Medford’s Alba Sister City Association is hoping to really cash in on Medford native Ryan Sheaffer’s 15 minutes of fame as one of reality TV’s most-wanted bachelors.

Sheaffer’s fans from his recent stint on ABC’s "The Bachelorette" have a chance to buy a date with him Sunday as part of an auction to help fund the sending of a contingent of teenagers to Medford’s sister city: Alba, Italy.

The highest bidder will get a date in Medford with the 28-year-old Sheaffer, a Southern California teacher who lasted until the final three men in ABC’s Monday night hit before bachelorette Jennifer Schefft sent him packing on the Valentine’s Day episode.

Sheaffer was a Medford ambassador to Alba as a South Medford High School junior in 1993.

"I’m glad to do it, absolutely," Sheaffer said by phone Friday between national radio interviews and teaching class in a middle school outside of Los Angeles. "I feel like it’s for a good cause."

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It also likely will cause a wave of interest in the Alba auction, where out-of-towners can arrange to bid via the telephone for a chance to hang on Sheaffer’s arm one night.

"People from all over the country can call in their bids, and have their credit cards ready," said Lorrie Hall, one of the auction’s organizers. "We think there’s going to be a frantic bidding war."

Sheaffer plans to attend the Sunday auction, which is at the Rogue Valley Country Club. Tickets cost $25 and it opens at 4 p.m.

People interested in over-the-phone bidding should call auctioneer Ron Burgess at 541-301-4781 ahead of time to make arrangements.

Sheaffer’s date likely will hit the auction block some time between 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m., Burgess said.

"It’ll be fun to see what happens," Burgess said. "With something like this, you never know."

Sheaffer never knew his stint on "The Bachelorette" would catapult him from a face in the crowd to the guy crowds of TV watchers followed around Chicago during some promotions there last week.

"I couldn’t walk two steps without someone stopping to talk to me," Sheaffer said. "I felt like a rock star.

"It’s been a very surreal experience, almost overwhelming."

Sheaffer’s TV life began Jan. 10 when he was one of 25 bachelors in New York City trying to woo Schefft in the reality TV show.

Sheaffer was still just a relative unknown bachelor while in Medford during the airing of the second episode Jan. 17. That’s when family-friend Matthew White Hoppe, 18, and one of the Alba ambassadors this spring, asked Sheaffer to donate a date for the auction.

"I figured if anybody was willing to do something like that, it would be Ryan," White-Hoppe said. "He’s a great guy."

Sheaffer said his trip to Alba was special, and he wanted to help make that possible for the 30 students and three chaperones who need to raise about $66,000 for the three-week trip, which begins March 15.

"It was an incredible experience," Sheaffer said. "I think it helped shape and mold my outlook on life, and be a little more accepting of others at an early age."

Since agreeing to the auction, Sheaffer’s star has risen among reality TV-watchers.

"I thought it would be a fun little local thing," Sheaffer said. "But it’s kind of mushroomed."

But the show ended Monday in something of a mushroom cloud; Schefft rejected both finalists and no one walked away engaged.

Since getting voted off the show two weeks ago, Sheaffer’s had a few "doors opening" involving possible work outside of the teaching and entertainment industries, he said. But nothing concrete yet.

And he’s happy the Medford teenagers can ride his fame as far toward Alba as the top bidder in Sunday’s auction will take them.

"I’m sure my 15 minutes are ticking," Sheaffer said. "Maybe it’ll extend out to 16 minutes."

Reach reporter Mark Freeman at 776-4470, or e-mail mfreeman@mailtribune.com