HotmailGloria Estefan buys concert tickets for jobless
2,000 tickets will be distributed among laid-off Puerto Rican workers
 Andres Leighton / AP Thousands of laid-off government employees in Puerto Rico will be doing the conga for free, thanks to Gloria Estefan. |
 | Slideshow |
 | Celebrity scandals of 2009 From Jon and Kate's divorce to Susan Boyle's dream to Mel Gibson leaving his wife. more photos |
| Slideshow |
 | more photos |
 |
 Police to talk with Woods after crash Nov. 28: Florida officials are hoping the golfer can provide some answers as to what caused his car to hit a fire hydrant and a tree in his neighbor’s yard after he pulled out of his driveway at 2:25 a.m. NBC’s Mark Potter reports. |
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Thousands of laid-off government employees in Puerto Rico will be doing the conga for free, thanks to Gloria Estefan.
The Cuban-born singer bought some 2,000 tickets for her weekend concert and they will distributed by raffle among the nearly 17,000 workers who learned last month that they will lose their jobs beginning Nov. 6.
Stefan bought all the remaining upper-level tickets — at $40 each — as a gift to those who were affected, said Harold Rosario, the singer's spokesman in Puerto Rico, said Thursday.
Officials have begun distributing the tickets to various government agencies, which will raffle them.
The government announced the layoffs in late September as it tries to close the gap on a $3.2 billion deficit. The U.S. territory is struggling with its third year of recession with a 15 percent unemployment rate, higher than any U.S. state.
Tickets to hear the seven-time Grammy winner sing Saturday range from $40 to $125.
Almost 8,000 tickets have been sold so far, Rosario said.
- Discuss Story On Newsvine
-
Rate Story:
View popularLowHigh - Instant Message
MORE FROM ENTERTAINMENT |
 Entertainment Section Front |
| Add Entertainment headlines to your news reader: |
Sponsored links
Resource guide