Group hopes laughs will produce dollars

The staff at Elgin's The Literacy Connection said it hopes to be laughing all the way to the bank this January.

The organization is holding a Laughing for Literacy improvisational comedy night Jan. 26 to raise money for operating expenses.

"This is a new thing we're trying," said Maureen Stible, the group's outreach and resource coordinator. "One evening, two shows. We hope it will be good for us."

The Literacy Connection offers basic reading courses, English as a Second Language and summer youth tutoring programs to roughly 400 kids and adults each year.

The January comedy night will feature the cast of GreenRoom Productions, a Christian improvisational comedy troupe started in 2000 by students at Elgin's Judson University.

"The idea (for comedy night) came ultimately from The Literacy Connection's relationship with Judson," Stible said. "Their mission is to provide good, clean improv theater."

The comedy troupe will perform at 7 p.m. for families and at 9 p.m. for adults.

Tickets are $15 in advance for adults, $10 for kids and $20 at the door. They are available now by calling (847) 741-6565 or by emailing info@elginliteracy.org.

For more information, you can also visit www.elginliteracy.org, or stop by the organization's offices at Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Ave.

To learn more about the improvisational group, visit www.greenroomtheater.com.

The comedy night is the latest in a series of creative fundraising ideas at The Literacy Connection.

The organization still holds an annual trivia bee each spring to raise money. Staff members have also organized spelling bees, a band benefit and other events to help fund their programming.

"We've tried different ideas," Stible said. "Our main fundraising event is still the trivia bee."