By Ty Walker
The Mountain Times
Dust off those fedoras and flapper dresses. It’s all about the Roaring Twenties this year at Camp Arrah Wanna’s Banquet & Auction. The theme for the camp’s big annual fundraiser is only fitting, as the Mount Hood campground celebrates the 100th anniversary of the main lodge building, originally the Arrah Wanna Inn.
Doors open at 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, the banquet is from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
at 24075 E. Arrah Wanna Blvd. in Welches. The silent auction is at 5:30 p.m., a delicious ’20s-themed dinner is served at 6:30 p.m. and the live auction and program start at 7 p.m. There will be live music, entertainment and a cash bar. Tickets to the event are $65 each, and proceeds go toward camp repairs.
So get your zoot suit on or slip into that party dress and let your imagination take you back to the 1920s. Pretend like it’s prohibition and you’re ordering drinks at the local speakeasy! Fancy and themed banquet attire is encouraged but not required. Fantastic MC’s, raffles and games will enhance the evening.
“We’ve had a few different crises this year,” Camp Arrah Wanna grant writer and fundraising coordinator Erika Zavala said. “This year, fundraising is going to help support the recovering and rebuilding efforts after the camp suffered from fire and freeze damage from winter storms.”
The maintenance shed burned to the ground in a July 15 fire, causing an estimated $500,000 in damages. In April, a mechanical fire in the laundry room caused $25,000 in damages. January winter storms caused $65,000 in damages. Insurance will help cover the cost of the maintenance shed fire but not the other disasters.
Located in the Welches community, Camp Arrah Wanna is a sprawling campground, conference and retreat center on 120 acres of forestland in the foothills of Mount Hood. The nonprofit camp’s mission is to offer a quiet and peaceful respite from the busy, fast-paced world for groups of 10 to 250 any time of year.
Arrah Wanna has hosted 60 diverse groups and more than 7,000 campers each year. “We are hosting more campers and guest groups each year as the need in our community continues to grow,” Zavala said.
The Northwest Outdoor School Program, which meets 24 weeks a year, is probably the largest program at the camp. Arrah Wanna’s main focuses are the summer youth programs, family camps, adult retreats and summer intern programs, as well as other nonprofit and community-based organizations. Young adult interns, mainly high school students, live at the camp all summer learning job skills and training.
To buy tickets to Camp Arrah Wanna’s Roaring Twenties Banquet & Auction, go online to camparrahwannainc.tofinoauctions.com/2024auction/homepages/show or phone 503-622-3189. For more information, go to camparrahwanna.org.