C&D Companies to Host Chicago Charity Concert

Several companies in Chicago’s construction and demolition industries have banded together to help host and sponsor a charity event at the House of Blues Chicago that will raise funds for a local rape crisis center.

The event, scheduled for March 11, 2010, will feature blues music veterans Lonnie Brooks, Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater and Jimmy Dawkins, formerly of the Westside blues players, backed up by the Wind Gypsys.

“Out Of The Blues 2” is being billed as an “exclusive charity concert event at House of Blues Chicago benefitting the Zacharias Sexual Abuse Center (ZCenter) and sponsored by construction and demolition industry leaders.”

Sponsoring companies include demolition firms Robinette Demolition, Brandenburg Industries and Campanella & Sons, mixed C&D recycler RSI, scrap company General Iron Industries, Turner Construction, Crane Construction, Safway Scaffolding, Frain Industries, Horton Insurance, Baxter Credit Union and financial services firm Wolters Kluwer.

Tickets to the event, which organizers say is “sure to be sold-out,” are available for $150 per person. (Of that, $125 of each ticket is tax deductible, according to a news release announcing the event.) Tickets can be purchased through the Zacharias Web site at www.Zcenter.org or by contacting Robinette Demolition’s Angela Ott at aleeds@rdemolition.com or (630) 833-7997.

The four-hour concert will run from 7 to 11 p.m. and will include an appearance by emcee Garry Meier of WGN-AM, two hours of open bar socializing, foods and deserts and a chance to bid on live auction items including:

• a 2009 Harley-Davidson Rocker-C;
• a summer night Chicago Cruise for 16;
• a private plane day trip to Mackinac Island; and
• an “over-the-top” weekend for two in Las Vegas.  

“When we heard that Lonnie, Eddy and Jimmy had all agreed to step up to put on an exclusive show to help ZCenter’s mission of reducing the threat of sexual assault and abuse, we were absolutely blown away,” says Tom Robinette, CEO of Robinette Demolition. “Most of the skyboxes and a ton of tickets have already been sold to the Who’s Who in the Chicagoland construction and demolition industry, and everyone agrees that this is going to be an incredible time for a vital cause.”

“I’ve seen some of these legendary bluesmen play in person, and can’t wait to see the others take the stage,” says Meier, who is returning as event emcee after helping to launch the annual Out of the Blues event.

The ZCenter provides 24-hour crisis response, risk reduction programs, and comprehensive advocacy services for survivors and families confronting sexual assault and abuse.