(“Outdoor recreation has always been so important to me. It is my meditation, and today is the most I’ve felt that connection since my injury.” — Drew Stephens (pictured). Read below to learn more about this week | Photo courtesy of Oregon Adaptive Sports)
Join us virtually for the second annual First Chair fundraiser. Scheduled to go live at 6pm on October 12, First Chair is an effort to celebrate the Oregon Adaptive Sports (OAS) mission. First Chair features a recap and highlights of the past year, an exciting sneak preview at the film ADAPTED and an online and live auction, all of which help lead us to our goal to raise $100,000 in support of life-changing outdoor experiences for individuals with disabilities.
First Chair is free to attend, and you can learn more and sign up through the link below. The First Chair auction is also now LIVE with over a dozen items open for bidding and more being added over the next week.
Learn more about First Chair here: oregonadaptivesports.org/firstchair.
View and sign up for the First Chair Auction here: cbo.io/bidapp/index.php.
Thanks to our First Chair sponsors and early contributors, we are already over halfway to our goal!
Learn more about our sponsors below and consider making an early contribution here.
OAS Mission Moment
From October 1-6, OAS partnered with Craig Hospital, the nation’s leading spinal cord and traumatic brain injury rehabilitation facility, to provide a week of respite and adventure for Craig alumni. Attendees travelled to Bend and worked with OAS to develop confidence and independence in the outdoors. As quoted above, Drew, a ski patroller from South Dakota, expressed the importance of these trips and the critical need for access to the health and healing of outdoor recreation.
Auction Highlights
- Hand-crafted kitchen knife set from Drunken Marmot Forge: As seen on the History Channel’s Fire and Forge, blacksmith David Sowards-Emmerd has been so generous to OAS in recent years and this knife package is among the finest you’ll see, valued at $2,600. Learn more about David and his shop here: com.
- Douglas Van Howd skier sculpture: This item has sold at auction for at least $2,500 and is the perfect compliment to any skier’s home. Van Howd is a Nevada-born sculptor and painter and has become well-known worldwide for his wildlife and western creations. This is a marquette of the larger version located at the Reno-Tahoe International Airport.
New Items Added
- Flowers for a year from Donner Flowers
- Two e-bike rentals from Bend Electric Bikes
- Three-month membership to the Athletic Club of Bend
- Dutch Bros Gift Box
The second annual First Chair fundraiser is presented by an amazing group of sponsors who are invested in the OAS mission. Thank you to these sponsors for contributing over $50,000 to the First Chair campaign!
