The Lindbergh Foundation announced this week that in connection with its 31st annual Lindbergh Award Celebration in May, several one-of-a-kind items will be available for on-line bidding. Kelley Welf, spokesperson for the Foundation, said the auction for 12 unique items opened on Wednesday and will close on May 15, at 4 p.m. CDT. Among the items for sale: a first-edition mint-condition copy of The Spirit of St. Louis signed by Charles Lindbergh; a lithograph of astronaut Neil Armstrong signed by both the first and last man on the moon; a print of a special-edition oil painting celebrating Lindbergh’s arrival in Paris, signed by James Lovell, Alan Shepard, Neil Armstrong, and Jimmy Doolittle; dinner with John and Martha King and a flight in their Falcon jet; and a behind-the-scenes tour of CNN studios with correspondent Miles O’Brien. “This online auction of such unique items is unprecedented in the history of the Lindbergh Foundation,” said Knox Bridges, president and CEO of the foundation. For more details, and to enter a bid online, go to the Foundation Web site and click on the “Participate in our On-Line Silent Auction” link.
“It’s our intent to offer these rare collectibles as a way of letting the world know how special our Foundation is, and to raise awareness for the kind of support we enjoy among aviation’s elite and famous who care about our mission,” said Bridges. The auction will wrap up at the Lindbergh Foundation Annual Awards Celebration in Atlanta, Ga., on May 17. Tickets are still available for the event. Ted Turner, chairman of the Turner Foundation and founder of CNN, will receive the Foundations 2008 Lindbergh Award for his commitment to protecting the environment and promoting conservation and the reintroduction of native species on his land. The third annual Corporate Award for Balance will be presented to The Jacoby Group in recognition of their focus on sustainable development, which preserves and protects the environment on which we all rely. Miles O’Brien will be the Master of Ceremonies.
