Harry Chapin Birthday Celebration and Benefit for The Harry Chapin Foundation - October 11, 2012

     Tomorrow, The Harry Chapin Foundation celebrates what would have been Harry's 70th birthday later this year.  You can see details about the benefit at the Foundation's website http://www.harrychapinfoundation.org/event.php 

     Although tickets to the celebration are no longer available, you may make a donation to this most worthy organization by visiting  http://www.harrychapinfoundation.org/give.php

     I've always been an admirer of Harry and his music.  For those of you that knew him, followed him, or listened to his music, you know that Harry was never about Harry.  Instead, he was about helping others.  Born into a family of musicians, Harry himself became a prolific writer and singer.  Brilliant, numerous academic doors opened to Harry at an early age.  Even then, however, Harry started down a path helping economically less fortunate people, rather than following a path to directly benefit him. 

     Harry's greatest social passion, fueled by his view that it is an intolerable insult to society, was battling poverty and hunger.  To this end, he established and supported numerous philanthropic organizations to include Why Hunger and Long Island Cares.  Unfortunately, his life was cut short before his 40th birthday when his car was struck by a truck on the Long Island Expressway.   Fortunately, his wife Sandy, along with other family and friends, have continued his legacy with the Harry Chapin Foundation.   

  

     A glimpse of Harry can be gleaned from his songs,  "Taxi," "WOLD," "Cat's In the Cradle," "Sequel," and numerous other hits.  Also, as I wrote about in a blog years ago, Harry can be felt through a YouTube video where Sandy and their son Josh tell of his untimely death at an early age and Josh being the inspiration for Sandy's poem and Harry's subsequent hit "Cat's in the Cradle".  It is touching to hear Josh (who looks like his father) explain how people are always wanting to get close to him and tell of the huge impact his father’s singing and work made in their lives. You can see the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etundhQa724&feature=related  

     In 1987, Congress recognized the magnitude of Harry's work on social issues by posthumously awarding him the Congressional Gold Medal (the highest U.S. civilian award). 

     Harry knew the impact that a single man can make in this world.  Inscribed on his tombstone are the words from his song  "I Wonder What Would Happen to this World".

                   Oh if a man tried

                   To take his time on Earth

                   And prove before he died

                   What one man's life could be worth

                   I wonder what would happen

                   to this world

     Thank you Harry. Happy Birthday!  Thank you Sandy for your continued hard work, and thank you Pegge for all you do and the use of photos of Harry in this blog. Again, please visit The Harry Chapin Foundation website and make a donation so that Harry's work can continue.