An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Black Eyed Peas, Duhamel raise funds for Minot recovery

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jesse Lopez
  • Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs
MINOT, N.D. --  The popular hip hop group Black Eyed Peas and Hollywood actor and native Josh Duhamel traveled to Minot to perform at Minot Rising a benefit concert to raise recovery funds for the flood-stricken city at the North Dakota State Fairgrounds Sept. 3.

The night of celebrity-filled fun comforted many Minot residents, many of whom are still recovering from the historic Souris River flooding, which displaced more than 11,000 residents and more than 1,100 Airmen and their families.

Approximately 16,000 people filled the fairgrounds to attend the event orchestrated by Minot native Duhamel and his wife, Fergie, lead singer for the Black Eyed Peas. Tickets were sold at $100 each and later discounted military tickets were offered at $50 courtesy of the Minot Chamber of Commerce.

"We came up with this idea to do something, whether it was a benefit dinner or a local concert with some local bands," said Duhamel. "I asked my wife [Fergie] if she would come out and sing a couple songs; she said, 'Well maybe I can get the whole peas to come out too'. A couple days later she called back and said the entire group was in."

Duhamel, an honorary chairman of the Minot Area Recovery Fund, praised the hundreds of flood prevention and recovery workers as well as event volunteers, which included more than 200 Airmen from Minot Air Force Base.

"This community has been so strong," said Duhamel. "The base has been tremendous neighbors to this town. I know that 200 people have come out here to volunteer from the base. I know that you all were instrumental in helping to fend off as much water as possible, and when the water hit, the base was right there for the city. We really, truly appreciate you all."

Volunteers were also very impressed with the efforts shown by the hip hop group and actor.

"I really think it's an outstanding effort on their part," said Tech Sgt. Bruce Davis, 5th Contracting Squadron contract administrator. "The fact that [Duhamel] didn't forget where he came from speaks volumes. It's really awesome that they can do all this for Minot."

Encouragement for the reconstruction of Minot exuded from the crowd as screens displayed footage of the damage throughout the city, as well as the band seamlessly incorporating "North Dakota" into popular songs as the night went on.

All concert proceeds will go to the Minot Area Community Foundation's Minot Area Recovery Fund to assist victims of this summer's flooding. Minot AFB displaced Airmen are eligible to receive assistance from the foundation.

The record breaking flood from the Souris River started it's devastation June 26, with approximately 20 percent of Minot sustaining water damage. More than 4,100 homes were damaged with the majority of home owner and renters without flood insurance.

Duhamel said the benefit earned an estimated $800,000 in corporate sponsorships alone. All remaining proceeds from ticket and merchandise sales are yet to be determined.

Duhamel hoped to raise anywhere between $1.5 million to $2 million from the event.

"It's not going to make it whole, it's not going to fix the problem, but hopefully it will be a start," said Duhamel.