Calamity returns to Evening With Friends

By David Peck

A night of fun featuring the return of the popular comedy group Calamity Entertainment from Montana will be the theme when the North Big Horn Hospital Foundation hosts its annual Evening With Friends event on Saturday, April 16, at the Lovell Community Center.

Tickets for the “black tie/blue jeans” event are still available by calling NBHH Foundation Director Janet Koritnik at 548-5240, but time is limited.

The evening will include a silent auction and social time from 5:30 to 7 p.m. during which Ron McClure and Collin Ingram will perform music on guitar and bass. Following dinner at 7 p.m., the main event will be the return of Calamity Entertainment, which left audiences in stitches at foundation dinners a few years ago.

Money raised by the event will be used for the purchase of a new blanket warmer for the New Horizons Care Center.

Hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar will be offered during the social hour, and wine will be served with dinner.

Items offered during the silent auction will include works from regional artists, jewelry, photographs, stained glass items, a natural wood vase made with the wood-turning process and a variety of baskets.

Koritnik said the foundation is still seeking corporate sponsorships for the event.

Following the prime rib/Italian prosciutto and fontina chicken breast dinner provided by ARAMARK of Northwest College, Calamity Entertainment will take the stage for “fabulous music, questionable comedy and more!” as their website puts it.

Calamity has performed original comedy and nostalgic music throughout the western U.S. for more than 20 years with “our extremely unique style of off-beat humor (we constantly crack ourselves up…) and our toe-tappin’, finger-snappin’ music (it’s impossible to watch us without moving some part of your body, and getting it to stop is your problem),” according to the website.

Shows include classic rock from the 50s, 60s and 70s, swing hits from the 30s and 40s, oldies but goodies, celebrity impressions, rhythm and blues, traditional country and modern country. Members of the troupe are Julie Omvig, Karen Jackson, Todd Yeager, Allen Peters and Becky Drake.