‘A Night of Laughter’ Benefits Two Local Children’s Organizations

SPRINGFIELD — Smith & Wesson Corp. recently hosted its annual live comedy show, “A Night of Laughter,” to support two local children’s charities: Shriners Hospitals for Children – Springfield and the Ronald McDonald House of Connecticut & Western Massachusetts. The show featured two comedians, local morning-show host Chris Zito and National Comedy Clubs comedian Tony V.

Sponsors included EMT Metals, United Personnel, Springfield Spring, and PIP Printing. In addition, staff and students from the Chicopee Comprehensive High School’s culinary-arts program volunteered their services to prepare food for event attendees. Sponsors and the local community also supported the event by purchasing tickets and donating raffle items.

Those efforts, combined with support from Smith & Wesson, yielded a successful event that allowed both charities to receive funding for their initiatives. Over the past five years, donations from the annual comedy night have totaled more than $200,000 to benefit Shriners Hospitals for Children and the Ronald McDonald House.

Shriners Hospitals for Children is changing lives every day through innovative pediatric specialty care, world-class research, and medical education. It provides advanced care for children with orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal-cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate. The Ronald McDonald House program provides a home away from home for hospitalized children’s families so they can remain nearby their child at little or no cost.

Smith & Wesson, headquartered in Springfield, is a leader in firearm manufacturing and design. The company gave back more than $250,000 last year to organizations in the region.