Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Relief Sale Auction and Bazaar

Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) volunteers hold a Relief Sale Auction and Bazaar in Coaldale every three years.
This local event provides significant funds for MCC to carry out its work, specifically in three areas.
Relief efforts provide emergency assistance such as tents, blankets, food and medical care after disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis.
* Development efforts provide agricultural training, education programs and health programs.
Peace with justice efforts provide advocacy at the government levels and leadership training in anti-racism and peace-building workshops.
With a budget of nearly $99 million in 2015, MCC had personnel in 55 countries.
In 2015, MCC was involved in 818 projects with 466 partners, providing 48,000 blankets, 49,500 hygiene kits and 87,500 school kits, to name a few.
* MCC also operates significant programs in North America. Examples in Alberta are: Restorative Justice (RJ), Services for Newcomers (in Taber) and refugee sponsorships bringing refugees from many countries.
The last year has seen a significant number of refugees from Syria. Our Calgary MCC office has helped with almost 900 refugee applications from Syria and other countries in the last year.
* Further information is available at mcccanada.ca/.
The MCC Relief Sale Auction and Bazaar is an important fundraiser, starting on Friday with a barbecue supper, baking, and the evening auction.
On Saturday, the pancake breakfast and Opening Ceremonies preclude the main event auction — selling upwards of 200 items, most of them handmade.
Traditional Mennonite foods with eight unique food booths, My Coins Count, and other MCC-related shops and booths can all be found at the sale. Donations and cash are accepted throughout the two-day event.
* The Canadian Foodgrains Bank from the Coaldale-Lethbridge Community Growing Project will be a feature event just before noon.
Pre-sale fundraisers cover all the costs of the sale, which will take place at the Coaldale Arena on June 10 and 11.
More details are available at mccreliefsale.com or contact Ernie Engbrecht at 403-380-6446 or Phil Klassen at 403-345-2077.
Ernie Engbrecht and Phil Klassen
MCC Relief Auction and Bazaar — Co-chairmen