Carmi, IL Man Hosting Comedy Fundraiser for St. Jude March 6th

As the old saying goes, "laughter is the best medicine." It brings joy when we're sad, and can even numb physical pain when we injure ourselves. It can also bring people together and be put to good use like raising money for the fight against childhood cancer at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

Evansville native, Keith Davis, who, along with his wife, currently lives in Carmi, Illinois has been a supporter of St. Jude for years. Keith and I exchanged Facebook messages on Friday, and he told me they are part of a St. Jude fundraising group in the Carmi area after taking part in the 2019 Memphis Marathon where he had a chance to tour the hospital grounds and speak to a few of the patients and their families. Their stories inspired him to not only make a personal commitment to become a Partner in Hope, but to also look for other ways to raise funds on a consistent basis. Last year alone, they raised "a little over $26,000," through events like a putt-putt pub crawl, and a few races they hosted locally after the 2020 Memphis Marathon was cancelled. The group had other events planned, but unfortunately had to cancel many of them due to the ongoing pandemic.

As of right now, they're planning another putt-putt pub crawl for 2021, but don't have a date set yet. What they do have a date, a location, and performers for is a stand up comedy night at Higher Ground in New Haven, Illinois, roughly 20 minutes south of Carmi, and 45 minutes east of Evansville.

"Comedy for a Cause" will feature stand up comedy from Mike Armstrong, a familiar name around the Tri-State, thanks to number of radio appearances over the years, plus appearances on Comedy Central, HBO, and CMT. The night will also feature comedian Jamie Utley, an Evansville native now living in Louisville.

Tickets are $25 each and not only includes the show, but dinner beforehand featuring pork loin, chicken, cheesy potatoes, corn, green beans, and dinner rolls. They can be purchased through Keith by calling 618-383-3658. However, if you want some, get them soon. Only 100 tickets will be sold, and as of this writing, Keith only has 34 left.

Keith also told me COVID guidelines will be in place, meaning bring a mask, and hand sanitizer will be provided.