Welcome! 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 or offer an interesting outing? Then you've come to the right place. If you have questions about the auction, you can reach us at auction@firstuucolumbus.org.

Auction How To’s: How to Log in and Donate. Watch the video here.

How to Make a Donation (Before Feb 14)

If you aren’t sure what to offer, browse the online catalog to see what others have offered. You can view prior years there too.

Entering New Donations

1. Pick the most appropriate category for your donation.
   • Good Stuff = crafts, gently used art, jewelry, housewares, and clothing.
   • Food, Fun & Frolic = dinners, specialty foods, excursions, and vacation rentals.
2. Craft a catchy title with important words capitalized and numbers spelled out.
3. Write engaging descriptions with dimensions, colors, materials, etc.
4. All descriptions should end with a period or exclamation point, even if the description is not a sentence.
5. Physical items should have minimum bids of at least $15. Services should have minimum bids of at least $10.
6. Make sure to check the box (Is this a physical object?) if your item is a “thing.” If so, please indicate if you want the winning bidder to pick it up at your home OR if you will deliver it to them or meet at church.
7. Putting in a picture of your item is very, very important. Your auction team can help you with this.
8. If you are hosting an event with more than 4 guests, you should pick a date and time.
9. Select “Save.”

Entering Repeat Donations

To repeat donations from prior years, you can use the "Offer Again" link next to those items on your prior year's statement. Starting from this year's statement, click the "Fall 2023" inside the "Other Years" box to see your last auction statement. (You can go all the way back to 2006)

Even though we still may have some limitations due to Covid-19, as resilient UUs we have what it takes to make this year’s Auction a success. 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 through the coming months. We hope to hear from you soon! Our church needs your creativity and generosity for a successful event!

Also see Frequently Asked Questions.

What if I want to make a financial donation?

(if you are looking for how to pay your balance due)

Some general suggestions for offerings might be:

• Homemade desserts, soups, breads and meals.
• Gently used small items (i.e. lamps, small kitchen appliances, sports equipment, etc.).
• Handcrafts or works of art made by members of our community.
• Lessons and classes that can be offered in person or online. The Auction team can help you plan a successful event.
• Meals or gatherings of all stripes.
• Outdoor excursions and events.
• Online or in-person social events – musical performances, games, share a topic of interest, book discussion, etc.
• Offer the use of your vacation home, camper, or a boat ride
• For Eco-friendly suggestions see this list.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Proxy Bidding? - If you can't be at the live auction you can ask someone to be your 'Proxy'. That means they will register at the check-in table for you and be in charge of 'your' bidding paddle, as well as their own. You can instruct them how high to bid on what, even keeping in touch by phone if you like. If they win something for you, they will make sure your paddle and name are recorded.

Come to the auction and experience the excitement!