It's was an evening filled with laughter, and that is totally expected when you have Terry Bradshaw as your master of ceremonies.

But beneath the jokes, the friendly fire aimed at former teammates Jon Kolb and Gerry 'Moon' Mullins who were this year's honorees, there was something much deeper.

There was a passion for helping others.

The Mel Blount Youth Home 18th Annual All-Star Celebrity Roast was about giving back, raising funds for what Steelers Hall of Famer Mel Blount and his wife TiAnda have committed their lives to.  

Blount operates the Mel Blount Youth Home in Claysville, Pa., a place where young males who are victims of abuse or neglect can go to grow into men through programs that stress education, hard work, discipline and dedication, all while providing the nurturing hand that "Mr. Mel" brings to their growth and development. It's something he has done because he has a love and passion for helping others, especially the youth in the community that don't have anyone there for them.

Mullins, who played guard for the Steelers from 1971-79 and was a member of the four Super Bowl championship teams in the 1970s, owns Industrial Metals & Minerals in Saxonburg, Pa. Mullins has remained involved in the Pittsburgh community, supporting the charitable efforts of the Steelers and his former teammates. He has been a regular at Blount's event through the years, and is inspired by the work he does, but is also humbled being an honoree this year.

"He is doing a great benefit to these young men," said Mullins. "I have participated in almost all of these dinners, and it's amazing to see these young people that have come back and done great things with their lives. All they needed was a little direction. Mel and TiAnda are doing God's work out there. Anything we can do to support them.

"Being honored, I am not accustomed to being in the limelight. I have always had the behind the scenes acknowledgment that I played for the Steelers. I was around for all four of the Super Bowls, I think I made a contribution in my own small way. I never had to get up there and speak about it. I just got all of my glory out of others gaining notoriety and rewards. A lot of my teammates on the offensive line were the same way. There weren't a lot of egos involved. We were satisfied to win, that was our goal."

Another offensive lineman who was part of that winning was Kolb, who played for the Steelers from 1969-81 and was a member of the four Super Bowl teams along with Mullins. Kolb has recently opened Adventure Training with a Purpose (ATP), a mission to help those with physical struggles develop so they can have a healthy lifestyle. It's his commitment to others that had Blount honoring him.

"Mel is a man that I respect so deeply," said Kolb. "He is a man that was the best at his game. That wasn't the end of Mel Blount. He had bigger things, more he wanted to accomplish. He has been willing to climb the mountain. He has done it. To be involved in that makes it a huge honor to be part of a team that goes beyond just a bunch of guys running around on a football field."

The event, which simply started as a 50th birthday party for Blount, is one of the main fundraising efforts for the Mel Blount Youth Home, helping them continue the programs they have in place.

"This is a huge part of our budget," said Blount. "We need these funds to continue to provide services for the kids we work with and take care of the responsibilities of running the program. We are in it every day and my name is on the door, so we want to make sure we provide the best we can."