Duane Hicks
The local Voyageur Lions Club is gearing up for its third-annual “Jail or Bail” later this month—and have just over a dozen “convicts” lined up to participate.
The event will take place Saturday, May 23 in conjunction with the 2015 Community & Business Expo at the Memorial Sports Centre, which means participants have about two weeks to raise their “bail.”
This year’s participants include Nicke Paddock (NCDS), Eric Blondin (TD Canada Trust), Fire Chief Frank Sheppard (Fort Frances Fire & Rescue Service), Marc Jodah (CIBC), Heather Johnson (RBC), and Brad Houghton (North American Lumber).
They are joined by Darryl Eyolfson (Darryl’s Custom Landscapes), Tom Veert (Tom Veert Contracting), Morgan Albisser (Pharmasave), Bonnie Penney (Fort Frances Lions Club), Gord Taggart (Friends of Kids), Christina Carrier (Voyageur Lions Club), and Larry Webb (Webb’s Power Shack).
Lion Bill Michl noted the public is urged to support these individuals.
Participants have been given pledge sheets, and need to raise at least $300 between now and then to get out of jail.
They will be summoned to appear before a “judge” at the trade show that day.
The club is asking them to come down about 15 minutes before the time they have them slotted.
If they’re not in a big hurry, the club will keep them in for half-an-hour so they have somebody always in the jail cell.
Otherwise, if they’re in a hurry, they’ll be read their charge, pay their “bail,” and then be on their way.
Family, friends, and colleagues can help the participant raise the $300 in pledges prior to May 23 so they won’t have to spend time behind bars.
If a participant fails to raise that amount, they’ll be “sentenced” to sit in a jail cell set up at the trade show until they can raise the balance.
This can be done by making phone calls to friends and family, as well as soliciting passers-by.
The fundraiser brought in $4,500 last year.
The top money-raiser was Fort Frances Mayor Roy Avis, who had raised more than $1,200.
