Ski, snowboard and standup for breast cancer

Rail Jam, Saturday, Jan. 23, 11 a.m., Sno Mountain (1000 Montage Mountain Road, Scranton). Tickets: $15, $10 for season pass holders and includes lift ticket for the day. Comedy show, Saturday, 8 p.m., Hilton (100 Adams Ave., Scranton). Tickets: $10. Tickets for both events available at Ski Corner locations (549 Scranton-Carbondale Highway and at Sno Mountain).

It may sound unlikely for a ski and snowboard rail jam and a stand-up comedy show to combine as one benefit event, but that was pretty much the idea: Bring two different crowds together for a good time, which could transition to double the money going toward charity.

The second annual “Go Bigger for Breast Cancer Charity” will get underway Saturday, Jan. 23, with a ski and snowboard rail jam at 11 a.m. at Sno Mountain in Scranton, followed by a stand-up comedy show in the ballroom at the Hilton Hotel downtown at 8 p.m.

All proceeds will be donated to the charity “Boarding for Breast Cancer.” According to its Web site b4bc.org, “Boarding for Breast Cancer” is a nonprofit, youth-focused education, awareness and fundraising organization geared toward early detection and the value of an active lifestyle.

“It’s almost like two separate events under the same umbrella,” event organizer Paul Spratt said. “I’m promoting them together. Some are gonna go to the rail jam, some are gonna go to the comedy show. I thought rather than promote them separately I’d promote them together and have an all-day charity event.”

It began last year because Spratt worked at The Ski Corner, and several employees had friends and family who suffered from breast cancer.

“I personally haven’t had anybody affected by breast cancer, but a lot of guys at the shop have,” Spratt said, noting last year’s event brought in $3,200. “It’s something that involved the shop, so we picked the snowboarding. We figured that would be the most fun way to do it. We’d make some money for the cause, raffle some stuff off; it’s a good time.”

Spratt has now been snowboarding for about five years and performing as a stand-up comedian for one and a half, so he decided it would be effective to combine his passions for this year’s fundraiser.

“The room seats 500 people,” Spratt said, noting the Hilton donated the space. “If we sell the place out, that would be $5,000 for charity.”

Initially Spratt had no experience in organizing charity events, so he had to learn the basics as he went along. This year, with the comedy show making the event a much larger undertaking, the stakes were raised.

“I definitely promoted it way more than I ever did last year,” Spratt said. “I learned how to build on the event and (how to) network. Basically, there’s a big learning curve. You just kind of got to wing it.”

While Spratt has taken the reins, co-organizers include fellow Ski Corner employees Mike Depeitro, Scott Jacoby and Paul Szumpski. Also, Spratt said Sno Mountain General Manager Mark Verrastro and Terrain Park Manager Sean Carey have also been instrumental in making the rail jam a success.

“Sno Mountain told me it’s the best rail jam they ever had,” Spratt said.

There will be free giveaways and sponsors include 686, Bonfire, Salmon, Flux, Omatic, Gnu/LibTech, Best Buy, The Ski Corner, Sno Mountain, Line Skis, Fuel TV, Monster, Ride Snowboarding, Smokin’ Snowboards, K2 Snowboarding, Grenade, Volcom, Electric Goggles and Quicksilver.

Also a GNU/LIB TECH B-PRO snowboard autographed by Barret Christy — the 1998 Women’s Olympic team and the winner of the most Winter X Games medals of any female athlete — will be raffled off.

Making it funny

As a stand up comedian, Spratt is a fixture locally and sees frequent time throughout the state and in New York City. He’ll be the middle act at the show. Local talent Jay Thyberg is the emcee, while Randy Tonge, who hails from the Allentown area, will headline the show, which should run close to two hours.

Spratt could be described as a youth-oriented physical comedian in the vein of Dane Cook. Thyberg portrays a frat-boy stoner, while Tonge is an observational comic with a wealth of energy.

“People who are affected by breast cancer or are close to people affected by it are gonna laugh, and they always say ‘laughter is the best medicine,’” Spratt said. “The comedians are excited because they know they’re there for a good time and a good cause.”

Tonge, who has three years of experience under his belt, has worked many benefit shows and is pumped to help out the cause.

“Audiences are there for a good cause, so it usually makes for a really good night,” he said. “Just expect to have a good time. I have fun, and in turn they have fun. I hope everyone’s there to enjoy themselves. That’s my No. 1 goal.”

For Thyberg, who’s been doing comedy about a year and a half, this is his first foray into this type of show, but he is equally excited.

“Paul asked me, I was like ‘I like boobs, why not.’” Thyberg cracked. “What is there not to like is the question?”

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