Online Auction is LIVE!

The Online Auction is now open on the Auctria website, so start bidding! The Live Auction items can also be viewed on the Auctria website. Click the button above to see all the items up for bids, plus the Online Country Store items, which have a “Buy It Now” price. ONLINE BIDDING ENDS at 7 PM Sunday, September 21. You can track your favorites and even set a Maximum Bid on any item you’d like.

Live Auction bidding will begin at 1 PM Saturday, September 20, at Camp Ewalu’s main site 3 miles west of Strawberry Point, IA. Can’t be there? You can place a Proxy Bid on any item; just follow the instructions at the top of this page.

With the Cedar Lodge kitchen under construction, we need help making baked goods to sell at the Quilt Auction on Saturday, September 20. If you can bake some cookies, bars, sweet loaves, cinnamon rolls, or pie for camp, please use the online sign-up form at bit.ly/EwaluBakedGoods or email steph@ewalu.org.

Please DELIVER all items to the Canteen “back door” in the Creation Center (across the hall from the restrooms) anytime from September 18-20. You can also bring items with you if you are coming to the Quilt Auction the morning of September 20! There’s probably someone in your church coming to the auction already, so ask around to see if your baked goods can catch a ride. Fresh produce also welcome if you have extra for camp to sell during the fundraiser… just bring it to the Canteen!

Quilt Auction details

Camp Ewalu’s biggest fundraiser is here! The 38th annual Ewalu Quilt Auction actually has TWO separate auctions: one that’s online and one that’s a live in-person event at camp.

Each year, about 300 quilts and handmade items are generously donated for the annual Quilt Auction. It’s a wonderful showcase of creativity and talent, and you can take home a beautiful hand-crafted item while supporting Ewalu’s ministry.

Download the 1/2 page Quilt Auction Event Flier to use in your church bulletin! The PDF has 2 per page, so just print and cut.

This year’s quilt donations:
Shepherd of the Hills Ministries

A long-standing tradition of Ewalu’s Quilt Auction is the opportunity to donate quilts to Lutheran-affiliated ministries that serve others. This year, bidders can purchase a quilt and donate it to Shepherd of the Hills Ministries in St. Olaf, Iowa.  For many years, Ewalu quilts were donated to Lutheran Services in Iowa’s Bremwood facility in Waverly, Iowa, until the facility closed its youth treatment program in 2023. In 2024, quilts were donated to LSI’s Refugee and Early Childhood programs in the LSI Waterloo office.

SOTH assists those struggling with housing, domestic situations, fostering, natural disasters, aftermath of a fire, medical challenges and more, and gives assistance for utility bills and rent. The SOTH thrift store at 100 W. Hill St., Saint Olaf (pictured above), is open to the public M-F, 9 a.m.- noon and 1-4 p.m. If a crisis family is in need of anything, they get to shop in the store for free and can get 5 items per person in the family each month.

Helping children is a huge focus for SOTH, serving hundreds of kids with Back to School backpacks full of supplies, plus their Coats for Kids and Christmas for Kids programs. SOTH runs on donations only. Their annual Hog Roast is coming up October 5, which supports their Crisis Fund. Contact Heather Hageman at 563-783-2409 or shephill@neitel.net for more information.

Typically, 30-40 quilts are donated from bidders at Ewalu’s Quilt Auction to charity each year! Handmade quilts are wonderful gifts of comfort for people in need.

There are many twin-sized quilts on this year’s quilt auction that would be great donations to Shepherd of the Hills Ministries, but any quilt you win can be donated. We will make sure it gets to the ministry in St. Olaf, Iowa, where they will distribute quilts to folks in need!

Thank you for giving twice — first by bidding to support Ewalu, and second by giving away the quilt you purchased.

About Ewalu’s Quilt Auction

Held annually for more than 35 years with the help and support of congregations, quilters, and volunteers, more than 300 quilts are donated to the camp, plus numerous hand-crafted items are given to raise additional funds. These funds support projects and capital improvements that the camp cannot achieve through the annual operating budget.

Join us for live music, a short worship service, and more than 300 quilts and quality hand-crafted items displayed for review (NOTE: Due to the renovation of Cedar Lodge beginning in August, we are working on an alternate plan to display quilts and items that will be up for bids in the Online Auction.) A free-will lunch is served at noon, and the live auction starts at 1:00 p.m. It is a day to celebrate and support the incredible ministry that occurs at Camp Ewalu!

Supporting This Event

This event would not be possible without the generosity of quilters and crafters throughout eastern Iowa. Additional support comes through congregations, quilt/fabric shops, Thrivent Financial grants, local businesses and organizations in areas like In-lieu-of-quilt gifts, advertising, event supplies, and more!

Quilters & Crafters: Please consider making a quilt or item for the auction. To provide variety and interest in the auction, we also auction other hand-made items, especially wooden items such as wooden bowls. Though over 300 items are donated for the auction, we can only put about 120 to 130 items in the live auction. All other items are either put up for bids in the Online Auction (including top-quality items!), or priced and sold in the “Country Store” on the day of the live auction: Sept. 20, 2025. If you are unable to donate a completed item, we also accept quilt tops, squares, pieces, batting, and other quilt or craft supplies for the Country Store.

In lieu of quilts: If you are unable to donate a quilt or craft item, there are still ways to help! You can make a monetary gift in lieu of donating an item; donate baked goods, plants and fresh produce for the food stand; or volunteer to demonstrate your craft trade at the event. We also rely on volunteers for operating the food stand and Country Store.

THANK YOU!

There’s an amazing story unfolding here through the ministry of Camp Ewalu. It’s the story of God’s love made transparent through Christ and demonstrated through the generosity of many supporters like you. Thank you for the many creative ways that you support this ministry, which reaches thousands of people each year through our summer camp program and retreat hosting. We look forward to working with you as we come together for this year’s Quilt Auction!

Results from the 2024 Quilt Auction

Our 2024 Online and Live Auctions raised $56,122.81 in net proceeds, with more than 300 quilts and hand-crafted items donated to the event. Thank you to all the volunteers, item donors, and bidders who make this annual fundraiser so successful in support of the ministry of Ewalu!

Congratulations to this year’s People’s Choice Award winners!

Live Auction 1st Place: Item #112, Ewalu Remembrance quilt, donated by Juanita and Gary Maiers of Coal Valley, IL (winning bid: $4,200)

Live Auction 2nd Place: Item #92, Lakeside quilt, donated by Mary Lou Billhorn of Readlyn, IA (winning bid: $4,200)

Live Auction 3rd Place: Item #81, Journeys quilt, donated by Jeri and Debbie Watson of Arlington, IA (winning bid: $4,200)

Online People’s Choice Winner: Item #245, Chopsticks quilt, donated by Diane Schilling of Guttenberg, IA (winning bid: $1,550)

PHOTOS FROM 2024 LIVE AUCTION

CONTACT

Questions about the Ewalu Quilt Auction can be directed to Steph Boeding, steph@ewalu.org