood, a Victorian style wash stand, a utility\/clothing rack and as assortment of wooden footstools, and with all of his fingers still intact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In all, his work has raised approximately $13,035 for the relief sale.
Currently in progress, a working model of a water-powered grist mill, scaled at one inch to the foot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From its inception in 1967 to the present, all sale funds raised go to Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), a worldwide ministry of Anabaptist churches that share God\u2019s love and compassion for all \u201cin the name of Christ.\u201d MCC works with people at home and around the world to ease oppression, poverty and conflict and leads natural disaster relief efforts,
community development and peace work in more than 50 countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMennonite Central Committee has long been my favorite charity,\u201d Dan said. \u201cI have a brother and several friends who have served with MCC; I thrill at their stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMCC is a solid, hands-on expression of the Kingdom of Jesus in the world,\u201d he continued. \u201cThe relief sale is a tangible expression, a \u2018festival,\u2019 if you will, of our Anabaptist- Mennonite heritage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With the relief sale just two weeks away, preparations have shifted into high gear, seeking to work around the obstacles brought on by the continuing coronavirus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A \u201cSharing Our Surplus\u201d (SOS) refugee relief walk took place Aug. 23 in Harrisonburg spearheaded by Harvey Yoder and his committee. Some 100 people walked a 2.3-mile self-guided route through downtown Harrisonburg, while others walked at other times and distances or gave on-line, raising a total of $15,000 for MCC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The annual \u201cMy Coins Count\u201d project has been under way for weeks. Area congregations and businesses are finding different ways to collect coins and currency in large plastic jugs (normally done during Sunday worship services). The funds raised will be divided between MCC and local causes
through Virginia Mennonite Missions. Last year\u2019s drive raised $24,804<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The main sale event, the annual auction of handmade quilts, wall hangings, knotted comforters and afghans, artwork and wooden handcrafted items will take place online only starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 3. Once an item is bid on, others will have one minute to continue bidding until the
bidding is final.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Registration for a bid number, which began Sept. 20, is required and can be done by going on line to https:\/\/vareliefsale.com\/<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This tasteful note \u2013 several popular food items will be available on a pickup basis, including barbecued chicken, Mississippi catfish dinners and homemade potato chips. Baked goods will be on sale at the fairgrounds at specified times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This well-orchestrated event simply can\u2019t happen without the yeoman and woman efforts of a battery of volunteers. Many are already hard at work behind the scenes, but according to relief sale chair Dave Rush, more help is needed, especially with preparing, packaging and delivering the take-out meals on Friday night and Saturday . . . and, of course, with cleanup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEven though the thousands of people who usually come from all over to attend this event aren’t able to get together this year, I still believe they will give generously to aid others around the world,\u201d Dave said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, you live out of town or are otherwise unable to participate in this gala affair? No problem \u2013 donations are gladly accepted on line at vareliefsale.com or by mailing a check to Virginia Mennonite
Relief Sale, 601 Parkwood Drive, Harrisonburg VA 22802.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
MCC, as it celebrates its 100th anniversary, will appreciate your lavish response to this worthy cause \u2013 and so will Dan Bowman.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Jim Bishop ’67 publishes his “Bishop’s Mantle” column in the local Harrisonburg newspaper, Daily News-Record. We share this week’s installment ahead of publication, with Jim’s permission. Alumni appearing in this ... read more about Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale on schedule and alumni ready to contribute<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":47228,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[266,17562],"tags":[],"feature":[17427,17426,17241],"class_list":["post-47225","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni","category-digest","feature-emu-home-page-feature","feature-myemu-feature","feature-news-feature"],"yoast_head":"\nVirginia Mennonite Relief Sale on schedule and alumni ready to contribute - EMU News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2020\/mcc-relief-sale-on-schedule-and-alumni-ready-to-contribute\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale on schedule and alumni ready to contribute - EMU News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Jim Bishop ’67 publishes his “Bishop’s Mantle” column in the local Harrisonburg newspaper, Daily News-Record. 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