The Los Banos Veterans group tried something different – comedy – and it worked. More than a hundred people came to a sold-out Los Banos Veterans Memorial Hall to “Laugh It Off” on a Friday evening, May 15.
In a previous Veterans Voice, Patricia McCoy suggested that people should “come laugh, show love to our veterans, support the community and have a break from everyday life while having a fun night out. “And that’s what happened, with a lot of laughs throughout a 90-minute performance.
Eight stand-up comedians took turns providing the jokes, and from the response of ongoing laughter from the audience, they were successful. None of them were paid, except for tips audience members put in jars.
All eight donated their time to support the Los Banos Veterans, helping the organization pay the ongoing bills of running the Veterans Memorial Hall, primarily the utilities. Los Banos VFW Post Commander Mike Hughes said that the average monthly utilities cost for the hall runs almost $2,000 a month.
All of this was made possible by one of the eight stand-up comics performing, a fellow who calls himself “Toothless Dan.” (When he smiles, you can tell how he got that nickname.)
Dan is a member of the Los Banos Veterans and served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He persuaded the other seven comics, who came from places like Salinas, San Jose and Stockton, to donate their time and talent.
Hughes thanked the community for coming out to comedy night and supporting local veterans. He also thanked two local businesses, Sorensen’s Ace Hardware for a generous cash donation and Espana’s Southwest Grill and Restaurant for an ample supply of their chips and homemade salsa.
Will there be another comedy night in the future? Hughes thinks there may be another one in 2027, but he is also looking at other possible events to raise money to help pay the ongoing cost of the hall.
Meanwhile, Hughes encourages everyone in the community to buy tickets for the annual Los Banos Veterans raffle, which will be held this year on August 11. Tickets can be purchased from any Los Banos Veteran.
(Note: In the next Veterans Voice, veteran Patricia McCoy will return as the ongoing writer.)
