Pictured are (l – r) Wayne Bremner, MCC BC executive director, auctioneer Marlin Martins, and Tim Kroeker, chair of the relief sale committee.
ABBOTSFORD, B.C.
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) B.C. annual relief sale 2015 at the Abbotsford Tradex Sept. 18–19, 2015, raised more than $685,000 to support uprooted and vulnerable people in countries like Syria, Iraq and Ukraine. Funds at the Festival for World Relief come from the combined totals of sale items, food concessions, auction, donations and cyclathon.
The ceremonial loaf of bread, underwritten by many contributors at the start of the auction, brought more than $157,000 in proceeds.
Six-month-old Jacob shows off another new “Menno” t-shirt with mom Rachel Harrison of Chilliwack.
Chilliwack Central MB’s youth were there with “Menno Apparel” t-shirts, launched in 2011. New designs for 2015 include “Live long and faspa,” and “When life knocks me down I usually lie there and have a long meddachschlop.”
Youth Pastor Jon Kornelsen credits a news story on “Menno Apparel” two years ago for helping the venture grow. “After [the MB Herald’s] story appeared, our sales just took off!” he says.
See www.mennoapparel.com for the full catalogue.
Volunteers are key to the event. Jake Esau (pictured, left) spends retirement time fashioning wheeled toys from hardwoods and softwoods. He is a regular at the annual MCC sale.
Face painting is popular with children at the sale. Pictured, left, artist Andrea Gibb of Abbotsford’s Highland Church puts the finishing touches on Leif Sbrocchi.
PHOTOs by Jan McMaster.
