Comedy Night Raises $35K for Jefferson House

More than 175 guests laughed their way to raising a record-breaking $35,000 for vulnerable children from Dodge County and the surrounding area at the 13th annual Heartland Family Service (heartlandfamilyservice.org) Jefferson House “Stand Up for Kids!” Comedy Night on August 5 at the Fremont Golf Club.

The evening began with a silent auction and dinner. Co-chairs Jeff Hoffman and Jenny Estudillo spoke briefly before handing out the Second Annual “Spirit of Jefferson House” Award to Michelle Wiese. Mrs. Wiese was honored for her exceptional contributions to the Jefferson House, for her service to the Jefferson House Advisory Board and for being an excellent mentor to at-risk teens.

Things then got rowdy with the dessert dash, a performance featured hypnotist and magician Jeff Quinn and a live auction. The highest-selling item was a Florida Getaway package, which raised $900. It included a week-long stay in a luxury resort near Disney World in Orlando with two bedrooms and two bathrooms.

The evening ended with current Jefferson House resident, Levi, sharing his story. The 17-year-old was a straight-A stu­dent and athlete before he started skipping school and was eventually put on probation. Once Levi arrived at the Jefferson House, his attitude greatly improved, and he attends school every day.

All proceeds from Comedy Night directly support the Heartland Family Service Jefferson House, which provides residential safety to children from birth to age 18. To learn more about Heartland Family Service (heartlandfamilyservice.org) or Jefferson House, call Program Director Chris Sewall at (402) 699-3836.