PINE GROVE - A jersey from professional soccer player David Horst, a Pine Grove native. A diamond necklace. A 42-inch LG flat screen TV and a snowboard from D.G. Yuengling & Son Brewery.
Operation Hugs and Kisses is ready for its second annual auction Saturday and hopes to raise as much as $27,000 for local fire companies.
The auction will be held at Pine Grove Hose, Hook and Ladder No. 1 with doors opening at 8 a.m. The auction will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Food and beverages will be for sale.
The organization formed in 2010 after several row home fires in Pine Grove. Last year, 249 items were collected for the effort and more than $9,000 was raised to benefit fire companies in the area, said Missy Witherow, president of the organization. So far, more than 450 items have been donated, she said Monday as she organized the items in the basement of Sharon Wessner's home, a member of the organization, with nine others.
Baskets with a wide assortment of items sat on the floor.
"We cater to everything and everybody," she said.
Baskets held items ranging from wine, jewelry, dog items and hunting items and gift cards. A gift card for 100 gallons of fuel oil is also up for auction. Also up for auction was art work by Margery Wheeler Mattox, sister of author Richard Wheeler, furniture - a twin mattress and box spring, computer desks and many other items all going to a worthy cause.
One item - a red, yellow and black afghan - is drawing a lot of attention, Witherow said.
On the blanket is a picture of each of the six fire companies benefiting from the auction.
"That's the hot thing with the fire companies. They all want that afghan," she said.
In January, the group started making baskets for the auction. Collection of items started in October, Witherow said.
"We're still picking up donations. It's amazing how everybody wants to help us," said Kathy Schnoke, organization secretary.
Donations didn't come just from Pine Grove. Among the items to be auctioned are passes from the Maryland Science Center and tickets for Hershey Gardens.
"Some of these people just contacted us," Witherow said.
Despite an ice storm last year, 150 to 175 people took part in the auction.
Robin Werner, secretary/treasurer for Werner True Value Lumber, said the gas grill, cover and propane tank donated for the auction was for a good cause.
Witherow said she hopes the weather is nice for Saturday's event.
"I'm hoping we at least double it or triple it this year," she said of the more than $9,000 raised last year.