Clinic for Special Children benefit auction
Today was the annual auction in Lancaster County benefiting The Clinic for Special Children.
The clinic, founded by Dr. Holmes Morton and located in Strasburg, PA, serves Amish and Mennonite children with rare genetic ailments (and others from outside the Amish and Mennonite community as well).
There was a large turnout today at the auction house at Leola, and much to keep one busy, including plenty of food as well as various items to bid on, including quilts, furniture, and tools.
Dr. Morton made a moving speech as did two of his colleagues at the clinic, Dr. Kevin Strauss and Dr. Nicholas Rider.
Morton showed the crowd a simple wooden birdhouse and explained that it had been made by a local 17-year-old boy who suffered from a rare disease. Just a few years ago, Morton pointed out, someone with his condition would not be physically able to make something like it. But thanks to medical advances, this boy could and did.
The attractive birdhouse, which consisted mainly of salvage and scrap material and which Dr. Morton estimated ‘cost less than ten cents to make’, proceeded to take in a $6000 winning bid.
They weren’t all that high, but this was just an example of the generosity on display today. As the clinic only charges patients 20% of the cost of services, generosity is needed, and the local community, through the giving of time, sweat, goods, and cash, did not fail to deliver.
We love the Amish communities that we have visited.
What a wonderful closeness to family and friends.
That’s sounds like you had a real good time! Thank you for sharing your day with us!
Wouldn’t it be great if more health professionals cared more about the person then the money involved?
Praise God for folks who care, that’s all I will say. 🙂
Sunday blessings,
Dawn
Dr. Morton commands huge respect in the community, and I’m beginning to understand why. Seems like a very selfless person from what I hear from my Amish friends and acquaintances.
What a wonderful worthy cause. We were visiting in Shippensburg at the end of July and had the privilege of attending one of these auctions. What a blessing !!!
Glad you got a chance to attend Theresa. Hopefully I will make this year’s edition in Leola.
Would like to contact director for your auction
My wife and I are led to help the disadvantaged and disabled. We have done Christian Clowning for Joni Eareckson Tada’s Ministries and various local charitable events
I’m a Pastor and Chaplain at ECH and Maple Farm nursing home. Last year we were asked by a kind Amish woman who participates in helping with your auction if we’d participate as caring clowns (part of our ministries).
I’d appreciate if you could provide me the name/number of a contact person.
Thank you,
Rob Orris
Supporting the Special Children auction
Robert and Carol, this is probably what you need, from the Clinic website:
For questions on supporting the Clinic or specific questions regarding planned giving, please contact Matthew Sware through email or at 717.687.9407.
http://www.clinicforspecialchildren.org/support.html
According to the site there are now 5 auctions in PA and Ohio, generating 1/3 of the Clinic’s budget.