Visitors to Dowagiac’s Crystal Springs Campground this Saturday will receive the opportunity to buy a whole sundry of items, from a paintball game for four to tickets to a South Bend Cubs baseball game — all for only a couple of quarters.

Volunteers with the Pokagon United Methodist Church will be hosting a special paddle auction that day inside the camp’s dining hall at 4:30 p.m. Admission will cost $5, with proceeds going toward the local church’s program to send a number of its youth to the Christian campgrounds this summer.

Saturday’s auction differs from traditional auctions, in that instead of placing bids on an item with an incrementally increasing value, visitors instead are called to place one or more quarters in a bucket for a particular item they are interested in acquiring.

The auctioneer then calls off a number, corresponding to the numbers printed on paddles given to the guests, with the person with the winning number receiving the item. The amount of quarters required to bid corresponds with the value of the item, with only a single coin needed to bid on items less than $25 in value, said organizer Shari Bradke.

“An individual doesn’t have to spend a lot of money to win something,” Bradke said. “You can win an item for just a quarter. That’s what cool about these kinds of auctions.”

Among the items up for bid include certificates for free pizzas and oil changes, tickets for sporting events and a variety of other items that will appeal to both men and women, Bradke said.

“So far, we have received $2,000 worth of items, donated from various businesses in Niles, Dowagiac and Cassopolis,” she said.

The funds raised from the auction will go toward funding summer visits to the 150-year-old camp for the younger Pokagon Methodist members. The church sends between 10 to 15 children to the nearby retreat every year, with a one week stay costing $399 per child, Bradke said.

“Most parents nowadays can’t afford that, so our church has taken on that mission to help kids connected to the church,” she said.

In the past, volunteers have helped run bazaars, dinners, yard sales and other fundraisers to collect money for the trips.

Pokagon United Methodist members have had a close relationship with Crystal Springs for many years, having adopted a cabin that the church maintains on a regular basis, Bradke said.

In addition to developing deep friendships with their fellow campers, children who participate in the weeklong program form a deeper connection with their faith, away from the distractions of technology they encounter during their daily lives, Bradke said.

“For that one week, we have seen kids come away from their visitor with a much closer relationship with God, and that’s what we’re all about,” Bradke said.

For tickets to the auction, people can call 269-228-8079. Crystal Springs is located at 33774 Crystal Springs St. in Dowagiac.