CanIgetnearly$1.2millionforOldsCollege’sCentennialEntrepreneurshipLegacyfund?!?!?$1.2millionrightoverhere!Ihave$1.2million! Sold! More than 100 vehicles sold during the J.C.
CanIgetnearly$1.2millionforOldsCollege’sCentennialEntrepreneurshipLegacyfund?!?!?$1.2millionrightoverhere!Ihave$1.2million!
Sold!
More than 100 vehicles sold during the J.C. (Jack) Anderson Charity Auto Auction on June 23 brought in $1,177,500 for the Olds College Centennial Entrepreneurship Legacy Fund, shattering the expectations of college officials.
"To say that we are grateful and excited and that we feel so deeply indebted really to J.C. Jack Anderson and the Anderson family for all that they have done, to say that we are indebted to the hundreds of volunteers that have committed so much of their time and energy, particularly over the last six months, would be gross understatements," said college president Dr. Tom Thompson. "That has exceeded all expectations of everybody."
Roughly 2,000 people packed into the Olds Agricultural Society Cow Palace for the auction to bid on or catch a glimpse of the classic cars and trucks donated by Anderson, a retired rancher and businessman, and a number of other individuals.
It was standing-room only in the palace as an army of volunteers rolled in the vehicles that dated back as far as 1918 and as recently as 2002.
Auctioneers from Michener Allen Auctioneering ran the show—which lasted six hours— and every vehicle found a new home.
The highest bid was for a 1956 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster, which was restored by Innisfail’s Haler Concepts, that sold for $66,000 and it was at that point that auctioneers announced that the auction had brought in $1.1 million so far.
A 1940 Ford two-door deluxe Businessman’s Coupe brought in the second-highest bid at $39,000 and overall nearly 50 vehicles fetched more than $10,000.
At one point, a 1959 Oldsmobile that was purchased for $5,400 was donated back to the college and brought in an additional $5,500 the second time it was auctioned off.
Don Fuiten of Melfort, Sask., bid on eight vehicles and was successful in buying two: a 2002 Ford Thunderbird convertible at $32,000 and a 1963 Mercury Comet sedan at $20,000 that was donated to the college by John and Colleen Carey.
"I got the two cars I really wanted," he said, adding he’s been after a Comet for 35 years since he owned one when he was younger.
"I’ve been watching for many years for one."
A number of smaller items were also auctioned or raffled off and Michener Allen also donated $10,000 to the college.
One couple from Edmonton who were outbid on the vehicle they had come to the auction to buy also wrote a cheque to the school for $5,000.
Thompson said all proceeds from the day, minus some expenses, would go towards the legacy fund, which will allow the school to enhance its entrepreneurial and technology-based programs.
Although he was tempted to bid on a few of the items up for auction himself, Thompson said his wife tempered that temptation.
Wynne Chisholm, Anderson’s daughter, said although her father didn’t attend the auction, he would likely be pleased with the outcome.
"He has no regrets about the decision at all, but he didn’t want to watch them all being sold individually because he has attachments to the various vehicles and there’s stories to go with each one," she said. "I think we all got a little choked up at times today."
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