By Meg Peters
Review Staff Writer
Bruce Gertz, the 60-year-old man often seen at the Clarkston and Lapeer intersection on a bicycle, has another angel on his shoulders.
In conjunction with the upcoming winter weather and in light of the holiday spirit, Transformation Christ Church of Lake Orion is sponsoring a Charity Christmas Concert to raise money to purchase winter supplies for Gertz, who is homeless and often fends off the weather in plastic wrap.
The Charity Christmas Concert will take place?’at Echo Church, 2840 W. Clarkston Rd., on Tuesday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. A free-will offering will be accepted.
Funds raised will be split between Gertz’to purchase much needed winter necessities’and the Grace Center of Hope in Pontiac, which provides refuge and programs for individuals attempting to re-enter society after hardship.
Transformation Christ Church Pastor Terry Rebert, who helped organize the event, said their ultimate goal would be to provide temporary shelter for Gertz when the weather was extremely cold, along with other mandatory items.
‘He’s a legendary fixture of the town and could use a helping hand on his terms,? Rebert said. ‘He is an outdoor survivor, which is unique in Lake Orion, and I know he needs some wool socks.?
As part of the main event of the concert, Men of Grace, a contemporary men’s singing group and band, will be playing a number of tunes from their Christmas album, including ‘Go Tell it on the Mountain?, ‘We Three Kings? and ‘Away in a Manger.?
Members of the band have battled and overcame their own hardships and addictions, Rebert said, and travel the country giving hope to the hopeless, addicted and abused.
Rebert moved to Lake Orion from Detroit with a background in addiction work and social work. He has always had compassion for the poor, and has managed churches geared towards social work in both Detroit and Chicago.
‘For just a small mission congregation brand new in Lake Orion, like the starfish we can try and help one person at a time,? he said. ‘By the grace of God, it could be anyone of us.?
More information is available at’www.tcc-oakland.com’or by calling Pastor Rebert at?248-330-1078.