Did you watch the 12-12-12 concert last night? Musicians, actors, and comedians performed at Madison Square Garden to raise funds for Hurricane Sandy relief. Over $30 million was raised just in ticket sales; I can’t wait to hear the final total and see those dollars put to work.
The headliners, in my book, were Jersey boys Bruce Springsteen and Jon BonJovi, but the other performers weren’t too shabby; the Rolling Stones, The Who, Alicia Keys, Billy Joel, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Eddy Vedder, Roger Waters and more.
Jon Stewart, Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, Steve Buscemi, Jimmy Kimmel, and Adam Sandler cracked jokes and encouraged donations. NBC newscaster Brian Williams kept the event moving along. New York and New Jersey firefighters, police, EMTs, nurses, and other crisis responders were spotlighted.
Today, I am thankful for all the people trying to restore my home state of New Jersey, neighboring New York and the surrounding areas affected by Hurricane Sandy.
The storm was over quickly but it will take years to fully recover. Countless people lost homes; at least 124 deaths are directly related to the storm. The local economy has taken a hit with the damage to the shore areas, the full impact of which may not be realized until the next summer season.
If you’ve every spent time at the Jersey Shore or if you love all that is New York City, consider donating. The funds are being distributed by the Robin Hood Foundation, whose good work was shared throughout the concert.
Donate directly or bid on memorabilia at 121212concert.org. Thank you.
#121212Concert #JerseyStrong #RestoreTheShore
