65th Anniversary Illinois Mennonite Relief Sale this Saturday

 

[April 04, 2023] 

Soon when we begin to enjoy reflections of spring with singing robins and perfumes of tulips, our thoughts turn to the Illinois Mennonite Relief Sale. This year we celebrate the 65th Anniversary Illinois Mennonite Relief Sale on Saturday, March 18, 2023, at Interstate Center in Bloomington, IL. Theme for this year’s event is: “Through 65 Years of Relief Sales God’s Love Still Prevails!”

Preparation for the event, involving people from approximately 30 Illinois churches, occurs year-round with hundreds of volunteers. Special plans are now progressing in organizing our all-you-can-eat pancakes and sausage breakfast starting at 6:00 A.M. on March 18 and continuing until noon. Here families may enjoy a delicious meal as well as enjoy a time for Christian fellowship.

One of the many highlights of this annual charity event, benefiting the needy at home and abroad, will be the crying of the grand auction starting at 8:00 A.M. on Saturday, March 18. Volunteer auctioneers, including two Amish gentlemen from Arthur, will cry the sale. In addition there will be a children’s auction on Saturday morning.

Featured at the auction will be more than 75 handmade quilts and even some wall hangings. One of the exquisite ones will be the king-sized beauty donated by members of the Illinois Relief Sale Board. The gorgeous original design of this quilt is known as “Mariners Star Compass.” It is hand appliqued and quilted by one Amish lady in Pennsylvania. The size is 117 by 117 inches with hand stitching of eight stitches per inch. Some of the various colors include: gray, black, cream, brick, and plumb.

One of the highlights for children in our Grand Auction will be an eight-room Colonial Dollhouse; it has new paint and wallpaper. Measurements are approximately 29.5” wide, 17” deep, and 31” high. It also has a detachable yard. The dollhouse is completely furnished and has LED lighting. This special item has been donated by Norm and Sharon Ewert of Wheaton, IL.

The Pennsylvania Dutch Market will have a bustling business with many kinds of luscious pies, cakes, cookies, homemade bread, and much more.

Once again meat lovers will have the opportunity to purchase fresh whole-hog sausage, both link and bulk. With the help of Eureka’s Bittner Meat Shop and some volunteer workers, thousands of pounds of fresh sausage will be packaged for the sale.

Speciality booths that always draw crowd attraction will be Arts and Handicrafts, Baby Booth, Flower Box, Kiddie Korner, and others. New for the children this year will be Water Tattoos.

The most unique creations from overseas will be offered for sale by Ten Thousand Villages. Here sale-goers will find special gifts such as purses, linens, baskets, and all kinds of jewelry. The organization known as Ten Thousand Villages is located in Akron, Pennsylvania. Purchasing these items at the sale helps to provide a fair income to Third World people who creatively make and sell their handicrafts. This program purchases quality products from over 2,000 needy artisans in over 30 countries of the world. These quality items are sold here in America with that income then going back to the artisans for more trade.

Twenty percent of the net proceeds of the Illinois Sale helps local charities by providing food for the needy. Some of these groups are the Salvation Army in Peoria, Bloomington, and Pekin. Other recipients are Peoria Rescue Mission, Peoria and Bloomington’s Midwest Food Bank, and other local food pantries.

Eighty percent of the Relief Sale net proceeds are channeled to Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) of Akron, Pennsylvania, for international world relief assistance. This year MCC is celebrating 103 years (1920-2023) in a world-wide ministry of Anabaptist churches. Presently, MCC has 1,034 workers assisting the needy in America and in 45 countries of the world.

For a special day with the whole family, plan to attend the 65th Anniversary Illinois Mennonite Relief Sale on March 18 at Interstate Center, Bloomington. Admission and parking are free. For more information please contact 309-266-7704 or 309-262-4296.

[Mrs. Don (Ruthie) Roth]