The 150th Anniversary Auction

As part of the Sesquicentennial Celebration on Saturday, September 12, 2026, Holy Cross Charities will hold a live and silent auction, with all proceeds going toward the restoration of the stained-glass windows at Holy Cross Church.

New this year, items will be listed online ahead of the celebration, so that anyone who cannot be in Pfeifer that day can still bid. Advance bidding closes Friday evening, September 11. On Saturday the auctions run exactly as they always have — an auctioneer in the room, paper bid sheets on the tables, cash, checks and cards all welcomed. The live auction begins right after the free-will supper, at around 7:00 p.m. Nothing about the day changes for anyone attending.

If you grew up in Pfeifer and live too far away to make the drive, this is your chance to take part.

An Evening with Bishop Vincke

Up for bid at the live auction — a private Mass and an elegant dinner for twenty guests.

On a pleasant Saturday evening in Pfeifer, before the sun sets in the west, gather with family and/or friends for a truly memorable experience: a private Mass celebrated by Bishop Gerald “Jerry” Vincke at the beautiful Holy Cross Church.

This exclusive evening will be held on November 21, 2026 and is limited to 20 guests total, including the purchaser. The 4:00 p.m. Mass will feature music provided by the very talented Kathy Dreiling-Amrein, adding a lovely and memorable touch to the celebration.

Following Mass, join Bishop Vincke and his executive assistant, Fr. Mike Leiker, for an elegant dinner in the Pfeifer Grade School. The delicious meal will be prepared by members of the Great Bend Knights of Columbus and served by members of the Holy Cross Charities Board.

The evening’s menu includes:

• Shrimp Cocktail
• Dinner Salad
• Prime Rib
• Twice-Baked Potatoes
• Almond Green Beans with Bacon
• Cheesecake
• Drinks

Come enjoy an unforgettable evening of faith, fellowship, fine dining, and friendship, all in the beautiful setting of Pfeifer, where the warmth and charm of small-town hospitality make the evening even more special.

Please note: the date for this special evening is non-negotiable, and travel to Pfeifer is the winner’s own arrangement.

A Sampling of the Collectibles and Quality Items to Be Auctioned

• Lab-grown diamond stud earrings, 2.11 total carat weight — and a 10-karat gold chain with a diamond-set cross
• Basketballs autographed by Bill Self, and a basketball signed by the 2025–26 Kansas Jayhawks men’s team
• A career-accomplishments football autographed by Bill Snyder
• Louisiana Grills and Traeger pellet grills
• Two quarter beefs
• A La-Z-Boy recliner
• A basketball autographed by Casey Alexander, head coach of Kansas State men’s basketball
• Handmade quilts, including a queen-size batik quilt
• A section of the wooden bench seating from Allen Fieldhouse
• A basketball signed by Dean Wade of the Philadelphia 76ers
• Quality tools and many other great items

Alongside the live auction there will be a large silent auction as well. There will be something for everyone.

Can’t Be There on the 12th?

For the live auction lots, a member of the Holy Cross Charities board will bid for you, in the room, up to a maximum you set. You can tell us your maximum now, and we also contact the leading online bidders before the celebration to ask. Either way, we bid only as high as the bidding requires and never above your number.

The silent auction baskets need nothing from you. When online bidding closes on Friday the 11th, the winning online bid becomes the first bid on the paper sheet on the table, and guests at the celebration bid up from there. You do not have to be in Pfeifer to bring something home.

Your bid online is an advance bid — everything is decided on Saturday the 12th, with an auctioneer for the live lots and paper bid sheets for the silent baskets. Online bidding closes Friday, September 11 at 8:00 p.m.

A full schedule of the day’s activities appears on the celebration flyer below.

Window Restoration Project

Holy Cross Charities, Inc. (HCC) is actively raising funds for the restoration of the historic stained-glass windows at Holy Cross Church. The total cost of the project is expected to exceed $600,000.

The restoration includes releading deteriorated stained-glass windows, removing the opaque exterior glass, repairing and repainting the surrounding woodwork, and installing new protective glazing over both the windows and the wood. This comprehensive renovation is essential to preserve the windows for future generations and will ultimately be more cost-effective than the ongoing repairs currently required to maintain them.

To date, HCC has raised approximately $77,000, leaving a significant amount still needed to reach our fundraising goal.

To help secure additional funding, HCC has pursued several initiatives. We recently applied to have Holy Cross Church and the adjoining grade school listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In early 2026, the Kansas Historic Sites Board of Review approved the nomination, and the application is now under review by the National Park Service. If approved, this designation will provide national recognition and make HCC eligible to apply for substantial historic preservation grants, similar to those awarded to several churches and historic structures throughout Ellis County.

Over the past year, HCC was also awarded two grants from the Heartland Community Foundation totaling $5,000. These funds will help finance the first phase of the restoration, an $84,000 project that includes the four large stained-glass windows behind the altar. Hoefer’s Custom Stained Glass of Hutchinson is scheduled to begin this work sometime this year. HCC continues to seek additional grant opportunities to support future phases of the project.

Community fundraising has also played an important role. HCC has successfully hosted several “31 Days of Cash” raffles, with all proceeds dedicated to the window restoration project. Additional funds have been raised through auctions held during Pfeifer community celebrations and through generous individual donations.

The Pfeifer community will celebrate 150 years of its heritage on September 12, 2026, commemorating the arrival of the Volga German immigrants to Ellis County, Kansas. As part of the celebration, HCC will sponsor a 50/50 raffle and a live auction, with all proceeds benefiting the stained-glass window restoration project.

If you would like to help preserve the Holy Cross church windows, donations may be made through this website or by mailing a contribution to:

Holy Cross Charities, Inc.
Window Restoration Project
1313 Steven Dr.
Hays, KS 67601

Every gift, regardless of size, brings us one step closer to preserving these beautiful windows for future generations and because HCC is a non-profit organization your donation is tax deductible. Thank you for your generosity and support.

31 Days of Cash Giveaway — October 2026

Holy Cross Charities will hold its annual 31 Days of Cash Giveaway raffle from October 1 through October 31, 2026, with cash drawings every single day of the month. All donations will be used for the stained-glass window restoration and the maintenance of Holy Cross Church and Cemetery.

Daily drawings:

• October 1–27 — 2 winners per day at $100 each
• October 28 — 2 winners at $250 each
• October 29 — 2 winners at $500 each
• October 30 — 2 winners at $750 each
• October 31 — 2 winners at $1,000 each

Every raffle ticket is included in all 31 daily drawings, so you could win multiple times. Winners will be notified by phone.

Tickets are $50.00 each and only 500 tickets are available. To buy tickets, contact:

Stan Dome 785-650-3145
Jerry Dreiling 785-650-3863
Deb Hoffman 785-623-8928
Florian Dome 785-650-3847

We appreciate your support! God bless you!

Tour Die Kapellen 2026 — A Record Year!

The annual Tour Die Kapellen bike tour rolled into Pfeifer on Saturday, July 11, and what a day it was! Holy Cross Church once again served as a stop on the ride, and this year’s event was a tremendous success, welcoming a record number of riders and visitors.

Volunteers were on hand to greet everyone with refreshments, tours of our beautiful church, and a Pfeifer Mudcats baseball memorabilia display celebrating our community’s history. Thank you to everyone who rode, volunteered, and stopped by to visit — we look forward to seeing you again next year!