The Friends of the Mountville Library will host their annual plant sale on Friday, May 19, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday, May 20, from 10 a.m. to noon. The event will be held at Mountville Church of the Brethren, 60 Clay St., Mountville. Free parking will be available in the church parking lot on both days of the sale, and only cash and check will be accepted as payment for plants.

A variety of items will be available for purchase at the event, including six packs of annuals from Miller's Greenhouses, perennials and hanging baskets of flowers. A selection of gardening equipment and other plants will also be available for purchase, and these items have been donated by local businesses such as Stauffers of Kissel Hill, Weis Markets, Landisville Greenhouse and Funk's Riverview Greenhouses & Produce Stand. Patrons will also have an opportunity to purchase tomato and pepper plants for their gardens at home.

The tradition of holding an annual plant sale was started by the Friends of the Mountville Library in 2015 and has continued every year since, with the exception of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event was created with the goal of raising funds to support the Lancaster Public Library's Mountville branch. For the first sale, the organization set up a small stand to sell plants on the corner of College Avenue and Clay Street, raising $400 from sales. The plant sale has steadily grown over the years, sprouting into a larger event that helps to fund the library's programs.

"Every year we have more and more people coming and buying plants. People are always asking when the next one is," said Karen Denlinger, president of the board for the Friends of the Mountville Library. "We try to have good products and always get a lot of donations. People come because they love the library and want to support it."

In addition to the plant sale, the Friends of the Mountville Library also coordinate a book sale semiannually. Both events serve as the largest fundraisers for the library throughout the year. The library also partners with Scoops Ice Cream and Grille at the end of every summer for a fundraising night. For the fundraiser, Scoops donates a percentage of its sales to the library.

Denlinger said that the Friends of the Mountville Library are currently planning an event to celebrate the library's 60th anniversary in the fall. More details will be released as the event draws near, but Denlinger hopes to recognize longstanding members of the library during the celebration. Those who have been members of the library for over 50 years can contact the library for more information.

The Friends of the Mountville Library will accept donations of perennials, house plants and gardening equipment for the sale on Thursday, May 18, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Mountville Church of the Brethren. For more information, text Denlinger at 717-572-4024.