The 22nd annual Supplementary Assistance to the Handicapped (SATH) Charity Auction is scheduled for Saturday, May 15 starting at 10 a.m. at the Highland County Fairgrounds.
The Hess Auction Company is assisting SATH with the auction, with all proceeds going to fund the organization’s efforts in helping special needs children from Highland, Brown, Clinton, Fayette and surrounding counties.
Linda Allen, SATH executive director, told The Times-Gazette the auction will have a slight change of venue, moving from the Wharton Building to the Multi-Purpose Building on the fairgrounds due to construction.
“The Multi-Purpose Building is bigger than the Wharton, but the only thing is, it’s not heated so we’re hoping for a nice, sunny and warm day,” she said. “There will be plenty of seating, we’ll have plenty of chairs so people aren’t having to stand throughout the auction, so we want everyone to look for the signs to direct them to go to the Multi-Purpose Building.”
Preceding the auction, Allen said a video will be presented to allow those at the auction to see the activities of KAMP Dovetail and the work of SATH throughout the year.
SATH and KAMP Dovetail provide leisure time activities for children with disabilities, and Allen said that for the past year the pandemic put the necessary fund raisers on hold that keep up with expenses.
Those fundraising efforts underwrite the cost of the upcoming edition of KAMP Dovetail, and the recorded message at the SATH office said that this year’s camp is completely full.
KAMP Dovetail is slated for the week of June 21 at Rocky Fork Lake State Park, with the theme for this year reflecting baseball and being called “All-Stars,” complete with a wiffle ball tournament.
“It’s not an overnight camp this year,” Allen said. “We won’t be spending the night, but we’re still doing camp all day for four full days.
In keeping with the baseball theme, she said that former Major Leaguers Kip Young and Jon Warden, who both pitched for the Detroit Tigers, will be taking part in the wiffle ball tournament that is scheduled that week.
To wrap up the week on Thursday, June 24, Allen said the campers will be staying into the evening with a dance, a pizza party and a fireworks display at 9:30 p.m. “so we can go out with a bang.”
She said that SATH is still in need of donations to help with Saturday’s auction/fundraiser, and any items the community or businesses would like to contribute would be greatly appreciated.
According to the SATH website, items up for bid at the annual charity auction include a new TV, John Deere collectibles, computers, printers, appliances, furniture, jewelry, gift certificates, toys, hand crafts, wall hangings and “many items you just can’t live without.”
“We have the most wonderful community and they are so very supportive,” Allen said. “The local businesses who have made donations to us have been very generous and we appreciate that so much.”
Contact Allen at 937-366-6657 to make arrangements for a donation item to be picked up.
She said they can also be dropped off at the fairgrounds Thursday, May 13 and Friday, May 14 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., or they can be brought to the auction Saturday morning.
“We invite the community to come out for the day,” she said. “The charity auction will start Saturday morning at 10, and the SATH volunteers will be serving lunch.”
Throughout the charity auction, Allen said that food, snacks and drinks will be available for purchase, with volunteers grilling hamburgers and hot dogs outside, along with KAMP Dovetail T-shirts and sweatshirts for sale.
Reach Tim Colliver at 937-402-2571.
