The Jack Anderson Auto Auction is set to go on June 23 at 10 a.m. at the Cow Palace.
More than 100 vehicles donated by Anderson, a Calgary-area businessman, will be up for bid in support of the Olds College legacy fund. Anderson donated the vehicles – worth more than $2 million – following a $1-million donation Anderson made to the college in 2007.
“We all are looking forward to this auction being done because we know the proceeds will make a big difference to the college,” said Charllotte Adkens-Weiler, project manager of the auction.
Some of the vehicles up for auction include a 1936 Desoto Airflow, a 1955 Ford Thunderbird, 1956 Corvette, 1956 Jaguar, and a 1930s-era Model A used in the Broadway musical Showboat.
Auction organizers have travelled to the Barrett-Jackson event, one of the largest automobile collector auctions in the United States, which took place in November 2012 in Phoenix, Ariz., to spread word of the auction. And people from Alaska, Manitoba and elsewhere have been viewing the cars during restoration efforts. At another auto event in the Lower Mainland, Candy Clark, who starred in the film American Graffiti, approached one of the organizers and told her that she has been blogging and using Facebook to spread the word about the Jack Anderson auction.
“That's been a tremendous asset for us,” Adkens-Weiler said.
About 30 to 40 volunteers have been helping to restore the cars every Saturday since Novemer 2012. Adkens-Weiler said it has been a good opportunity for generations of families to bond together over their interest in cars.
People will have an opportunity to view the cars prior to the auction on June 21 from 4 to 8 p.m. for free. On June 22, there will be another opportunity to view the cars from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for a $5 admission charge.
The vehicles will be brought to Olds in a convoy from Aidrie on June 14 and 15.
