The Dakotas Conference held on an online quilt auction October 21-24. When the bidding closed over $3,000 had been raised to help fund programs that feed the hungry. The quilt auction brings the total fundraising effort for this fall to over $235,000.

Photo: One of the donated quilts recently sold during the online quilt auction. Photo by Dave Stucke, Dakotas Conference.

The quilt auction brings the total fundraising effort for this fall to over $235,000. The Dakotas Conference has been a long-time supporter of many mission events and activities.  Each fall several events are held throughout the conference to collect UMCOR kits and to focus on local, regional and global hunger missions.

Ten quilts were donated to the online auction from these churches; Ben Clare, Big Stone City Tabor, Chaseley, Clear Lake, Minot Vincent, Mount Vernon, Sioux Falls Asbury, Sioux Falls Sunnycrest, Yankton. There were over 50 bidders that placed bids.

In previous years, a live auction was held at one or more of the fall mission events. The live auction had been declining and many items selling far below the estimated value.  In 2015, there were 69 items that were placed in a live auction yielding a total of $ 9,600 or $139 per item. There were nine quilts sold in the online auction, one did not receive the minimum bid and was returned to the church. The online quilt auction brought in $350 per item.

Over $15,000, will be distributed to Dakotas hunger projects in November. Any local church in the Dakotas Conference that has a mission outreach ministry that serves the hungry is eligible for a grant.

The future of the online quilt auction will be determined by the Missional Impact Link by January 1, 2017. Churches, quilting groups or others who would like to offer feedback should contact JoAnn Schlimgen by e-mail or calling 605-990-7787.