A tradition 50 years in the making
Annual benefit auction returns to Lost Creek Community Park
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McALISTERVILLE -- What began on a Thursday evening in 1977 at a farm outside East Salem has grown into one of Juniata County's most cherished fall traditions.
Starting today and continuing through Saturday, Juniata Christian School will celebrate the 50th Annual Benefit Auction at Lost Creek Community Park in McAlisterville, honoring five decades of families working together to support Christian education.
The very first sale was held Oct. 20, 1977, at the farm of Robert and Sara Jane Swartz. Robert moved equipment out of his shed, quilts were hung on a wash line, and a livestock trailer filled with cattle and pigs stood ready. Auctioneer Ray Long Sr. sold 17 quilts, 7 comforts, 13 cattle, 30 feeder pigs, three butcher hogs, ear corn, hay and other donated items. Students sold handmade crafts totaling $304.50. The first year's income reached $9,212.03.
For the next seven years, the sale remained at the Swartz farm. Apples and cider were always big sellers, and firewood became a popular item, especially the year snow fell on sale day.
In 1984, the event moved to Lost Creek Community Park and shifted to the first Saturday of October. Families from Juniata Mennonite School worked together to grow the sale. Quilt makers, firewood collectors, farmers, solicitors, bakers, cooks and crafters each had a role. In 1990, the sale expanded to a two‑day event with the addition of a Friday chicken barbecue.
Class crafts quickly became a beloved tradition. Kindergarten's personalized pillows and first grade's handprint stools became keepsakes for parents and grandparents. Auctioneers often called these moments the highlight of the sale.
Quilts remained the centerpiece. The Quilt Committee spent the entire year piecing, quilting, and searching for tops and patterns. At its peak, the quilt list topped fifty entries. For several years, finished quilts were displayed at Leidy's Chevrolet in Mifflintown. The first $1,000 quilt sold in 1988, and the highest quilt ever sold brought $5,200.
Today, JMS is Juniata Christian School, and the 50th Annual Benefit Auction marks a milestone in a tradition rooted in faith and community. Through growth and change, the school sale has remained centered on one purpose: families working together to provide children with a biblical, Christ‑centered education.
Sale chairs David and Maggie Shafferman wrote that planning this year's event reminded them of "a heritage of faithfulness," noting the donors, bidders and volunteers who have given year after year. They said they could see God's hand in every detail and relationship, and they expressed gratitude for the legacy they have been allowed to join.
This year's celebration includes a special 50th Anniversary History Museum in the fire hall, open today from 4 to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon. The museum features photos, clippings, early crafts and displays honoring past sale chairs and the families who helped build the event.
Today's schedule begins at noon with the chicken barbecue, followed at 4 p.m. by food trucks, the bake stand, drink stand, breakfast stand, candy shoppe, silent auction, theme baskets and gift certificates. The opening ceremony begins at 6 p.m., followed by feature quilts, kindergarten crafts, first grade crafts, trips, tickets and kids bid items.
Saturday's auction runs from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., with breakfast from 7 to 10 a.m., food trucks from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., kids carnival games from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and silent auction items available until 11 a.m. Quilts, furniture, tools, outdoor items, toys and handcrafted goods will be sold throughout the day.
This year's items include Hamilton watches, old yearbooks, a hanging chair, folding picnic table, handcrafted blanket chest, sports equipment, floral wedding ceremony arrangements, Penn State wrestling and Hershey Bears tickets, a keyboard, snacks and a one‑minute shopping spree at Pallet Grocery Outlet in Mifflintown. Two major trips -- tropical and western -- headline the travel offerings.
The plant and produce stand will offer mums, pumpkins, gourds, apples, cider, grapes, peppers, tomatoes, cauliflower, broccoli and houseplants. The candy shoppe will feature old‑fashioned candy, light‑up toys, squishy toys and more. Food trucks include JZ BBQ, Missions Pizza, Guante Family Restaurant, Lauver's Soft Pretzels, Sweet to the Soul Ice Cream, Olivia's Fresh Cut Fries and CR Concessions.
Kids carnival games will include bean bag toss, plinko, floating duck pool, disc throw, tin can toss, ax throw, obstacle course, and face painting.
Income from the sale has grown steadily over the decades. The first year brought $9,212.03. By 1999, the sale topped $21,000. In 2016, it passed $100,000. Last year's total reached $160,368.88. This year's goal is $185,000.
Sale publicity and marketing chair Andrew Benner, serving his fifth year, said items are still coming in and he has "lost count." Benner lives in McClure and serves on the sale board. His daughter attends the school.
"There's something for everybody," Benner said. "When you come hungry and you bid boldly like a Lion."
The school encourages supporters to pray for the sale -- for safety, good weather, willing hearts and that everything done would bring honor and glory to God.
The full sale booklet and schedule are available at www.jcslions.com/calendar/benefit-auction and you can follow the sale on Facebook.