KANSAS CITY, Mo — The Big Slick is adding a new name to it’s celebrity roster.

“Saturday Night Live” comedian Heidi Gardner will join Kansas City natives Rob Riggle, Paul Rudd, Jason Sudeikis, David Koechner and Eric Stonestreet in hosting the annual fundraiser benefiting Children’s Mercy Hospital. 

“The last two times I came as a guest, I really started to just understand what this money goes to. Some of these families drive hundreds of miles, multiple times a week to get care for their kids. The sacrifices they’re making and the staff at Children’s Mercy, it’s like ‘Oh we gotta raise this money. We have got to cover these people’,” Gardner said.

“We all want to give back and be charitable, but then when you’re right there and you’re meeting the families it’s like oh like my heart is so in this with you.” 

Gardner graduated from Notre Dame de Sion where she was voted “Most likely to be a cast member on Saturday Night Live” by her peers. She joined the cast of SNL in 2017. 

Gardner will welcome another familiar face to the stage of SNL this weekend as Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce makes his hosting debut on March 4.

The Big Slick will return for its 14th season in Kansas City June 2-3. The weekend-long fundraiser includes a celebrity softball game at Kauffman Stadium and variety show at the T-Mobile Center. Last year the Big Slick raised more than $3.5 million for Children’s Mercy and pediatric cancer research. 

Pre-sale tickets for the Big Slick will be available on Wednesday, March 8 starting at 10 a.m. Tickets for the general public will go on sale Friday, March 10.