They call themselves the Bacchus Boys, in honor of the Roman god of wine.

About 20 years ago, this group of nine men, most of them from the North Hills, began gathering for wine tasting. But things progressed, according to Ken Rogg of Cranberry.

"We started getting together for wine tasting and that migrated into cigars and then it started to get into gourmet meals. As time went on it turned into a social club."

Then an epiphany; the group decided to expand its efforts.

"Why don't we naturally do what we do well, and that is throw a really good party and have some benefactor," Mr. Rogg said.

At first they created an event, orginally dubbed the Pittsburgh Smoker, as a political fund raiser. But for the past six years they've donated all the proceeds of what is now Pittsburgh Comedy Night to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. It's a national organization founded in 1954 that mentors and ministers to coaches and athletes on many levels.

Ed Wilamowski, also of Cranberry, is co-chairman of the event with Mr. Rogg and Terry Chambers of Bradford Woods. Mr. Wilamowski was a member of the University of Pittsburgh's national championship football team in 1976. He had reason to connect with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes as a sophomore when his older sister was diagnosed with a cancer, multiple myeloma.

"With that on my mind, sports being there and trying to do schoolwork, I was like a spinning top out of control," he said. "I started to attend the meetings and the prayer groups and so forth and it was a beneficial thing for me because it helped me steer the ship, so to speak."

These nine men are part of the all-volunteer group that puts on the Comedy Night fund-raiser which provides about 60 percent of the fellowship's annual budget. It has raised about $250,000 a year over the last six years.

During the past two decades, the Bacchus Boys have worked and played together, forming a strong friendship.

"It's been a blessing," Mr. Rogg said. "It's clearly been a fraternity of us guys maintaining our relationships. It's been a magic little group of people."

They met through various business and social encounters, and at the New Community Church in Pine where all but one still worships -- and that's becaue he moved away. Besides the three co-chairs, the other members of the Bacchus Boys are Frank Caso, now of Voorhees, N. J.; Rege Claus, of McCandless; Fred Deuschle, of Pine; James Dugan, of Southpointe in Cecil; Eric Templin, of Ohio Township; and Bruce Wright, of Hampton.

The seventh annual Pittsburgh Comedy night will be held next Thursday at the Rivers Club in Oxford Center, Downtown. Host Bill Hillgrove donates his time for the event. WDVE's Jimmy Krenn will perform a comedy stand-up routine and help the live auction along.

"It's a men's night with grazing stations," said Mr. Rogg, although women are certainly allowed and encouraged to attend. The stations include meat carving, ham carving, pasta, a cheese and hors d'oeuvres station, an open bar and a cigar bar.

"Actually it's a bargain," said Mr. Rogg. "It's clearly worth more than $150 (ticket price)."

There's also a silent auction that offers items like golf foursomes, sports memorabilia, wine baskets, restaurant gift certificates and more. The live auction includes seats in a suite for a Penguins game, Steelers tickets, a Pitt football package that includes a sideline pass and parking, and many more items.

Mr. Rogg and Mr. Wilamowski and the rest of the Bacchus Boys have worked for four months on this year's Comedy Night.

"The best part for us is when the whole thing's over, we light up a cigar and we say we had another successful year; we did it again," Mr. Wilamowski said.

Mr. Rogg added, "It feels good to know we've helped that organization."

For more information about Pittsburgh Comedy Night, go to www.pittsburghcomedynight.com where you can also see photos of previous year's events, or call 412-753-0231.