The 11th annual charity auction of lunch with Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRKA, BRKB) Chief Executive Warren Buffett brought in more than $2.6 million on Friday night.

月11日晚，伯克希尔哈撒韦公司(Berkshire Hathaway Inc.)首席执行长巴菲特(Warren Buffett)的第11次年度午餐机会慈善拍卖拍出超过260万美元。

That tally broke the previous record, set in 2008, of $2.1 million by investor Zhao Danyang.

这一金额打破了2008年由赵丹阳创造的纪录，他当时出价210万美元赢得与巴菲特共进午餐的机会。

Proceeds from the auction, conducted online by eBay Inc. (EBAY) , benefit the Glide Foundation, a charity serving the homeless in San Francisco's Tenderloin district. Mr. Buffett decided to make the annual donation of his time because his late wife, Susan, had been a volunteer at Glide.

拍卖由eBay Inc.来运作，拍卖所得将捐助给慈善机构格来得基金会(Glide Foundation)，这是一家为旧金山Tenderloin地区无家可归者服务的组织。巴菲特之所以决定每年向该机构捐助是因为他已故的妻子生前曾是其志愿者。

(This story and related background material will be available on The Wall Street Journal website, WSJ.com.)

据格来得基金会的员工说，这位出价高的竞购者要求匿名，他拍得的或许是世界上最昂贵、也有人说是最有价值的牛排午餐机会。去年拍下与巴菲特共进午餐机会的是加拿大投资公司Salida Capital，当时出价168万美元。

The high bidder in the auction for what may be the world's most expensive--or, some say, most valuable--steak lunch asked to remain anonymous, according to Glide staff. Last year's high bidder, who spent $1.68 million, was the Canadian investment firm Salida Capital.

大部分竞价都出现在最后三分钟，出价由250万美元升至最终的成交价2,626,311美元。

Much of the bidding action happened in the last three minutes, when the bids rose from $2.5 million to a final tally of $2,626,311.

格来得基金会的创始人威廉姆斯牧师(Rev. Cecil Williams)说，穷人需要这笔钱来填饱肚子、维持生活。他说，自经济不景气以来，格来得基金会的服务所需增加了近三成，而获得的捐助却减少了20%。

Rev. Cecil Williams, Glide's founder, said that the proceeds were needed to feed and support the poor. He said Glide had seen an almost 30% rise in the need for its services since the economic downturn, but also a 20% decrease in donations.

威廉姆斯说，他非常兴奋，这是一个让人们更加关心慈善机构的大好机会。

'I'm very excited,' said Rev. Williams. 'I think there is a groundswell talking place for people to be more concerned with non-profit groups.'

他还没有与巴菲特通上话，巴菲特本人也并没有前往旧金山参加拍卖倒计时的庆祝活动。

He had yet to speak with Mr. Buffett, who didn't make it to San Francisco for an auction count-down celebration.

威廉姆斯说，我们将把钱用在该用的地方，尤其是为那些卷入暴力的年轻人提供帮助以及解决住房问题。

'We are going to put the money where it counts,' said Rev. Williams, especially services for young people who were being drawn into violence, and for housing.

中标者可携带至多八人参加与巴菲特的午餐，地点一般来说会在巴菲特锺爱的纽约市牛排馆Smith and Wollensky。此前获得此机会的中标者说，他们在午餐期间与巴菲特讨论的投资主题后来被证明是有益的。

The winner is allowed to bring a party of up to eight to the lunch, which typically takes place at Mr. Buffett's favorite New York City steakhouse Smith and Wollensky. Previous winners have said that the investment themes they discussed during the meal turned out to be helpful.

Geoffrey A. Fowler

Geoffrey A. Fowler

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