CELINA – The Bear Hollow Wood Carvers Auction will be held Wednesday, Aug. 16, at 9 p.m. in the Beer Garden. Half of the proceeds from each carving will go to a local family or non-profit organization within Mercer County.

Bear Hollow Wood Carvers have been an entertainment tradition for the Mercer County Fair for years. Within the past 9 years, the fair and its patrons have been able to give back over $73,000 to the community.

“We have 16 total benefactors for this year’s auction. These are a combination of local families and nonprofit organizations that were nominated by our community. We are always floored by the number of supporters we have attending this event and contribute to each carving. We have groups that come together just to support the benefactors and it is truly amazing. We are very grateful for this community,” says Cara Muhlenkamp, Mercer County Fair manager.

This year the benefactors include Doug Smith; Molly Miller Family; Savannah Tobe; Sammie Heitkamp; Joe “Wheeler” Houser; Cancer Association of Mercer County; Everheart Hospice; Reid Ranly; Cash’s Heart Herd; Jackson Strong; First Up- Operation Freedom Support; Hope Fund; Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Mercer County; Mercer County Libraries; Mercer County Retired Teachers Scholarship; and Lake Area Artist Group.