SPRINGS, Pa. — For the sixth consecutive year a special auction will be held in Springs.

Imagine a place where you can buy beautiful antiques or a live chicken, hand-sewn quilts or a buggy, while surrounded by the beauty of the Laurel Highlands. The variety of items available is astonishing and this year’s event promises to be more grand than ever before.

The June 11 auction is not only an opportunity to purchase one-of-a-kind items and antiques, it is an opportunity to help benefit the Springs area Amish community. All proceeds from the sale benefit the church hospital fund of the Old Order Church of Somerset County. As with most Amish communities, members of the Old Order Church of Somerset County do not have personal health insurance and all members contribute to a pool that covers the costs of health care and hospitalization. The order includes approximately 259 families and more than 1,200 individuals.

“We feel blessed with the support of own community and that of the English that support and help us each year,” Bennie Yoder said.

Yoder and his wife, Mary, are one of the founding five couples of the group, called the Willing Workers, that plans and organizes this annual event. The other founding members are Mark and Lizzie Brenneman; Moses and Lydia Yoder; Levi and Effie Fisher; and Daniel and Mary Brenneman.

The daylong auction features new and used items, and items are donated or sold on consignment. Five auctions areas will be set up on the auction grounds and each station will feature a different category of items for sale. Seven auctioneers will sell everything from quilts to livestock and even buggies. Seating is offered at each station and several of the stations are under the cover of tents.

Yoder said he continues to marvel over the auction and is amazed at how well-received it has been.

“That first year thought we would have 250 people and we had 700. Last year we had 3,000,” he said. “It just keeps growing. We are humble serving the Lord. We give God honor and glory for what we are privileged to have.”

One of the most sought-after items are handmade quilts. This year, the auction will feature approximately 50 quilts, including a Double Wedding Ring, Lights in the Valley and Mariners Star. Furniture is another popular category and this year a chest of drawers made by Gnagey, in the Soap Hollow style. Highly sought after, this type of furniture is known for its distinct pattern. Other items on the addition to many other new and antique pieces of furniture, including desks, bedroom sets, dry sinks and trunks. Some pieces date back to the 1800s and early 1900s.

One particular item has ties to the Cumberland area. An original entrance door is on the listing featuring a glass etching of the Cumberland Narrows.

Household items to be offered include dishes, stoves, canners and much more.

For those looking to spruce up their yards and homes, the auction will feature sheds, lawn furniture, mowers and a wide selection of flowers and vegetables. If you have a larger project in mind, several pieces of large equipment will be offered during the sale.

A variety of guns will be offered, including a 50-caliber muzzleloader, Remington 270 model 715 with scope and a Savage 7mm with scope.

Livestock offered will range from Holsteins to horses and even ducks and chickens.

Another highlight of the day does not require a bid, just some cash. For many the attraction is the variety of items available at the food bar.

“Everything is hand-made and we have everything from breakfast sandwiches to homemade breads and baked goods and even a salad bar with all the fixings in a boat,” Yoder said.

Volunteers will man a hit and miss engine that makes homemade ice cream for buyers to enjoy.

Yoder said more than 100 volunteers make this event a reality and said he has children that travel from as far away as Kentucky to help prepare for and execute the sale.

“Each year we see more and more items for sale and more and more people. This auction ties the whole community together,” Yoder added. “This is much more than an Amish event, we see it is a community unity project.”

The 2011 Annual Amish Benefit Auction is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 11, at 680 Springs Road, Springs, Pa. On-site parking is available.

Contact Angie Brant at abrant@times-news.com.