Photo show to benefit Tent City for homeless

10/5/2012

MIKE SIGOV
BLADE STAFF WRITER

Harry Sandler's work will be on display at the benefit.

A photo exhibit tonight by a New York City rock ’n’ roll and pop music tour manager who is also a photographer will benefit the annual Tent City for the homeless to be held on Civic Center Mall later this month. “Harry Sandler is an incredibly loving man, who just wants to give back a little of what he’s gotten out of life to those who matter,” said Ken Leslie, founder of 1Matters, which aims to move people into their own living spaces.

"He took a week off from his job as tour manager for Katy Perry to give to our community,” Mr. Leslie noted.

Mr. Leslie was speaking at a news conference Thursday at 20 North Gallery, 18 N. St. Clair St., where the Sandler exhibit of landscape images will be from 6 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $50.

“I feel it’s the right thing to do, to give back something,” Mr. Sandler said. “I think that anybody could be living on the streets for reasons beyond their control, not necessarily being a drug addict or a drunk, which is how some people perceive it.”

Mr. Sandler, who was a tour manager for musicians including Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Nicks, the groups Van Halen and the Eagles, and others, took numerous photographs of the artists over the years. He’s also a pioneer in what is called the iPhoneography movement, which harnesses emerging technology in processing his photos.

"Sandler traveled millions of miles, giving him millions of chances to capture vistas we will see through his pictures," Mr. Leslie said.

Tent City, themed “Community! Unity!” is to run from Oct. 26 through Oct. 28.

Tent City will feature free medical services by ProMedica, Mercy, and the University of Toledo Medical Center, the former Medical College of Ohio Hospital. Organizers hope residents will collect new or gently used winter clothing and drop it off at Cherry Street Mission’s LifeBridge Center, 3342 Monroe St.

Volunteers at the Tent City event, which began in 1990, also will work to aid anyone who needs a birth certificate, a driver's license, or a state-issued identification card during the event or until the end of the year, Mr. Leslie said. Without such documents, it is impossible to get a job or housing, he said.

For his “Nature's Peace: One Man’s View of Nature” exhibit, Mr. Sandler has secured four tickets to concerts and meet-and-greet opportunities with Justin Bieber and Carrie Underwood. He also has signed originals by such singers as Katy Perry and Billy Joel, which will be featured at a silent auction at the exhibit.

These are in addition to the eight previously announced ZZ Top tickets and meet-and-greets, and four tickets to the Who’s Quadrophenia. All shows are in Detroit in November, except ZZ Top, which is at the Stranahan Theater on Nov. 1.

For more information about Tent City or the exhibit, go to www.1Matters.org.

Contact Mike Sigov at: msigov@theblade.com or 419-724-6089.