EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wisconsin — Ford Motor Co. is once again supporting the Experimental Aircraft Association’s youth aviation programs by donating for auction a one-of-a-kind Mustang during the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh fly-in.
The Apollo Edition Mustang is a specially designed and built 2015 Ford Mustang that is the premier item available during the live auction at EAA’s Gathering of Eagles gala, which supports the organization’s year-round youth aviation programs.
“Ford has helped EAA build unmatched pathways for young people to discover the world of flight through its support of the Gathering of Eagles, our youth programs, and AirVenture,” said Jack Pelton, EAA chairman of the board. “With its eighth Mustang donation inspired by aviation, Ford continues to excite with its specialty vehicles, which reflects the depth of Ford’s commitment to EAA, its members, and the future of flight.”
The Mustang draws its design cues from NASA’s Apollo program. Ford Design Manager Melvin Betancourt led the design and engineering teams that developed the car.
To participate in the auction, candidates may prequalify by contacting the EAA development office at 800-236-1025 or [email protected]
It is indeed unfortunate that an auction is being employed as the means to raise money via this wonderful donation by Ford. Auctions ultimately raise little more than the street value of the prize for the otherwise worthy cause. They take place between a small handful of wealthy individuals who could easily afford to buy a similar “prize” and barely notice it, while leaving everyone else feeling sidelined from the start.
Raffles, on the other hand, are not only open to everyone who could donate $10 or $20, they easily raise hundreds and sometimes thousand of times more than the value of the prize itself, especially if properly managed, and they come far closer to being seen as fair and equal, because just about anyone who hears about it can “buy in on it,” as opposed to watching a small bidding war between a few well-heeled egos.
At the end of the day and in true American spirit, raffles make everyone a winner, not only because they’ve also donated for a good cause, but also because everyone stands a reasonably equal chance at winning the prize (again, if properly managed). The winner is also seen as a sort of ‘lucky hero’ chosen by chance or fate, instead of becoming an object of envy or scorn, simply for being able to do what 99.9% of everyone else could not.
If the cause is truly worthy, conducting an auction for one or two objects is the last thing one should be doing. You won’t raise a tenth of the funds a decently managed raffle can bring in. Too late this year, but getting started now for next year will pay off handsomely for all involved, not least the cause itself – and is that not the whole point?
Daniel
Tustin, CA
The article stated that the Mustang is “the premier” item available at the live auction. That implies many other items will be auctioned off, as well, to benefit with worthy cause for us aviators.
The Apollo Mustang is a one-off and will likely bring considerably more than street value of a regular Mustang.
Your “well-healed egos” shows a serious case of envy. People with means give more to charity, as a percentage of wealth, than any other economic class, by a substantial margin.