Wood River Comedy Showcase is "Night Full of Laughs" to Help Local Nonprofits
A night of laughs in Wood River will help support other local nonprofits. Laugh 4 a Cause benefits the new Riverbend Nonprofit Center of Excellence; read more about the mission behind the show.
Laugh for a Cause to Support Ty Bechel’s New Riverbend Nonprofit
WOOD RIVER - Community members can give back to a new nonprofit and enjoy a night of laughs at an upcoming comedy show.
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At 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, the Putting the Fun in Fundraising group will host Laugh 4 a Cause at the Wood River Moose Lodge. This comedy showcase will raise money for the new Riverbend Nonprofit Center of Excellence, an organization that aims to support other local nonprofits.
“This is going to be what we need to get fully started and fully launched,” said Ty Bechel, founder of the Riverbend Nonprofit Center of Excellence. “Our mission is to empower nonprofits in the Illinois Riverbend/Metro East and surrounding region by providing strategic support, professional growth, and services and community coordination to ensure collective excellence and lasting impact.”
Tickets to Laugh 4 a Cause can be purchased online. General admission costs $35 and VIP seats cost $50. Snacks and drinks are provided. There will also be VIP swag bags and a raffle. All proceeds go back to the Riverbend Nonprofit Center of Excellence.
On Oct. 24, the comedy showcase will feature comedians from across the U.S., including Ty Mac, Jimmie Ward, RJ the Character, Chris Starman, Big Morty, Mickey Brooks and Robert Doyle. These comedians will compete for a prize while entertaining audience members.
Cora Miller and Jill Moon with Putting the Fun in Fundraising can’t wait to welcome the comedians to Wood River. The duo explained that they decided to host the fundraiser because they believe in the mission of the Riverbend Nonprofit Center of Excellence.
The Putting the Fun in Fundraising group is made up of a few friends who work together to host one big fundraiser each year for a local nonprofit. Miller and Moon noted the importance of helping community organizations.
“We love the community, and we want to make each one of our nonprofits successful. We just love doing it,” Miller said. “Each person brings their wonderful piece of pie to the party and we put them all together and they fit. How do they fit? We don’t know, because we don’t micromanage each other. It doesn’t have to be a bureaucracy to do good things.”
Bechel started the Riverbend Nonprofit Center of Excellence to provide guidance to up-and-coming local nonprofits. He recognizes that learning how to run a nonprofit can be difficult, and he wants to support new executive directors and their teams. It’s important to him to give back.
“At the end of the day when I put my head down on the pillow, I have these seven kids and my grandkid. I always try to be a strategic thinker when it comes to what it's going to look like in five years. Not just this new organization, but this community for these kids,” he explained. “We want to offer these integral services to help grow and support [nonprofits] to help elevate [them]. At the end of the day for me, it’s for my kids and their kids. How are we investing in the community to change that culture?”
Bechel thanked the Putting the Fun in Fundraising group for their support to get the Riverbend Nonprofit Center of Excellence up and running. Bechel, Miller and Moon hope to welcome a big audience to Laugh 4 a Cause on Oct. 24. They believe the evening will be “a night full of laughs,” but also a great chance to help others.
For more information about Laugh 4 a Cause, including how to get tickets, click here or visit the official Facebook event page. You can also stop by the Wood River Moose Lodge or call 618-444-7011 to purchase tickets. To learn about the Riverbend Nonprofit Center of Excellence, including how to support it, visit their official website.
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