How much is a smile worth? What about when it comes with a flower, offered without any pretense or expectations?
These are questions people had to ask themselves as they considered how much to give in support of Sandy "The Downtown Flower Man" Bell at a multivenue benefit last Sunday.
Donations are still coming in via collection jars throughout the city and online auctions, but event organizers said the answer is already, "Quite a lot."
"It was overwhelming; it was a lot bigger than we thought we were getting into," said organizer John Shoemaker, who co-owns JJ's Bohemia, where 500 people showed up for a whole day of performances.
"People came from everywhere to help him out," he said.
Shoemaker said it was the biggest JJ's turnout ever, including the notoriously well-attended Monotonix gigs and Up With the Joneses' last show.
All proceeds from the event will help defray more than $40,000 in medical bills Bell has incurred to treat the colon cancer he was diagnosed with earlier this year.
JJ's bartender Eddie Bridges was one of the event's key organizers, along with Asala Center's Lauryn Peterson, Dave Vogt and Zack Lewis.
Besides a suite of performances by belly-dancing troupes and bands like The Molly Maguires, Milele Roots and The New Binkley Bros., Bridges said the real show was between Bell and his daughter, Angela Tucker, who was flown out for the event.
"It was like, 'Here's 500 of your father's closest friends,' " Bridges said. "The phrase 'not a dry eye in the house' is cliché, but that night, it was true."
It's nice to know the community rallied around Bell, but to anyone who's ever met him and seen what a positive, generous spirit he has, it seems only fitting.
Case in point: Even with all of downtown out to show support, Bell tried to step out of the spotlight.
"He said, 'Y'all think this is just about me, and I can't thank you enough, but it's really about reminding everybody we can be good to each other every day,' " Bridges said.
True that.
n If you missed the show but would like to contribute, search "Sandy Bell Benefit" on Facebook, which has locations for the donation jars and a link to ongoing eBay auctions of goods donated from dozens of local businesses.
The auctions also can be found by searching "Sandy Bell Benefit" on eBay.