Have you ever wanted to cuddle with a kangaroo? That's one of the items you can bid on at the 53rd annual Conewago Country Fair, to benefit students at Conewago Elementary School. "One of our faculty members has a relative who has a kangaroo farm, so you can bid to win kangaroo snuggles," said Rachele Parmer, event chair. The Conewago Country Fair will be held on Saturday, Sept. 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the school, 2809 Hershey Road, Elizabethtown.

The event will feature food, vendors, carnival games, a petting zoo, pumpkin and rock painting, a blow-up obstacle course and more. "We'll have members of the Hershey Volunteer Fire Company here," Parmer noted. "Summit Search and Rescue will be bringing their bloodhounds and doing a demonstration. The Derry Township Police will be here with their K-9."

At 2 p.m., the Faculty Olympics will be held. "Our teachers volunteer to compete in about five or six different activities, like egg tossing or water balloon tossing," Parmer explained. "The kids love it. They absolutely love cheering them on."

Proceeds from the event will be used to support educational events such as class field trips and assemblies as well as to provide additional instructional materials such as library books and classroom supplies. Although the event benefits the 250 students in kindergarten through fifth grade at Conewago Elementary School, Parmer emphasized that the Country Fair is open to anyone. "It's been adopted by the community as a really big, fun event," she stated. "It's really an old-fashioned community event, and it's about everybody coming together, having fun and supporting a great cause - our public school."

The auction portion of the fair opened on Sept. 17 and will run through 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 23. Winners may pick up their items at the fair between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. or at Conewago Elementary School the following week. To view the auction items or place a bid, visit http://www.betterunite.com/ConewagoElementaryPTO.