By Lori Kersey

The Tribune

The Bible says a cheerful heart is good medicine and this weekend an Ironton church is serving up just that.

Ironton First United Methodist Church will host humorist Dr. Carl Hurley Saturday at Ironton High School.

Church pastor Dr. Wayne Young said the event will be a night of clean humor.

“It’s a tremendous evening of humor that is without embarrassment,” Young said. “This fellow’s humor is the kind you can share with everyone.”

A native of eastern Kentucky, Hurley is a former professor of education at Eastern Kentucky University and is known as “America’s Funniest Professor.” He holds a bachelor of science and a master’s degree in industrial education from EKU and a doctorate in education from the University of Missouri.

He left his post as professor several years ago to become a full-time entertainer.

Christian music band Day3 will perform before the comedian.

“It really is great music,” Young said of the band, which is based in Scioto County. “(It’s) as good as anything you’ll hear on television and on tape.”

Besides the humor, Young said the event is also a chance to draw attention to efforts to expand the Ironton Downtown Food Pantry. The pantry is housed at First United Methodist, but plans are underway to move it to a new building on a lot at Fifth and Railroad streets.

“The lot is purchased and the building purchased,” Young said. “It’s a steel building and it’s awaiting construction.”

A date for installing the structure has not been set.

Young said the church wants to do more with the food pantry than the current place allows. Counseling and nutrition classes will be possible at the new location.

Young is asking event-goers to bring a canned-food item or a cash donation to contribute to the panty.

The event will be 7 p.m. Saturday at the Ironton High School auditorium. Tickets are $10. To order tickets, call 532-1196.