Love and quilts: 50 years of the New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale
'The why people come is almost as varied an answer as how many people come'
Leigh Steckley and his wife, Lois, say their romance began at the very first New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale.
"I first saw my wife – I think we were both 17 – at the relief sale back in 1967. I think we were with other friends at that time, but that was our first acquaintance, and we always say that kind of started our relationship off," Leigh Steckley said.
This year, the Steckleys are donating a very special heirloom quilt to the auction: a yellow and white quilt with an arrowhead patter.
Leigh's father, William, bought the quilt for $350 at the auction back in 1968. The blanket was hand stitched by the Tavistock Mennonite Church's sewing circle.
When the Steckleys married in 1971, his parents gave them the quilt as a wedding gift.
Leigh Steckley admits the quilt was kept in a cedar chest most of the time, or was displayed on a spare bed.
"[We] really never used it much because it was considered a really kind of a cool treasure to have," he said.
"This is a cool opportunity to give something back to the sale at this special time, so we decided to submit it."
The quilt is number 69 in the sale Saturday morning, and Steckley recommends those interested in seeing it arrive at the arena early.
Run by volunteers
Volunteers from Mennonite churches across southwestern Ontario began the sale in 1967 because they wanted to help those suffering from hunger, poverty and natural disasters, as well as develop peace-building activities.
Since then, the sale has raised more than $14 million, with all proceeds going to the Mennonite Central Committee for not-for-profit relief efforts.
Rick Cober Bauman, the executive director of the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in Ontario, said he first attended the sale in 1968, "and I haven't missed very many since then."
The quilt auction has always been the big draw of the sale.
"I remember as a about a 10-year-old walking through the hot grandstand during the quilt auction and my job was to sell little half-pint cartons of white or chocolate milk to the quilt buyers who didn't want to lose their seat or miss a quilt, but were very thirsty sitting in a hot arena on a hot May Saturday," he said.
"I don't think there's anyone wandering, selling milk anymore, but you still see that huge crowd gathered in the old arena."
Food has also always been a big part of the sale. Cober Bauman said that in the beginning the food was traditional Mennonite fare. This year, there will be many different options, including food from the Syrian community.
He added the relief sale committee wants to raise an extra $50,000 at this year's sale to put towards relief efforts by MCC in Syria.
'Kind of reunion time'
"The why people come is almost as varied an answer as how many people come," Cober Bauman said.
Some come for the food, some for the quilts, and some just because they've always done so.
"Lots of people have come so often that it's that time of the year that they meet people that they might not see otherwise. It's kind of reunion time," he said.
Like the Steckleys, Cober Bauman says he also comes for romance.
"For my wife and I, it was actually our first date back in the 10th annual relief sale in the mid-70s. Our first outing was to the New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale," he said. "I think there are lots of stories like that that attach back to an earlier sale."
Events Friday and Saturday
The relief sale gets underway Friday night with a silent auction and indoor auction. The quilt sale begins at 8:30 a.m. Saturday.
On Saturday, there will also be an outdoor auction on the fairgrounds right beside the arena, a children's activity tent, and a 2K and 5K fun run or walk that you can register for that morning. There's also live music both Friday night and Saturday featuring local musicians.
The auctions and activities are being held at the New Hamburg Community Centre and the neighbouring fairgrounds.