Fairmount Homes sets benefit auction, BBQ

On Saturday, Sept. 17, Fairmount Homes in Ephrata will hold its 27th Benefit Auction and Barbecue — an annual auction that draws close to 8,000 people to Fairmount’s scenic hilltop location overlooking northeast Lancaster County.

Hundreds of items, including colorful quilts and comforters, wall hangings, creative theme baskets, specialty items, gift certificates, new furniture, plants, and special theme meals called Dining for Dollars events are available for auction yearly.

Items of special interest this year are a vintage Massey Harris 101 Junior tractor and a 5′ x 8′ Burkholder landscape trailer. A Quality Assurance Certified Angus steer will be auctioned again this year, as two mixed quarters and four mixed eighths. Also, following the 11:30 a.m. song and prayer, a special “Make a Difference” auction will be held, in which $150 gift opportunities for the Sharing Fund will be auctioned.

Bidder registration begins at 8 a.m. for the two simultaneously running auctions that start promptly at 9 a.m. In addition to the two main auctions is a children’s auction at 1:45 p.m. There are many other activities to interest children as well, including barrel train rides, games, and prizes. However, the most anticipated attraction each year is certain to be the candy drop from an ultra-light plane, scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Food will be sold all day, starting at 6:30 a.m.

Quilts, specialty items, and Dining for Dollars events are currently on display in the Wheat Ridge lobby at Fairmount. These items, as well as an Auction Day schedule, can be viewed online by clicking the Auction and Barbecue link from the Fairmount website at FairmountHomes.org. Absentee bid forms are available at the front desk of the Wheat Ridge lobby.

Proceeds from the 2016 auction will go to the Sharing Fund, which helps to cover the cost of care for residents who have exhausted their financial resources.

Directions, and more information, can be found online at FairmountHomes.org.