In the state’s struggle for food security, hunger has met its match.
On Feb. 1, the University’s School of Journalism and Communication rebooted its fourth annual Web-based silent auction as part of the annual Governor’s State Employee’s Food Drive. The auction website, nicknamed “jBay” by SOJC faculty because of its similarities to online auction supersite eBay Inc., allows users to upload and bid on items or services up for sale. All proceeds from the auction, which ends Feb. 28 at 5 p.m., go to Food For Lane County, a private non-profit organization that seeks to broaden the community’s access to food and food education.
Items for auction this year range from quirky to practical, including knitting lessons, a portrait session, tickets to a Duck game, picnic backpacks, baked goods, ceramic pottery and moving services. Currently, the highest bid is for a vacation stay at a private home on the Deschutes River near La Pine.
The auction has been running each February since its inception in 2007, when SOJC Information Technology Support Manager Tom Lundberg came up with the idea during a brainstorming session with other faculty and staff. The website was designed so anyone could participate in the auction, regardless of whether they worked or went to school at the University, but users tend to be faculty or graduate students.
In 2009, Lundberg himself was the highest bidder for a rafting trip down the McKenzie River guided by University professors. The following year, Lundberg wasn’t so lucky; he was outbid at the last moment on a sailboat cruise package for two provided by Mike Thoele, SOJC adjunct professor and current Emerald interim publisher. Sue Varani, SOJC faculty service coordinator and one of the auction’s organizers, said bidding wars like the one Lundberg engaged in are common with the charity auction. She has already been outbid seven times during this year’s drive.
“There’s a lot of people who donate, and those same people are bidding on other things,” Varani said. “It’s kind of a competition war.” 
Varani estimated the drive has already generated $1,600. She said she was pleased that proceeds were going to Food for Lane County because she saw visible need in the community.
“This is one place that really has a dramatic impact, is people’s food,” Varani said.
Lundberg enjoys participating in the auction not only because it’s for a good cause, but for the playful, competitive environment the auction provides.
“You know the people that are involved,” Lundberg said. “You can choose pseudonyms, but people will speculate who it is. It turns into a pretty good community-building (event), even within the building here, not just in Lane County.”
Varani also said she thought the auction contributed to a sense of unity among the SOJC faculty.
“It’s one of those things I think a lot of folks around here look forward to because, in the midst of everything that’s going on, it kind of brings us a little bit together,” Varani said.
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