| Barrett-Jackson Helps Raise
Over $1 Million for Charity During 2008 Palm Beach Collector Car Event
Barrett-Jackson’s 2008 Charity Total
Surpasses $6 Million
Scottsdale, Ariz., – April 30, 2008 – The
Barrett-Jackson Auction Company recently announced that it helped raise $1.1
million for various local and national charities during the 6th Annual
Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Event in West Palm Beach, Fla., on March
26-30, 2008. Donations at the automotive lifestyle event were gathered
through the sale of 18 collector vehicles, crowd donations and fundraisers
during the Opening Night Gala. Barrett-Jackson, which routinely waives buyer
and seller fees on charity vehicles, has helped raise over $6.1 millionfor
charity during the 2008 auction season.
“Over 40 years ago, my father Russ Jackson
and his partner Tom Barrett presented their first automotive event with one
goal in mind – to raise money for the Scottsdale Library,” said Craig
Jackson, Chairman/CEO of Barrett-Jackson. “Today, I’m proud that our team
has succeeded in continuing the Barrett-Jackson legacy of helping others. We
experienced success again this year by exceeding the $1 million mark in
charitable donations for the first time in the six-year history of the Palm
Beach event. In Scottsdale, we helped raise an amazing $5 million, bringing
the total to over $6.1 million for this year as we gear up for our inaugural
Las Vegas auction.”
With the help of Ford Motor Company, the
abundant crop of charity cars sold in Palm Beach was led by the KITT Ford
Shelby Mustangs from NBC’s “Knight Rider,” which sold as a pair for $300,000
to benefit Ford’s Salute to Education program (www.stescholarships.org).
Salute to Education, which awards college scholarships to high school
seniors in South Florida, received an additional $264,000 from sales of four
other cars, including $135,000 for a 2008 Ford Mustang ROUSH P-51A fastback
#151.
“Ford stepped up to the plate once again and
brought some unbelievable cars to auction in Palm Beach,” said Steve Davis,
President of Barrett-Jackson. “Last year, Ford joined Carroll Shelby on
stage to unveil and sell the first Shelby GT-H convertible. And they
delivered again this year with the KITT cars, a stunning one-off ROUSH P-51
Mustang and several other exceptional, one-of-a-kind vehicles.”
Barrett-Jackson, together with The Armed
Forces Foundation (www.armedforcesfoundation.org) and Super Chevy magazine,
fetched an impressive price of $130,000 for a 1957 Chevy Bel Air custom
convertible dubbed “Project American Heroes”; an additional $1,000 was
donated by those in attendance. All proceeds benefited The Armed Forces
Foundation, which provides support to the families of fallen or disabled
soldiers.
The Darrell Gwynn Foundation (www.darrellgwynnfoundation.org),
a longtime charity partner of Barrett-Jackson, was the beneficiary of over
$225,000 including $137,000 received from the sale of the 2008 Eliminator
Daytona boat, and an additional $66,000 from a commemorative poster
autographed by all the celebrities at the Scottsdale 2008 event and crowd
donations. Founded to help provide for and ultimately cure spinal cord
injuries and other debilitating illnesses, Darrell Gwynn Foundation also
benefited from fundraisers held during Barrett-Jackson’s annual Opening
Night Gala.
“The support of Barrett-Jackson as one of its
official charities means the world to our foundation,” said Darrell Gwynn,
President of Darrell Gwynn Foundation. “They are a perfect partner in
allowing us to use their unique platform to raise awareness about paralysis
and to provide aid and support.”
Funds raised during the gala were also
donated to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (www.missingkids.com),
an organization that helps prevent child abduction and sexual exploitation,
find missing children and assist victims of child abduction and sexual
exploitation, their families and the professionals who serve them.
Eight cars from HBO’s “The Sopranos” were
sold in Palm Beach for $83,800, including Tony Soprano’s white 2003 Cadillac
Escalade ESV that brought $45,000. Net proceeds from “The Sopranos” cars
were donated to Childrens Hospital Los Angeles (www.childrenshospitalla.org).
Additional charity cars in Palm Beach
included a 2008 Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson custom pickup that sold for
$50,000 to benefit America’s 9/11 Ride Foundation and a 2008 Saturn Sky
Redline convertible that brought $31,000 for the Child Rescue Network.
The exceptional charity total in Palm Beach
comes just two months after Barrett-Jackson helped raise $5 million during
the 37th Annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Event in Scottsdale, Ariz.
American automakers Ford, GM and Chrysler led the way by auctioning their
latest performance vehicles to gather nearly $2 million for respective
charities.
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, Palm Beach, Fla. and Las
Vegas. For more information about Barrett-Jackson, visit
www.barrett-jackson.com or call (480) 421-6694.
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