Last weekend I went back home to central Illinois to spend some time with my parents. This particular weekend also happened to be the weekend of the Mennonite Relief Sale that takes place every year in Arthur, Illinois.
The first time my mom told me about this particular event, I thought it sounded terrible and nothing I would ever be interested. Granted, I was in college when I first learned about it, but still, hanging out in a big open building in the middle of nowhere looking at furniture and blankets (what I thought quilts were back then 😉 ) didn’t sound like my idea of fun. Fast forward 20 years and I LOVE going to the relief sale!
The furniture that is built from the local community is absolutely gorgeous. It’s definitely nothing like you’d find at Target or Ikea, but rather high quality, one of a kind pieces. One bedroom set that was auctioned off this year sold for close to $10,000. Watching bids go that high is nerve-wracking! You get sightly afraid to scratch your head during bidding wars like that in fear that someone might interpret your scratch as a bid. 😉
The quilts are also an amazing part of the sale that is mind-blowing year after year. This year there were probably only about half the quilts that they typically have, but that didn’t stop anyone from marveling over them. The quilts are for the most part, all handmade, although a few are machine-sewed. Some are made and donated by local individuals or groups, while others actually are sent as a donation by quilting groups from the Amish and Mennonite community across the country! As I earlier stated, I used to call these blankets because I didn’t know the difference. Looking at one up close will quickly school you in the difference. You’ll never find a mass-produced blanket that even slightly resembles the craftsmanship of these quilts. Some of them are quite small and are intended to be lap quilts or for a baby crib, while others are seemingly enormous and meant to completely cover a kind size bed. Every year for the past several years my mom has left with at least one quilt. Some she doesn’t even want necessarily, but she’ll bid to help drive up the price. Sometimes that plan backfires on her and she wins the quilt! 🙂 This year, she left with three quilts which puts her quilt total from these sales to around 25 I think. And don’t think the quilts are any kind of a bargain compared to the furniture, because that’s not always true. One quilt this year went for around $2,000!
Aside from all of the auctioned items, there are also the baked goods that are available for purchase. These are the best baked goods you’ll ever have. Cinnamon rolls and tea rings, pies and bread, and so much more. If you don’t get to the auction in the first couple of hours of it starting, you’re out of luck – the baked goods go fast!
The Mennonite Relief Sale is held annually to benefit various relief efforts around the world, as well as education, agriculture, health and more. To learn more about MCC and how the relief sale benefits relief efforts, please visit the Arthur Mennonite Relief Sale here.
If you happen to live in an area that holds sales like these, I highly encourage you to check it out and support the Amish and Mennonite Communities and their various relief efforts.