Last year, the Friends of Timberline (FOT) shifted its annual auction to be an
online event, offering some unexpected challenges, including trying to
understand the software to make it happen.

“It was a big learning process,” said Laura Henderson, FOT Vice President and
Chair of the 2021 FOT Auction. “We survived it and we got through it.”

This year, the auction returns in an online form again, with a focus on offering
bidders the chance to win a variety of outdoor experiences, including a guided
hike on the south side of Mount Hood, the chance to visit a master gardener’s
garden and a unique fly-tying experience.

“I would love to do that,” Henderson said. “In the time of COVID, those
(outdoor experiences) are important to people.”

Other auction items include an original Pucci chair from the Timberline ski lift,
a vintage Puccci scarf, embossed prints, a custom bench and pillow
upholstered with Pendleton fabric, Timberline Lodge related art and
collectibles and more.

Things kick off at 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2 with a live broadcast from
Timberline Lodge, which will offer an update on the restoration of the
naturalistic pools at the lodge. The auction's start will take place at
approximately 6 p.m.

Henderson noted that there was a dedication in September for the pools, an
ongoing project for FOT that has now been completed.

“It’s just a beautiful and special place,” she said.

Henderson added that the auction is one of the key opportunities for the
organization to do fundraising. FOT will celebrate its 50th anniversary in a few
years, and Henderson hopes that a future project will include preserving its
history and stories through videos.

“That’s one of the things that’s on the horizon that we’re starting now to do
fundraising and planning,” she said.

Auction participants can preregister for the event at
www.friendsoftimberline.org, and all registered bidders receive a Columbia
Sportswear pass to the Employee Store in Southwest Portland. The auction
will run from Saturday, Oct. 2 through Wednesday, Oct. 6.