Published Saturday, December 14, 2002
for benefit auction
Herald Staff Writer
Joanne Ferg-Echement found it fitting that an auction would be held to raise money for Rudy and Lizzie Wengerd, who lost five of their nine children when a fire destroyed their Pulaski home on Dec. 3
"They participate in auctions," the Plain Grove, Lawrence County, woman said of Amish people like the Wengerds. "This is part of their life."
More than 250 people jammed into Hermitage Volunteer Fire Department's Station One for Friday's auction, which started at 7 p.m. and was expected to continue to midnight.
The evening opened with a prayer and a note from Wengerd's brother.
"We don't know what we would have done without the help of English and Amish alike," Neal Wengerd wrote.
The Amish refer to non-Amish people as "English."
The Amish community is building a new home for the Wengerds, an auction at Mercer Livestock Auction raised $7,000, and a farmer who lost a child donated a cow that fetched $1,000 in an auction.
Items sold early Friday by Reynolds-based Loomco International included a hickory rocking chair, Amish quilts and wall hangings, children's toys and a chain saw.
A football signed by Pittsburgh Steelers Jerome Bettis and Tommy Maddox went for $600, an Oscar Robertson-signed basketball scored $400, a quilt fetched $225, a Radio Flyer wagon slid by for $35, and a 1990 Plymouth Sundance fetched $1,650.
"We wanted to do something to help the family and the Amish community," Ms. Ferg-Echement said of why she attended. "We didn't expect this much," she said of attendance.
"I think this is wonderful -- great support for all aspects of the community," said Lynn Nigro of Hermitage.
Ms. Nigro said she felt for the family.
"Anybody who loses children, I can't imagine their pain and loss," she said.
A.J. Farmakis donated a dinette set that was his grandmother's for auction.
"I was going to refinish it," the Hermitage said. "I figured the money could go for a better cause. I just hope that it brings in a good dollar so it will help out someone who needs it."
Jim Marsh, who knows Rudy Wengerd from the Mercer Livestock Auction, said it was great to see so many people come out, but expected to see more Amish folks.
"I think with all the reporters and cameras, they wanted to stay away," he said.
Television news crews came from as far away as Pittsburgh.
"We'd rather not see the television cameras, but there's nothing we can say, really," said an Old Order Amish man who declined to give his name.