Hats, winter gloves and water bottles are another item that bargain hunters will find at the Medford airport's lost-and-found sale happening at 10 a.m. Friday.

Whether it’s a full bottle of designer cologne ditched at security or an errantly left-behind CamelBak ready for new adventures, travelers’ losses will be local bargain hunters’ gains for one day only at the Medford airport.

Luggage, sunglasses, gadgets and more make up just a sampling of the goods that will be available at the Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport’s lost-and-found sale, held Friday at the airport’s Conference Room B on the second floor of 1000 Terminal Loop Parkway.

The bulk of the goods this year are sunglasses, water bottles and clothing, according to an email from Airport Director Amber Judd.

The items on sale all spent months in the airport’s lost and found, according to Judd. She said in the email that airport administration staff “work hard to reunite people with misplaced items in our airport.”

The most common things to get lost in the Medford airport include headphones, sunglasses, phones and laptops, but that list is hardly comprehensive.

“Some of the more memorable items left behind: a sparkling cane, several single shoes, large play equipment for children … violins, strollers, children’s car seats, etc.,” Judd said.

For most items, administrative staff become “detectives,” and track down the owner by piecing together clues, Judd said. Found electronics, for instance, are usually kept powered on and charged so staff can answer when someone calls.

When staff are unsuccessful finding an owner, items get held for at least 90 days in hopes that the owner comes back around. The items are kept in a secure area and logged with extensive notes into a spreadsheet.

Most items that linger past the three-month mark get donated to local charities, but some valuable and unique items are held longer.

According to Judd, the airport holds lost-and-found sales when those items start to take up too much space.

Friday’s sale runs 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., or until inventory is sold out. Only cash will be accepted, and all proceeds from the sale go toward airport development projects. Airport parking fees will apply.

Locals flying to and from MFR can prevent their things from ending up donated or on sale by including identifying information such as phone numbers or email addresses on personal items such as headphones and AirPods cases. 

“Engraving initials or an email on items of value might help in those items getting returned to you,” Judd said.

When an item is lost at the airport, she encourages travelers to contact the Medford airport’s administration office at 541-776-7222 or email airportadmin@jacksoncountyor.gov. The office is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.