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Merle and Dale Mishler have been doing the bidding for a noble cause for many years.
The father and son, owners of Mishler Auction Service, located outside Davidsville, have been donating their services for many years to conduct an auction that raises money for Camp PARC.
The Davidsville-based Camp PARC has been providing camping opportunities to children and adults with special needs since 1960.
The auction will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Benscreek Lutheran Church Grove, along Somerset Pike outside Thomas Mills.
More than 200 area and national businesses and local residents have donated goods and services to be auctioned.
Donations include a picnic table made by a local woodworker, tickets to sporting events and Walt Disney World, quilts, tools and restaurant gift cards. A list of the items can be found at www.campparc.org.
“I just want to donate my time and help in the community,” said Merle Mishler of the Davidsville area, an auctioneer for 65 years. “We always have a good time. There is good fellowship, lots of food and lots of people. It’s just a nice time.”
More than eight nonstop hours can be grueling for auctioneers, so other local auctioneers also donate their time to help out.
“I think a lot of them,” he said about auctioneers Ernest and Diane Holsopple, Hollsopple; Ron Jubick, Somerset; John Henry Mellott, Ogletown; and David Stoy, Ebensburg.
Dale Mishler, an auctioneer for 13 years, said the businesses and individuals donate great items.
Bidders are generous and will pay more than the face value of an item to support Camp PARC, said the Davidsville native, who now lives in Westmont.
He said his late uncle had been one of the campers at Camp PARC.
“My uncle Rich lived for the camp,” he said. “He was a fabulous person.”
For their efforts, the father and son are the Persons of the Week.
Ted Risch, director of Camp PARC, which stands for People Always Responding with Compassion, said the Mishlers and the other auctioneers do a fine job.
He said the auction was started about 20 years ago. As it grew, Merle Mishler set aside a Thursday to hold it. As it grew even more, he suggested holding it on a Saturday so that more people could attend, Risch said.
“Saturday is a money-making day for an auctioneer, but he gave it up for Camp PARC,” Risch said. “Thank goodness for the Mishler family for allowing us to have this benefit auction and for contributing all of their time and effort.”
Sarah Wallace, vice president of Camp PARC’s board of trustees, said a camp will be held for children ages 6 to 17 from July 15 to 18. Adults will follow from July 22 to 28.
The camp will be held at Laurel Hill State Park, located west of Somerset, and will feature more than 120 campers and hundreds of volunteers from high schools, colleges and the community, she said.
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