Oprah Winfrey To Auction Cars For South African Girls’ Academy

An auction of three cars from Oprah Winfrey's personal collection will benefit the annual Arts and Culture Workshop at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls – South Africa.

Talk show host, media mogul, and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey will auction the three cars – a 1954 Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing formerly owned by the DuPont family, a 1988 Rolls Royce Corniche II Convertible given to her by John Travolta, and a 1997 Aston Martin DB7 Volante – at Pebble Beach, California, from August 16-17, 2008. Renowned auctioneers Gooding and Company will facilitate the event. Catalogues are available for $100, including auction viewing and admission for two, and general admission is $40 per person. The vehicles will be on display August 13-17.

The three automobiles are expected to fetch a combined total of $700,000-$1 million, with 100% of the proceeds going to the annual Arts and Culture Workshop held at Winfrey’s academy. Winfrey has already donated $40 million towards the establishment of the school, which was founded in January 2007 and is located in a suburb outside Johannesburg.

The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls – South Africa provides a private learning and residential environment for 450 girls in grades 7-12 who show outstanding promise despite their social circumstances. The academy’s annual Arts and Culture Workshop features a diverse group of creative writers, musicians, actors, dancers, and media and visual artists. The aim of the workshop is to encourage students to pursue opportunities beyond their immediate surroundings.

For more information on Winfrey’s academy, visit www.oprahwinfreyleadershipacademy.org, and to learn more about the auction, see www.goodingco.com.