Tuesday, August 14, 2007

35W Bridge Relief Benefit Concert


I recently participated in the 35W Bridge Relief Benefit Concert, as an event photographer, which took place at the Fineline Music Cafe in Minneapolis. It was a great success, raising $40,000 for affected families of the disaster. There were many local and national sponsors who donated items for the silent auctions and raffles. The Fineline donated a portion of bar sales. Canterbury Downs donated a check totaling $5,000, and was presented by the evening’s master of ceremonies, Dark Star, from WCCO radio.

I was truly grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in this cause with all the top-notch organizers and participants who made this event truly remarkable. Some of the bands were instrumental and at the forefront of organizing the event and making it come together in a very short period of time. The staff at the Fineline were more than accommodating in providing the venue. It was great seeing the nice turn-out and all the news coverage the event created. This was truly a testament to the real sense of community and genuine caring and humanity which we are all so very fortunate to have all around us in this great city and state. I am very proud to be Minnesota born and raised... I will always be a Minnesota boy, no matter where my journey’s in life take me.

If you are still wondering how you can help those affected by the 35W bridge collapse, please give a visit to www.minnesotahelps.org to find out more. I would also suggest looking for other benefits forthcoming in the Twin Cities area in which you can volunteer and participate in. It has made a huge impact on me and helped me deal with the difficulty I had accepting that something this devastating can really actually happen... right here, right now, and to me and you.

I took over 1200 photos during the seven hours at the benefit concert. Following are some of the highlights of the bands performances and also presentations from a few noted individuals. I will provide future links, when available, to view more of the photos.

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