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First UU Auction Saturday, February 1-20, 2021


Through the Looking Glass - Fun Fundraising in a Topsy Turvey World

"It's a topsy turvy world"


Welcome! It's time to login and start bidding on unsold items.

Bidding ends this Saturday at 12pm!

Our auction is an important fundraising event for the church and a great way to bring people together. Do you have a special talent, skill, or a unique service to offer? Can you host a dinner? Then you've come to the right place. If you have questions about the auction, you can reach us at auction@firstuucolumbus.org.

Catalog

Browse and bid on items & events (You can see past catalogs here too) Calendar

See when events are scheduled Statement

View your events' guest lists & see your purchases

Even though we have some limitations due to Covid-19, as resilient UUs we have what it takes to make this year’s Auction a success.

Changes to this year’s auction include:

  • We’ll be all online this year, with different items featured over the first 3 weeks of February. A few live auction items will be available at the zoom party on Sunday, 2/21/21, 7:30 pm. We need your creativity and generosity for a successful event!
  • Larger events may be offered in 2021 if and when it becomes safe to have indoor gatherings. Stay tuned for that.

What might auction offerings look like in a time of social distancing?

  • Homemade desserts, soups and meals
  • Handcrafted items
  • Works of art made by our community
  • Lessons & classes that can be offered online. The Auction team can help you plan a successful event.
  • Small outdoor gatherings where attendees can be safely spaced apart.
  • Outdoor excursions with a limited number of attendees.
  • Virtual (online) social events – musical performances, games, share a topic of interest, book discussion, etc.
  • Offer the use of your vacation home

With your help, this year’s Auction will raise the funds needed to support the good work of the First UU Church and continue to build a beloved community that will sustain us throughout the coming months. We hope to hear from you soon!

Frequently Asked Questions


What is a fair minimum bid? - Based upon previous years, here are some basic pricing guidelines for popular auction items.
• Hikes with snacks – minimum bid, $15 - $20
• Lunches/Brunches – minimum bid, $25 - $40
• Dinners - Informal – minimum bid, $25 - $35
• Dinners – Formal/multi courses/unique - minimum bid, $40 - $75

Things to take into account with setting value and minimum price:

Traveling distance – Are you meeting locally and then carpooling or are people having to travel on their own a fairly long distance? Offering to drive people or arrange to carpool will make people want to bid higher.

Uniqueness of the event – When offering an event, whether it is a brunch, hike, dinner, game night, etc., think about what works for you. A pizza and game night is great fun and a wonderful way to get conversations going but will bring in a lower bidding price, which is fine! An event based upon your travels to an exotic locale where you are sharing your unique experiences and special recipes will bring a higher bidding price because of its uniqueness. However, don’t be unique just to be unique; hosts need to enjoy their own event and be comfortable with what they are serving/offering.

The number of places offered – Offer the number of places that makes sense for you; however, items with only a few spots will generally have a higher value and minimum bid than items with lots of spots.

Value – We have a tendency to undervalue our offerings. This is a fundraiser and your generous donation is the backbone of this event. You are offering a service or event that includes your time and resources. Make sure your generosity is appreciated by setting an appropriate value. The auction team goes through values and minimum bids and will help you set prices.

Services – Services need to be valued by the time and resources being offered. Remember, your time is valuable and this should be reflected in the price.

Why is a specific date required? - If you are offering a one-on-one item (genealogy, counseling, and handymen services) you can figure out the date with that one person. However if you are offering a dinner for eight, it is akin to herding cats trying to find a date that works for all. By specifying the date in advance, people can check their calendar and know that they are available.

Still not sure what to offer? - Go through the past catalogs that are on-line. See what has been offered in the past. Talk to the auction team or to the host of an event you have attended. Bat around ideas and see what you come up with.