LITTLE VALLEY — Cattaraugus County’s Amish community comes together Saturday at the Cattaraugus County Fairgrounds for a daylong Amish Child Benefit Auction.
Organizers of the auction hope to raise up to $150,000 to pay for medical bills of the 6-year-old son of Aaron Hertzler of Little Valley, Amos, who has Down syndrome and recently had a successful surgery in Boston.
It is the second time the Amish community in the Little Valley, Mansfield, Otto and East Otto areas have held an auction at the fairgrounds to help pay medical bills. The previous auction raised nearly $140,000.
It is similar to the Amish Relief Auction that has been held for the past 14 years in Cherry Creek, to help pay medical bills of the western Cattaraugus County Amish community.
The Amish do not have health insurance. They prefer to pay their medical bills in full and in cash so doctors and hospitals will be there when they are needed again, said Patrick J. Cullen, president of the Bank of Cattaraugus, which often helps the Amish community publicize these events.
“It’s very heartwarming to see the public turnout at these auctions to support the Amish community,” Cullen said. “They are wonderful people and they are there when you need them.”
Hundreds of items have already been pledged for the auction, which will be under cover at the fairgrounds and will be held rain or shine. More than 30 Amish quilts with many different patterns will be auctioned.
There is plenty of parking and space for handicapped parking.
Before the auction visitors will want to visit the pancake and sausage breakfast from 6 to 9:30 a.m. Doughnuts will be made fresh on site all day. A chicken barbecue, pig roast, fish sandwiches, subs, salads, hamburgers, pizza, ice cream, lemonade, pop, Gatorade and coffee will be available.
Donations and consignment items are still needed. New and slightly used items are welcome. The fairgrounds will be open Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Friday from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m., and Saturday up until sale time at 9 a.m.
Donations can be dropped off at any Otto, East Otto or Mansfield area Amish residence.
Those wishing to make monetary donations should make checks payable to Hertzler Hospital Fund at the Bank of Cattaraugus in Cattaraugus or Cattaraugus County Bank in Little Valley.
The auction is being managed by Vineyard Road Auctions LLC. Consignments, except quilts, must be dropped off at the fairgrounds. Send quilts and information to Mary Stutzman, 8420 Colvin Road, Cattaraugus.
The livestock auction will begin at noon. A variety of work horses, cattle and pigs are already pledged.
Farm equipment will be sold including a rebuilt 1949 Farmall Cub tractor with cultivators, plow and fertilizer attachments, a rebuilt 9 Bar McCormick hay loader, two Papec silo fillers, McCormick #9 6-foot mower, Peaqua manure spreader, Nuline manure spreader, garden cultivator, an open buggy, horseshoe stocks, new and used buggy harnesses, a new 16-inch Allegany Mountain trail saddle and 20 horse blankets.
A wide assortment of quilts, furniture, shop tools and miscellaneous items including sheds, picnic tables, wringer washers, camping equipment, garden supplies and a truckload of groceries are also being auctioned.
For more information, contact Noah A. Hertzler, 7124 Jersey Hollow Road, Little Valley, NY 14755 or Dan D. Miller, 8960 Otto East Otto Road, County Road 12, Otto, NY.
(Contact reporter Rick Miller at rmiller@oleantimesherald.com. Follow him on Twitter, @RMillerOTH)
