Pony cart auction raises $201,000 for Rainbow of Hope

A Memorial Day pony cart auction raised $201,000 for Rainbow of Hope, giving the Mt. Hope charity a major head start before its July 24-25 benefit for children with medical needs. The money adds momentum to the Rainbow of Hope Benefit Auction and Dinner at Mt. Hope Event Center, where the event is listed from July 24 at 3:30 p.m. through July 25 at 4:30 p.m.

The Friday schedule begins with carry-out dinner and benefit dinner at 4 p.m., followed by an auctioneer contest at 5 p.m. and a speaker at 7:30 p.m. Mt. Hope Event Center also lists fish fry, BBQ chicken, food and volleyball as part of the two-day gathering in Mt. Hope.

The auction total fits a long-running pattern in Holmes County. A 2003 account of Rainbow of Hope’s 17th annual benefit auction at Mount Hope Auction Inc. noted that two years earlier the sale had brought in about $198,000. Trustee Henry Hershberger recalled that earlier total, while trustee Dwain Schlabach said, "I think this will be the best one we ever had."

This year’s $201,000 haul clears that earlier benchmark and gives Rainbow of Hope a strong opening before the July fundraiser. For a charity focused on children with medical needs, that early support can help steady the work ahead and keep the organization visible in a county where local giving often runs through public auctions, meals and the people who show up to bid.