Every SOS Dollar Makes A Difference

Everence volunteer Patty Skelton attaches an "I donated"
sticker to donor David Detrow. (photo courtesy of Jim Bishop)

The preliminary (and still tentative) result of the SOS (Sharing Our Surplus) fundraising effort for refugee relief, a part of the Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale efforts yesterday, was $35, 519 according to the Sale treasurer Rodney Burkholder. 

Another $500 has been pledged, and those unable to donate at the Sale are still adding to that number by donating online at https://vareliefsale.com/donate/ or by sending a check to Relief Sale, 601 Parkwood Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22802 (with SOS on the memo line). 

The Chair of the Sale Board, Dave Rush, as you can see below, listed the preliminary total at $35, 520, a dollar more.

That $1 difference reminded me of a moment yesterday when I stopped by the Everence giving tent and noted an unnamed teen coming to the giving table and contributing a dollar bill from his wallet. Not a large amount, but I wondered if that may have represented a greater sacrifice on his part than that of many others of us who helped raise income for the October 11-2 Sale.

Sample SOS giving amounts are as follows, gleaned from information provided by the Everence staff:

$7000 1

$2500 1

$1000 1

$500   5

$400   2

$300   2

$250   2

$150   1

$100   11

$50     4

$40     1

$20     7

$15     1

$10     3

$2-$9  6

$1       1  

Due to some generous early givers, over $20,000 was contributed to the SOS fund prior to the Sale, and the above simply represents my own rough count of Friday and Saturday's results.

Moral of the story? Every gift counts, and every dollar contributed through SOS goes directly for refugee relief around the world.. Let's keep this going!

Here is Dave Rush's preliminary report, which doesn't include 2020 as that was a very different year due to Covid restrictions, but which brought in the Relief Sale contributing the largest amount to MCC ever:   

                                                    2021       2019         2018         2017       2016 

Preliminary total proceeds 355,000  381,033  370,000   360,000  338,300              

Actual Final Proceeds   ??????      406,098     370,181       393,467    360,728         

Auction                            138,988    128,083    115,489       131,894       141,124            

My Coins Count              16,052     24,804      23,542         26,084          22,184                

SOS Giving Campaign    35,520     22,777      31,508          40,989 

Special Local Project       3300       5750           5300             10,650         13,200         

Friday night supper          11,753      13,498      12,569          13,772         13,021               

Saturday breakfast           14,222     19,992       17,531          18,263         16,903