Look To The Stars News: Gerald Ford

Presidential Baseball Catches $82,500 For Charity

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 11:45:00 -0000

The Carter Center’s annual Winter Weekend auction held on February 7 at Port St. Lucie and featured last month on Look To The Stars has raised $817,590 to help support the work of the not-for-profit Center, advancing peace and health worldwide.

The highest bid item at the fundraiser was an original painting by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, which sold for $100,000. More than 100 auction items, including a baseball signed by President Barack Obama, historic memorabilia from the White House, presidential elections, the space race, and American sports were offered for public auction.

Some of the highest fundraisers included:

The only baseball in the world hand-signed by five U.S. presidents (Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, George Bush Sr, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush), which sold for $82,500;
Fly fishing trip with President and Mrs. Carter at the fabulous Brigadoon Lodge, which sold for $80,000;
A handmade Manuel Rodriguez classical guitar, which sold for $65,000;
Three giclee prints of artwork by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, which sold for $26,000 each;
A baseball signed by U.S. President Barack Obama, which sold for $8,000.

To view all winning bids:

The Winter Weekend silent auction netted $32,240, while the live auction raised $785,350.

Catch A Baseball Signed By Five US Presidents For Charity

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A complete set of Harry Potter books signed by author JK Rowling and artworks signed by former president Jimmy Carter are some of the items up for sale in an exciting new auction to raise money for an organization that promotes peace and health worldwide and monitors elections in struggling democracies.

Over 100 items will be up for grabs in the auction, to benefit the Carter Center. One of the most sought-after prizes is a baseball signed by five American presidents – George Bush Sr, George W. Bush Bill Clinton, Gerald Ford, and Jimmy Carter. Also raising eyebrows and bids will be a a certificate commemorating the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing, signed by Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins and Neil Armstrong. There are also photographs taken on the moon and signed by the astronauts, as well as guitars signed by David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, Sheryl Crow, Willie Nelson, Michael Stipe, Bruce Springsteen and Kid Rock.

The auction will take place during the Carter Center’s annual Winter Weekend celebration Feb. 7 in Port St. Lucie. More information about the auction and how to bid online can be found at the Carter Center website.

Charities Benefit from Auction of President Ford’s Personal Items

Mon, 02 Jul 2007 10:43:55 -0000

Written by Saskia Akyil

On July 7, over 500 items belonging to the late, former President Gerald Ford and his wife Betty, will be auctioned, with proceeds benefiting three charities important to the Fords. The auction will take place in Beaver Creek, Colorado, location of one of the Fords’ residences.

Auction items include: President Ford’s golf clubs, his skis, the President and Mrs. Ford’s engraved crystal, their personal American flags, artwork, furniture, clothing (such as ski jackets, ski boots), sculptures, books, kitchen ware, collectibles, decorative household items, silver, rugs, Christmas ornaments, antiques, and lamps. Hundreds of other items will be sold the day before the auction at a tag sale. Many local companies have contributed products and services for the auction, which is hosted by New York-based Guernsey’s auction house.

The non-profit organizations to benefit from the auction and tag sale are The OK Corral Camp, The Eagle River Scholarship Fund, and Betty Ford Alpine Gardens.

The OK Corral Camp is a camp for children with life-threatening illnesses, set to open in 2010. The camp, which will be located in the mountains of Colorado, will be a place where ill children can focus on something other than their illnesses. It is in the process of becoming a member of Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall Gang camps.

The Eagle River Scholarship Fund awards scholarships for post-secondary education to those in need. It has awarded over $600,000 to students since it was established in 1974. President Ford supported the Fund both privately and through proceeds from the Jerry Ford Celebrity Golf Tournament. For many years, he personally presented the annual awards to the scholarship recipients.

Betty Ford Alpine Gardens is the highest botanic garden in the world, and specializes in alpine plants. It resides at an elevation of 8,250 feet, receives 100,000 visitors annually and aims to educate visitors about the plants native to alpine climates and elevations.

For more information about the auction and the tag sale and benefit preview party preceding it, see the Guernsey’s auction house website.

Look To The Stars News: Gerald Ford

Presidential Baseball Catches $82,500 For Charity

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