People stopping by the Cass County Fairgrounds Saturday will have the opportunity to walk away with more than just unique items contributed by individuals and businesses across the county.

They’ll also be able to leave knowing that they’ve helped ensure a brighter future for the community’s next generation of growers and leaders.

The Cass County 4-H Leaders’ Association will hold their annual auction fundraiser Saturday, inside the Gregrarick building at the county fairgrounds in Cassopolis. Viewing of the more than dozen items up for bid begins at 10 a.m., with silent and live auctioning following at 11 a.m.

This is the fourth year that the association has held the event, raising $4,000 in contributions during the auction held last spring, said organizer Jenny Bischoff.

The funds raised through the sale will go toward funding a variety of activities and programs for county 4-H club members, including MSU Exploration Days, Citizen Washington Focus, and college scholarships, Bischoff said.

“Everything goes back to the kids in one form or another, be it scholarships or programming,” she said.

Among the items up for auction Saturday include one-of-a-kind sports memorabilia and photos, signed by Jakub Kindl with the Detroit Red Wings and Victor Martinez with the Detroit Tigers. In the spirit of the 4-H organization, several animals will also be on the auction block, including a swine show pig donated by Wooden Swine Farms and two show bunnies from Bischoff Bunny Barn.

A number of local businesses have also donated items for organizers to sell, including a painting and end table from Imperial Furniture, a new computer from Dowagiac IT3 and an electric cooktop from Kitchen Etc. A number of companies will also offer gift certificates and cards.

“It’s great to see people step up to help out,” Bischoff said.

A local 4-H leader for 25 years, Bischoff has seen the benefits that 4-H programs have on local children and teenagers, she said. Whether it’s building their public speaking skills through showing animals or projects at the local fair or becoming more confident by developing new skills, local clubs can have a tremendous influence in a young person’s life.

“The kids don’t think about it at the time, but through the programs or the people they meet, 4-H is a big part of shaping the person they become as an adult,” Bischoff said.

People can visit the 4-H Leaders’ Association website at http://www.casscounty4hleaders.org to see a complete list of items up for auction. A food booth will also be open the day of the auction.