What a provocative title!!!  Only TMZ.com could come up with a more salacious title than this.  Last Wednesday, December 9th, 2oo9, I did spend the evening with Barry Manilow, but so did my entire office staff.  You're probably scratching your head and thinking, "What the heck is this guy talking about?"  Let me explain.

Local Palm Springs resident, Barry Manilow, performed at the McCallum Theatre for 5 nights as a benefit for 25 local charities.  The event, called Barry Manilow's Gift of Love Benefit Concerts, took place on December 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th, and 9th.  My brokers, Scott & Gina Lyle of Scott Lyle Realtors, took the entire staff & their spouses to the concert as our holiday office party.  This was most generous on their part and I will always be appreciative of their gift.  We were singing & dancing  in the aisles to songs like "CopaCabana" and an array of holiday songs.  Thanks Scott & Gina!!!  Now back to the story.

According to yesterday's Desert Sun article, the benefit concert raised $464,750.  In these tough economic times, this level of charity & generosity is quite impressive.   Earlier this year, Mr. Manilow used his own money to purchase musical instruments for the various schools in the Coachella Valley. 

He said during the concert that he could not imagine a world where children did not have access to music.  His charity, Manilow's Music Project, received $25,000.   Here is a list of all the charities that benefitted from Barry Manilow's generosity:

• Act for MS- $13,500  
• Angel View Crippled Children's Foundation- $18750   
• Animal Samaritans- $22,250
• Barbara Sinatra Children's Center- $16,500
• Big Brothers Big Sisters- $15,000
• Boys & Girls Club of Coachella Valley- $13,000
• Desert Aids Project- $24,000
• Desert Arc- $13,000
• Desert Paws- $13,000
• Desert Smaritans for the Elderly- $16,000
• Find Food Bank- $17,500
• Gilda's Club Desert Cities- $16,750
• Guide Dogs of the Desert- $19,750
• Healthy Family Foundation:  The Ophelia Project- $12,500
• Joslyn Senior Center- $15,000
• Mourning Start Center- $13,000
• Olive Crest- $$15,500
• One Heartland- $12,500
• Pegasus Riding Academy for the Handicapped- $15,000
• Shelter from the Storm- $12,500
• Stroke Recovery Center- $17,750
• Temple Isaiah- $23,000
• The Living Desert- $13,500
• United Cerebral Palsy of the Inland Empire- $15,000
• Variety- The Children's Charity of the Desert- $12,500

Barry, thanks for the wonderful evening and hope to see you again soon.

Love & Kisses,

Harold  xoxoxo

Photo courtesy of Flickr

About the Author

Harold Watts of Scott Lyle Realtors has been a REALTOR in Palm Springs since 1999. Focusing on the 2nd & Vacation home market, Harold has been helping Buyers and Sellers achieve their real estate goals. If you want to know what is happening with the Palm Springs Real Estate market, give Harold Watts a call at 760-218-8209 or email him at Harold.ScottLyleRealtors@gmail.com