It’s the most scintillating, side-splitting and seriously sympathetic social event of the season.

It’s the Mr. South Whidbey Pageant at Freeland Hall at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 2.

Six sensational suckers, er, gentlemen, will display their fabulousness all evening while they vie for the crown and scepter of the honorable title in support of the Friends of Friends Medical Support Fund. The evening will be emceed by local superstar, Sue Frause.

Participating in this fifth annual Mr. South Whidbey Pageant are contestants Richard Epstein, Malcolm Ferrier, Doug Kelly, Pat McVay, Matthew Swett and Danny Ward. The debonair Mr. South Whidbey 2009, Norm Walker, will be on hand to pass the coveted torch to his successor.

The rules of the game are fairly straightforward. The candidate who raises the most money for Friends of Friends by the time the event is over wins.

As the audience votes, every dollar donated to the medical fund in a candidate’s name brings him closer to the crown. Audience members are reminded to bring plenty of cash or checks, because this crowd doesn’t accept American Express or any other credit card.

Plan to eat, drink and be thoroughly entertained by the talent portion of the evening, when each candidate performs while audience members buy votes and stuff the ballot box for their favorite South End guy.

Votes can also be made online; click here, or by mail by sending a check to Friends of Friends Medical Support Fund, PO Box 812, Langley, WA 98260, with the designated candidate’s name on the memo line of the check.

Everyone is welcome to attend the contest. A $25 ticket buys a seat at the pageant and a brown- bag banquet from Ovations Catering. Tickets for the Mr. South Whidbey Pageant are available at Moonraker Books in Langley and 1504 Coffee Bar in Freeland.

New this year, organizers of the pageant are “going green” and will haul all brown-bag leftovers and wrappings to the Cedar Grove facility in Everett, an organic recycling facility. Glass and all other recyclables will go to Island Recycling.

Friends of Friends is a nonprofit, community-funded medical safety net, offering financial help to South Whidbey residents with uncovered health-related expenses. FOF helps with doctor visits, lab work, screening exams, hospital payments, medications, ferry fares to medical treatment and other approved medical treatments.

In 2009, Friends of Friends paid $86,000 in medical expenses for South Whidbey neighbors.

Anyone needing help with medical expenses can call 221-4535 for information.