Frequently Asked Questions

This year we are offering both an online auction and an in-person event.

The online auction opens Monday, March 2, and features items like trips, vacation homes, sporting events, entertainment, and much more—like Unique to Bear Creek experiences with our amazing teachers and staff.

The online auction is free and open to all in the community, including parents, grandparents, alumni, and parents of alumni. Please share with friends and family! 

The in-person Gala dinner and live auction event is on Saturday, March 7.

Follow these simple steps to log in to our auction platform, OneCause, with your mobile phone:

1. Text "BearCreek2026" to 44834
2. Follow the prompts from the texts received
3. Once registered, you will be redirected to the event page

To register using a web browser, visit https://onecau.se/bearcreek2026. Click the Log In button at the top of the page and create an account.

You can browse the online auction starting Thursday, February 26, and begin bidding on items Monday, March 2, at 8:00 p.m. The online auction closes at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 7.

You can also support the Fund-a-Need starting Monday, March 2. If you wish to remain anonymous or if you would like to make a pledge now and pay later via DAF or check, please email Assistant Director of Development Theresa Larsen at tlarsen@tbcs.org.

Anyone can participate on the online auction by logging in on the event website. We encourage you to share the link to the online auction with your friends and family.

Those who wish to attend the Gala dinner on Saturday, March 7, at Hyatt Regency Bellevue need to purchase tickets. Tickets include a gourmet three-course dinner and will be available to purchase starting January 28. Capacity for the event is limited, and we expect it to sell out quickly, so don't delay reserving your seat!

You must be at least 18 years old to bid on our online auction packages and at least 21 years old to bid on any alcohol-related auction package.

Yes, the event is open to all! Friends and family are welcome to join both the online auction and the in-person event. Please share the link https://onecau.se/bearcreek2026 with them. They can also text BearCreek2026 to 44834 to receive the link on their phones.

No ticket is needed to participate in the online auction beginning Monday, March 2, at 8:00 p.m. However, you will need to create a OneCause account, which we encourage you to do now to be ready to bid on the online auction items starting March 2.

If you wish to attend the in-person event on Saturday, March 7, and enjoy a three-course gourmet dinner, you must purchase a ticket. The fun evening will feature a live auction with unique experiences and the Fund-a-Need that will continue transforming our school and creating an environment that inspires learning, creativity, faith, and community.

Tickets will be available for purchase starting January 28. We expect the event to sell out quickly, so don't delay getting your seat!

Check Bids & Favorites in your OneCause account at any time to see all the items you have bids on, the items on which you were outbid, and items still available for bidding. When the auction closes, Bids & Favorites will show you the items you won.

No. You can preview all the auction items without creating a OneCause account. However, you will need to create an account and log in when you are ready to bid.

You can bid from any device by simply logging in to OneCause using your account information. Please note: if your device is not a phone that can receive a text message, you will not receive outbid texts.

No. The auction platform is a mobile-ready website. Just log in, browse the items, and start bidding.

Watch this video to learn more

Once you have created a OneCause account and logged in, you can select Online Auction and click on an item to start bidding. You can bid the next increment, set a max bid, or simply watch the item.

The online auction opens at 8:00 p.m. on Monday, March 2.

If you bid on an item, you will receive an "outbid" text letting you know when someone has trumped your bid. You can bid again with just a click to make sure you get that favorite package!

You can set a "max bid" amount on any item you wish, and the system will automatically bid for you in increments up until your max bid is reached. If you get outbid on your max bid, you will receive a text alert, and you can go back and bid again.

You can watch your selected items and see all your bids easily in Your Activity.

When the auction closes, your credit card will be automatically charged for the items on which you are the winning bidder. You do not need to do anything further, as you provided your credit card number when you created your account.

Alternately, you can pay by check to eliminate the 3% credit card fee expense. Please email us if you would like to pay by check.

If you bid on an item that is an experience or gift certificate, we will send the gift card, certificate, or instructions to redeem the experience to you via email. If it is a tangible item, we can arrange for you to pick it up from the school.

If you have any questions or concerns about bidding or encounter technical problems, it is easy to get help. Please note that we will be actively monitoring these help options on an ongoing basis on Saturday, March 7.

• From the online auction site, click the Contact Us button, complete the form, and someone will respond right away, or
• Email philanthropy@tbcs.org.

If you make a donation, your contribution is tax-deductible, as allowed by law. The amount paid for an item above fair market value is also tax-deductible.

Acknowledgment letters and tax receipts will be emailed following the event. If you would like to request the acknowledgment by mail, please contact Kasse Guptill at kguptill@tbcs.org.