“Bless & Refresh” is South County Love Your Neighborhood’s motto, which will be in full effect when the nonprofit organization hosts its annual Valentine dinner theater.
“A Night of Love & Laughter” on Feb. 8 at Porter County Expo Center in Valparaiso benefits First Contact Inc., a nonprofit interdenominational resource and referral ministry, and features entertainment by comedian Don Tersigni.
“We just try to bless and refresh local organizations that are trying to love people and love their neighbors for Jesus,” said Chris Birky, founder of South County Love Your Neighborhood.
“It lets me use local talent and give them a platform to use their gifts. It lets me entertain people. It lets us have a show at the expo center. It’s a nice venue in our community. It also gives me an opportunity to bless my employees who get to serve that evening.”
Birky is co-owner of Kouts-based Birky Family Farms Country Gourmet, which serves the five-course meal at “A Night of Love & Laughter.”
The meal starts with punch, cheese and crackers. Next is a tossed salad followed by broccoli cheese soup. The entree is pork loin with baked potato, sweet corn and dinner roll with butter. Dessert is a slice of fruit pies a la mode.
Tersigni, of Valparaiso, is called “The Voice Chameleon” and has appeared on HBO’s “Comic Relief” and ABC’s “America’s Funniest People.”
“He travels all over. He’s been on ‘Ed McMahon’s Next Big Star.’ He’s done some Las Vegas things. He’s pretty comical and has a lot of different voice characters,” said Birky, who serves as master of ceremonies for “A Night of Love & Laughter.”
The evening also includes singing by Birky’s cousin Josh, a manager at 1st Source Bank in Kouts.
“Since we started in 2009, we’ve given back over $50,000 to local organizations in our community and that just tickles us. It’s a little here and a little there. It all starts to add up,” said Birky about South County Love Your Neighborhood.
“It’s cool to be able to highlight and walk alongside people that maybe don’t get the recognition or support. It’s nice to be able to have a place where they can just come themselves and relax and be refreshed and know that there are people out there that notice what they’re doing.”
South County Love Your Neighborhood, which is under the umbrella of Hopewell Mennonite Church in Kouts, also hosts an annual barbecue cook-off in September and an annual Christmas dinner theater to help people, schools, organizations and communities in Porter County and the region.
Jessi Virtusio is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
‘A Night of Love & Laughter’
When: 6:30 p.m. Feb. 8
Where: Porter County Expo Center, 215 E. Division Road, Valparaiso
More Top Picks Best Amber Tinted Glasses For Sleep
Tickets: $30
Information: 219-766-3851; www.birkyfarms.com (SCLYN Valentine Dinner Theatre under Quick Links)