The D.P Culp Center will be welcoming award-winning comedian Paul Ogata and three local comedians for the Nine-Nine Comedy show on September 9. The show will follow the first home football game of the season, starting promptly at 9 p.m.

Event poster for the Nine-Nine event. (Contributed/ETSU)

The event is hosted by Restore Ukraine, a non-profit started by ETSU alumni Yaroslav Hnatusko. It is also in partnership with the ETSU Leadership and Civic Engagement organization and Young Professionals of Johnson City. All event proceeds will go towards an $18,000 goal to ship two containers full of supplies to Ukraine.

When asked why he chose a comedy show to raise money, co-founder and executive director of Restore Ukraine, Yaroslav Hnatusko responded, “Ukrainians are proud that they can bring so much joy to their life with humor. In a sense, when missiles land over your head, and residential areas and civilian infrastructure gets damaged from bombs daily, it is extremely difficult to live with that burden every day, so people embed a lot of humor in their life.”

The show will shine light on the importance of the number nine regarding terrorism in other countries around the world, especially Ukraine. Hnatusko also hopes September 9 will become a new date of importance, much like September 11, to identify the very real struggle that these countries live with daily.

“We’re bringing in two comedians from Knoxville and one from Asheville who really know the community, and they can bring a lot of different angles and perspectives on life here to present a type of comedy that everyone will understand. We’re also bringing in a very large, international comedian to headline the show that has been all around the world and never seen in Johnson City before. This will be the biggest comedy show in Johnson City,” said Hnatusko.

Photo of Yaroslav Hnatusko. (Contributed/ETSU)

Tickets are being sold for $20 on a first come, first served seating basis, or $50 for a meet-and-greet and reserved seating. Tickets can be purchased through the event website: ninenineshow.com

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