More money will now be pumped into the Mizell Wellness Center thanks to the approximately $34,000 raised at Thursday night’s annual gala.

The event, which was held at the First Baptist Church, was a sold-out affair.

Taylor Mason, comedian, ventriloquist and musician, kept the crowd entertained, with some laughing until they cried.

Mason, along with his pig Paco and his ventriloquist dummies, Romeo and Juliet, “kept their eyes” on District Judge Frank “Trippy” McGuire during the show.

“This is my first time ever being introduced by a judge,” Mason joked. “I’ll see to it that it never happens again.”

Mason brought a hometown feel with his jokes, even poking fun at the Florala airport.

“I flew into Florala ‘International’ Airport,” he said. “It’s one of those airports where you see it from the air and when you land it’s the same size.”

Mason’s puppet Romeo even hit on the Ramer twins – Alice and Clarice, who provided dinner music.

“Whoa. It’s the Rainer sister,” he said. “What’s going on, girls?”

Event goers were treated to a prime rib dinner severed by the Opp High School ambassadors, cheerleaders and student council members.

The gala was the seventh of its kind sponsored by the Mizell Memorial Hospital Foundation.

Mizell CEO Jana Wyatt said Friday the funds raised from the gala would go to the operational needs of the Mizell Wellness Center.

The wellness center provides a variety of exercise equipment, including state-of-the-art cardio machines with heart-rate monitors and individualized television screens and a swimming pool and is located on Brantley Street, across from Channel-Lee Stadium.