The annual Labor Day Auction will be held on Saturday, Sept. 3, and Monday, Sept. 5, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Solanco Fairgrounds, 101 Park Ave., Quarryville. The rain-or-shine event, which has been held for the past 38 years at various locations, will benefit Hospice & Community Care. Admission and parking will be free.

Both days of the auction will begin with food that is made from scratch and sold by members of the Amish community. Handmade doughnuts, sticky buns, pretzel logs and more will be provided by multiple local families as a way to give back to Hospice & Community Care for the services it offers the area. "Hospice cares for several Amish community members. Patients and their families are able to stay at home and dictate the care they want," said Amy Lewis, director of philanthropy for Hospice & Community Care. "It's very significant the Amish community can help us in that way. Their food sales account for a huge portion of the auction's revenue each year, and their milkshakes are rival to none." Both lunch and dinner will also be available to purchase later in the day.

Multiple specialty auctions will begin following breakfast, held simultaneously throughout the day in five separate buildings. The auctions will not be limited to one category; the event will include auctions for tools, gift baskets, gently used items, handmade quilts and sports memorabilia, to name only a few. "You can find anything you could possibly think of," said Lewis. "If you aren't interested in an auction, you can just pop into the next building and find so many different things." Three cars will be auctioned this year, and previous years' auctions have seen the sale of boats, jet skis and campers. At 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 5, a winner's name will be drawn for a giveaway of a 2022 Ford Mustang: tickets to enter may be purchased at the event.

For those interested in supporting Hospice & Community Care without purchasing an item at an auction, the event will offer an opportunity to purchase a "day of care" from the organization. The purchase will fund an entire day of service for a patient in hospice care.

The auction is the largest fundraiser for Hospice & Community Care and raised over $800,000 last year. "Our decisions about who we'll care for don't have to be made based on how patients can pay for care," said Lewis. "Because of community support, we're able to prioritize making sure service is available for anyone." Hospice is a locally owned nonprofit hospice center. "We fulfill patients' goals and wishes and help to keep them comfortable," said Lewis. "It gives the rest of the family a chance to just be there for their loved one without worrying about providing care to them."

For more information, visit http://www.hospicecommunity.org or contact Lewis at alewis@hospicecommunity.org.