Kenny Rogers for Flood Relief

Kenny Rogers was the latest singer to visit our area and hold a concert for flood relief.  (Maureen McGovern had performed earlier, and had even visited my neighborhood.)

He had come to Binghamton, New York last year for a concert.  He was not planning to come this year, but changed his mind and performed last night.  Several people I know attended the concert.

According to them, the venue was almost full.  Some of the concert was devoted to his hits, and the rest to Christmas music, performed with singers from area schools. (he did much the same thing last year-in fact one attendee told me she had gone last year, and the two concerts were virtually identical.  Not meant at all as a put-down:  just a statement of fact.)  The attendees told me Kenny Rogers gave a very heartfelt performance.

About 1700 tickets went to people either registered with charities as impacted by the flood that hit our area due to Tropical Storm Lee in September, first responders and flood recovery volunteers.  Proceeds from the concert will go to three charities helping flood impacted people.

"The holidays" can be a stressful time just in a regular year.  This year, many people here will struggle to have a joyous holiday season.   I hope that the Kenny Rogers concert lifted some hearts and gave people several hours of relief from their troubles.

There have been a good number of flood related concerts here since the floods of September 7-8 - many local bands have stepped up (some of the musicians having lost their homes themselves). 

I'll write more about the status of the flood recovery at the 3 1/2 month mark later this month.