LI Cares Auctioning Billy Joel Tickets, Signed Drumheads Auction

HAUPPAUGE, NY — Long Island Cares is auctioning off Billy Joel tickets and drumheads signed by performing artists in its effort to fight food insecurity.

The legendary pianist is scheduled to perform at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Dec. 19.

Long Island Cares, a Hauppauge-based food bank, is running an auction through Dec. 12. What's up for grabs? A bunch of tickets to Joel's show, as well as drumheads signed by musicians and comedians.

If Long Island Cares were to sell everything at the minimum bid, it would stand to make $34,050.

People can bid on the tickets and drumheads here.

Ticket bids range between $1,000 and $3,000, while most autographed drumheads started between $100 and $150.

Most with winning bids on the Joel tickets will be hosted in a luxury box belonging to Bank of America. They will also have the chance to attend a pre-concert cocktail party at the Manhattan home of restaurateur Michael Bohlsen.

Thirty-two drumheads have been signed by a variety of artists for all tastes, including "Taking Back Sunday," "Culture Club," "America," "Rascal Flatts" and Tony Bennett. Comedians include Jim Breuer, Jim Jeffries and Lily Tomlin. All proceeds go to Long Island Cares’ mission to feed Long Island’s food-insecure population.

Kaylin Peterson, the philanthropy manager at Long Island Cares, is organizing the auction.

"I’m very excited for the difference this will make," Peterson told Patch via email. "I thoroughly enjoy watching our bids go up, taking us closer to our goal each day. I think one of the best parts of working at Long Island Cares is the money we raise makes a real difference here. Just $10 can put five meals on the table for a struggling family – that’s huge, not many organizations can say that their dollars stretch like that. If we get all of these tickets sold, we have the potential to make at minimum, $24,000 – which equates to 12,480 meals – who wouldn’t be excited about that!?"

Lexus Luxury Suite tickets for the show were donated by the Bank of America, according to Peterson. A Long Island Cares board member who also works for Bank of America was able to procure the tickets for the nonprofit.

Paule Pachter, CEO of Long Island Cares, asked Joel to donate some tickets. Four of the 20 tickets to be auctioned off are from Joel's personal collection, according to Peterson.

"We figured it would make a good holiday gift for someone and be a creative way to get funds in before the year comes to an end," she said.

Joel has been a long-time supporter of Long Island Cares, the organization said.

Bohlsen, who is also a board member, offered to have the pre-show party at his Manhattan penthouse.