Agency celebrates 50 years

Stone Belt Arc is celebrating its 50th anniversary with its “Belt Out Laughing!” comedy show today at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. The show is 7:30 p.m. today at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater and features season four winner of “Last Comic Standing” Josh Blue and opening act Brad ‘Wilhelm.’

Tickets are $25 per person with an optional pre-show dinner, which costs an additional $25 and all proceeds will benefit Stone Belt.

Stone Belt is one of south- central Indiana’s oldest and largest providers of service for individuals with developmental disabilities. Development director Amy Jackson is responsible for the agency’s fundraising, special events and public relations, and said planning for this event began last fall.

“We decided on comedy because we wanted to show how Stone Belt adds joy to the community,” she said. “We loved the idea of humor and laughter.”

Jackson said that Blue was a natural first choice to perform at the event. The comedian has cerebral palsy, a term used to describe a group of chronic
conditions affecting body movement and muscle coordination.

“I get a lot of people with disabilities or parents of kids with disabilities who tell me that they’re inspired by what I do,” Blue said. “My primary goal is to make people laugh, but if I can inspire or give someone hope through my comedy, than that’s a great thing.” 

Blue’s story corresponds with Stone Belt’s mission to show how individuals with disabilities are multifaceted.  

“He interweaves humor into his act by making fun of himself – not disabilities,” Jackson said. “Josh represents our message. He is an individual who happens to have a disability. It’s a part of his life, but not everything.”

Blue said that he hopes to change some perspectives about people with disabilities after his set.

“We’re often underestimated and I hope to make people realize what an incorrect assumption that is,” he said. “Laughter is a great way to do this without being preachy, which I most certainly am not.”

“Belt Out Laughing!” was one of 12 events chosen to participate in the Bloomington Entertainment and Arts District’s Buskirk-Chumley Theater Grant Program in 2009. The program provided use of the venue to Stone Belt free of charge. 

“We felt that ‘Belt Out Laughing!’ was a great idea that was feasible artistically, would benefit the community and could potentially bring in people from outside the community,” said Miah Michaelson, assistant director of economic and sustainable development for the arts. 

A number of on-campus student organizations have been involved in promoting the event including Advocates for Community Engagement, Civic Leadership Development, Alpha Phi Omega and Pi Kappa Phi, which has worked with Stone Belt and its clients for the past three years.

“It’s going to be an amazing night of comedy with a real appeal to students,” Jackson said. “We’d love to have a huge student turn-out.”