Gospel Haven auction May 3 takes on new meaning

The Gospel Haven Academy and Gospel Haven Church have plans to build a new gymnasium, and new additions to the school and church building are under way.

This year’s auction is Friday, May 3 at the school in Benton and will take on more meaning as the school prepares for its biggest fundraiser of the year.

“This is an exciting time for us at Gospel Haven,” said Kevin Coblentz, who has headed up the auction for the past six years. “We have reached capacity for both our school and at church on Sunday mornings, so this is a much-needed addition to our facility.”

The additions will include a larger gymnasium that will feature room for two basketball courts and several volleyball courts. Coblentz said on youth nights there are close to 100 young people in the facility, so the small gymnasium that currently exists is more than packed.

The current gymnasium will eventually be made into a two-floor facility with classrooms, allowing for more classes in the school and the church. The new gymnasium will create an overflow area for church services as Gospel Haven continues to grow.

The additions are being built by Ivan Weaver Construction. The footers are expected to be poured in May with hopes the project will be completed near the end of 2019.

Every year Gospel Haven Academy provides faith-based education for its students. The auction serves as a way to generate funds for the school to operate and to ease the financial burden on its many families and their students.

While the church will turn to its members to support the new additions, the annual auction will serve as the catalyst to help Gospel Haven students and their families lower tuition costs as well as provide some funds for other school needs.

The auction continues to serve as a way for the academy to give back to its students and their families by creating student scholarships, allowing the academy to keep tuition costs as low as possible.

“It’s important for us to be able to provide for our school’s families,” Coblentz said. “With our additions coming, the auction takes on a significantly larger role because we are asking so much from our members already.”

Highlighted by the cadence of auctioneer Joseph Mast and his crew at RES Auction Services, there is a list of items up for grabs on the auction block that includes a new 32-by-48-foot garage package, an 8-by-10-foot Hanover storage barn, a 6-by-6-foot hunting blind, a new Poly swing set, a vinyl picnic table, a new 54-inch My Ride zero turn mower, a used Toro zero turn mower with a 50-inch cut with bagger, a Honda Pioneer 700, a Ventrac HQ680 tough cut mower, a large assortment of yard and garden equipment, 250 square feet of stamped concrete, a set of four tires from Millersburg Tire Services, two fire pits, four tons of Eco bricks, a trailer load of fire wood, a dump truck load of firewood, eight tons of #57 limestone, outdoor Poly furniture, a trampoline and ping pong table, Lifetime table and chairs, power equipment, a fishing trip for six to Lake Erie, five Cleveland Indians tickets, four Cleveland Indians tickets with club seats and food included, a pair of VIP tickets to a Columbus Crew soccer game, Sight and Sound tickets and more.

There also will be a silent auction where patrons may bid until the final seconds tick away.

“We try to connect with parents from the school for donations, but we have a lot of area businesses who give willingly every year,” Coblentz said. “It’s exciting to see the amount of support we get from throughout the area from people who understand the value Gospel Haven presents for our youth.”

In addition to what the auction brings in, there is a matching fund that helps in the school’s largest fundraiser of the year.

The day will begin with a chicken barbecue by Junior Schlabach for dine in or carry out at 4:30 p.m. The auction begins at 6 p.m. There will be other types of food available including a bake sale.

While many people come to bid and support Gospel Haven financially, many more enjoy the chance to revel in the reunion-type atmosphere of the event, and sitting and chatting with old friends and new is a popular pastime.

“It is a very family-oriented community event that is relaxed and fun,” Kauffman said.

For more on what is available on the auction block, visit the Gospel Haven page on Facebook or visit Real Estate Showcase at www.res.bid/auctions.

Gospel Haven Academy is a nonchartered, nontax-supported school providing a Christ-centered education for children k-12 and is located at 6871 state Route 241 on the south side of Benton.