Barrett-Jackson Helps Raise More Than $4 Million For Charity
SCOTTSDALE , Ariz. – January 23, 2007 – The Barrett-Jackson Auction Company, LLC announced today that the 2007 Scottsdale auction raised more than $4 million for charity, far surpassing last year’s record of $2.5 million.
By the end of the nine-day event, charity efforts at Barrett-Jackson raised a total of $4,168,500 for local and national charities. Local efforts were kicked off on Saturday, Jan. 13 with the annual Childhelp® Drive the Dream Gala which raised $1.5 million in one evening.
“Childhelp is Barrett-Jackson’s primary charitable beneficiary as we host the Drive the Dream Gala each year to help them raise funds for their very noble cause,” said Craig Jackson, CEO of Barrett-Jackson. “Once Barrett-Jackson began auctioning off cars, we were able to raise an additional $2.5 million for a variety of deserving charities.”
One of the biggest donations of the auction was the sale of the 1993 Hummer H1 “CNN’s Warrior One” that fetched $1 million with proceeds going directly to The Fisher House, an organization that provides “a home away from home” enabling American military families to be close to a loved one during hospitalization from injury or illness. A runner-up bidder for the Hummer announced before the hammer dropped that although he was not the winning bidder he would also donate $250,000 to the Fisher House.
One of the automobile industry’s greatest legends, Carroll Shelby, was on-site to see the first 2007 Ford Shelby GT Mustang Fastback (serial #001) sell for $600,000 with all the proceeds going to The Carroll Shelby’s Children’s Foundation. Not only did the bidder get the first car to come off the production line, by placing the highest bid Ford Motor Company entitled the purchaser the right to buy serial #002 at list price.
The proceeds from sale of Lot 1232.1, a 1957 Chevrolet Cameo Pickup for $145,000 and Lot 1556.1, a 1990 Chevrolet Custom Pickup for $57,000 went to the Darrell Gwynn Foundation (DGF). DGF is a charity which assists in the funding of research of spinal cord injuries and the improvement in the quality of life for those who, like the famous race car driver, have suffered from this injury or illness. The foundation is also committed to injury prevention with special emphasis on targeting children. In total, $317,000 was raised for DGF, including a signed poster for $40,000 and crowd donations that reached $75,000 .
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation also benefited from the sale of a 1932 Ford Custom Roadster “Detroit Deuce” which sold for $300,000 with all the proceeds going to the foundation.
Barrett-Jackson provides a very visible platform to raise money for charity,” said Steve Davis , president of Barrett-Jackson. “That platform is part of the Barrett-Jackson experience that is so special and impactful. We are proud to utilize this high-profile platform to bring awareness to these deserving charities.”
Other charities that will see the benefit of Barrett-Jackson sales include VFW Charity, McPherson College, New Beginning’s Destiny, Arizona Highway Patrol’s RAID program, the and the Chip Miller Foundation.
Some of the 2007 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale action highlights include the sale of 1,271 cars for nearly $112 million. The top selling car was the 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 “Carroll Shelby’s Personal Supersnake” which sold for $5.5 million. More than 250,000 people attended the nine-day event including bidders from all 50 states and 14 countries. In only six days, Barrett-Jackson’s website had 127.5 million hits.
About The Barrett-Jackson Auction Company
Established in 1971 and headquartered in Scottsdale , Ariz. , Barrett-Jackson specializes in providing products and services to classic and collector car owners, astute collectors and automotive enthusiasts around the world. The company produces the “World’s Greatest Collector Car Events™” in Scottsdale and Palm Beach , Fla. For more information about Barrett-Jackson, visit www.barrett-jackson.com or call (480) 421-6694 .