A unique fundraiser this weekend will help bring awareness to addiction and recovery through comedy.

Nationally renowned comedian Mark Lundholm will perform Saturday, December 8th at Shalom Lutheran Church in Pinckney to help raise funds for various recovery based initiatives in the area, including The Amber Reineck House and Connect 3 House. Lundholm, a former drug addict, uses humor and personal experience to bring awareness to addiction and recovery. He says whether speaking to high school students or jail inmates, his message is essentially the same. "If you don't see grace, be grace. If you don't see patience, be patience. If you don't see love, be love. It's real simple stuff. There's KISS; Keep It Super Simple. The message is, 'Hey, if you want to keep going to jail, keep doing what brought you here. If you want to stop going to jail, keep doing what they tell you here."

Saturday’s performance is part of Unite to Face Addiction Michigan’s 7th Annual Recovery Live Residency Tour and will also feature former NFL player Randy Grimes, musician Matt Butler, ex-con and former addict Tim Ryan, who was the subject of the A&E documentary “Dope Man” and recovery advocate Ryan Hampton.

A buffet-style BBQ dinner will take place before the show sponsored in honor of the Amber Reineck House, a local group trying to establish a home for recovering addicts. You’ll find complete details and ticket information below. (JK)