Last night I was reminded again of the power of capitalism. The word conjures up different emotions to different people, but to me capitalism has always been a social system based on the recognition of individual rights. Its that simple, don't complicate it with your many interpretations, opinions and intellectual derivatives. And the individual is what I personally believe to be the most powerful and important entity above any group or system of belief. Including religion. The individual is what makes human beings so wonderful, not groups.
And so last night, attending the annual McGuire Memorial charity auction dinner in Pittsburgh, I was reminded once again why individuals are such amazing people, and why capitalism is what has distinguished America from other countries as the nation who's citizens give the most. To learn more about the McGuire Memorial you can see an old post called The Choice of Giving, or go here. They are truly an amazing organization with an amazing leadership that has changed the lives of many for the better.
Last nights dinner had over 400 attendees and hundreds of donated items up for auction. The live auction was especially high quality, with people donating luxury homes and condos in exotic places like Barbados and the Greek Isles, fetching several thousand dollars for McGuire. One guy even auctioned off his hair for $35,000, having it shaved on stage. He was Chairman of the Board of McGuire. At the end of the evening, after lots of bidding and significant funds raised (a bird told me they were over $300,000 which would equate to 1% of their annual budget), they put forth several key projects where they had a gap in funds and asked the guests if they wished to help make up the difference.
Now realize the projects they are trying to fund are not 'nice to haves', but rather 'must haves' that impact the quality of life of the special people they take care of at McGuire. The last item was a new special needs van for wheel chairs, costing $40,000. McGuire Memorial have a fleet of vans and each van clocks 50,000 miles a year, meaning it lasts for about 2 to 2.5 years before being replaced. Here is what happened when they put up this big ticket item asking for help.
The table next to us was made up of the two guys who own Premier Transportation in Atlanta, GA, a truck transportation company. Mike and Joe, the owners, have been a Platinum Sponsor to the McGuire Memorial auction for a few years now. They donate two bright yellow and bright orange Camaro SS' for raffling each year. Two lucky people paid $25 for their winning ticket and they were announced last night. McGuire sold over 4,500 tickets for the raffle, raising over $112,000. In addition to the two Camaro's (estimated cost $58k), Mike and Joe bid on a host of items including a $10,000 dinner with a legendary Pittsburgh Steeler and his wife. When the fund raising for the Van went up, another bidder gave $20,000 and Mike and Joe gave the remaining $20,000.
As I sat observing the generosity of these guys and a select few others who gave a lot more than the rest of us, it hit me that what makes these people so giving is the success they have worked hard to create. Mike and Joe are not Wall Street bankers or over-priced Lawyers, not that I personally believe there is anything wrong with both those professions. They are two men that have built a profitable business (in a very tough market by the way), and this gives them the choice to give to causes and organizations they support. I don't know what their link is to McGuire Memorial, an organization in Western Pennsylvanian far far way from their home in Atlanta. But give they did, spending approximately $100,000 in one evening, almost a third of the total money raised at the event.
But again, this was a choice they made. No one forced them to. No one tried to guilt them into giving because they have more than others. And they didn't come to the auction planning to give as much as they did. They watched what was happening and did their part because they wanted to.
I left the event motivated to work harder at what I do. We all have organizations we want to support, and some of us give what we can. I am blessed in many ways, and can honestly say I never begrudge another man his success or wealth. I live a full life and know I am privileged in many ways. I give as much as I can, both in cash and in kind, but last night I really wanted to be very very wealthy because I would not have hesitated to match what Mike and Joe gave to McGuire and get them a second van.
Capitalism has been defined and butchered by those who believe others, be it governments, welfare or some form of authority, are responsible for the well-being of individuals. I disagree. Individuals are what we should be celebrating, not Unions. The achievement of individuals is what we should be holding up in society, not mindless reality show "stars" that frankly show the worst of human beings. My words are harsh, I know, but the world is a harsh place.
When I posted about Charity a year ago I researched the numbers and found a clear correlation between those who give the most and those who have the most. To be clear, this is not to say that people who are not wealthy (by whatever definition you want to use) don't give, thats not true. But the amount of giving coming from people who have built wealth is astronomical. This is interestingly similar to the amount of tax paid by the wealthy compared to the rest of tax payers, but I digress.
As I finish this post I am raising a glass of single malt scotch to Mike and Joe. They epitomize all that is great about the human race and what we are capable of. You don't have to be a household name like Branson, Gates or Zuckerberg to be generous and help make the world a better place. You just have to be a capitalist.
And so last night, attending the annual McGuire Memorial charity auction dinner in Pittsburgh, I was reminded once again why individuals are such amazing people, and why capitalism is what has distinguished America from other countries as the nation who's citizens give the most. To learn more about the McGuire Memorial you can see an old post called The Choice of Giving, or go here. They are truly an amazing organization with an amazing leadership that has changed the lives of many for the better.
Last nights dinner had over 400 attendees and hundreds of donated items up for auction. The live auction was especially high quality, with people donating luxury homes and condos in exotic places like Barbados and the Greek Isles, fetching several thousand dollars for McGuire. One guy even auctioned off his hair for $35,000, having it shaved on stage. He was Chairman of the Board of McGuire. At the end of the evening, after lots of bidding and significant funds raised (a bird told me they were over $300,000 which would equate to 1% of their annual budget), they put forth several key projects where they had a gap in funds and asked the guests if they wished to help make up the difference.
Now realize the projects they are trying to fund are not 'nice to haves', but rather 'must haves' that impact the quality of life of the special people they take care of at McGuire. The last item was a new special needs van for wheel chairs, costing $40,000. McGuire Memorial have a fleet of vans and each van clocks 50,000 miles a year, meaning it lasts for about 2 to 2.5 years before being replaced. Here is what happened when they put up this big ticket item asking for help.
The table next to us was made up of the two guys who own Premier Transportation in Atlanta, GA, a truck transportation company. Mike and Joe, the owners, have been a Platinum Sponsor to the McGuire Memorial auction for a few years now. They donate two bright yellow and bright orange Camaro SS' for raffling each year. Two lucky people paid $25 for their winning ticket and they were announced last night. McGuire sold over 4,500 tickets for the raffle, raising over $112,000. In addition to the two Camaro's (estimated cost $58k), Mike and Joe bid on a host of items including a $10,000 dinner with a legendary Pittsburgh Steeler and his wife. When the fund raising for the Van went up, another bidder gave $20,000 and Mike and Joe gave the remaining $20,000.
As I sat observing the generosity of these guys and a select few others who gave a lot more than the rest of us, it hit me that what makes these people so giving is the success they have worked hard to create. Mike and Joe are not Wall Street bankers or over-priced Lawyers, not that I personally believe there is anything wrong with both those professions. They are two men that have built a profitable business (in a very tough market by the way), and this gives them the choice to give to causes and organizations they support. I don't know what their link is to McGuire Memorial, an organization in Western Pennsylvanian far far way from their home in Atlanta. But give they did, spending approximately $100,000 in one evening, almost a third of the total money raised at the event.
But again, this was a choice they made. No one forced them to. No one tried to guilt them into giving because they have more than others. And they didn't come to the auction planning to give as much as they did. They watched what was happening and did their part because they wanted to.
I left the event motivated to work harder at what I do. We all have organizations we want to support, and some of us give what we can. I am blessed in many ways, and can honestly say I never begrudge another man his success or wealth. I live a full life and know I am privileged in many ways. I give as much as I can, both in cash and in kind, but last night I really wanted to be very very wealthy because I would not have hesitated to match what Mike and Joe gave to McGuire and get them a second van.
Capitalism has been defined and butchered by those who believe others, be it governments, welfare or some form of authority, are responsible for the well-being of individuals. I disagree. Individuals are what we should be celebrating, not Unions. The achievement of individuals is what we should be holding up in society, not mindless reality show "stars" that frankly show the worst of human beings. My words are harsh, I know, but the world is a harsh place.
When I posted about Charity a year ago I researched the numbers and found a clear correlation between those who give the most and those who have the most. To be clear, this is not to say that people who are not wealthy (by whatever definition you want to use) don't give, thats not true. But the amount of giving coming from people who have built wealth is astronomical. This is interestingly similar to the amount of tax paid by the wealthy compared to the rest of tax payers, but I digress.
As I finish this post I am raising a glass of single malt scotch to Mike and Joe. They epitomize all that is great about the human race and what we are capable of. You don't have to be a household name like Branson, Gates or Zuckerberg to be generous and help make the world a better place. You just have to be a capitalist.
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Great post!
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