By Caitlin Brezinski

Annual Jail-N-Bail raises funds for cancer research

Oct 22, 2014 | 7:16 AM

On Thursday, Prince Albert’s 25th Annual Jail-N-Bail will aim to help put cancer behind bars. 

Charlene Bernard, manager of the Prince Albert Unit of the Canadian Cancer Society, said the event is a fun and unique way to raise money.

“Basically what you do is you get even with people.  You can arrange to have someone arrested and we’ll come down and pick them up wherever they are and it’s usually a surprise; people don’t know it’s coming,” she said.

Reasons for arrests have varied.  Some past examples of charges are people leaving their old lunches in the fridge, being too cheerful in the morning, or working too hard.

“Lots of times, people are a little intimidated when they first come down there.  You’re being taken away in handcuffs but most people end up having a pretty good time,” Bernard said.

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After someone is arrested, they go to the court in the Gateway Mall to face the judges. 

The person who arranges the arrest sets the amount of bail but the judges may raise or lower it.  Bernard said bail amounts in the past have varied from $100 to $1,000.  

“We’ve had people in there who we’ve had a hard time getting out of the jail.  They get determined that they’re going to make their bail and they start having a lot of fun,” she said.

Bernard said the response to the event in the past has been positive.

“I’ve listened a lot to people that are in jail making their phone calls and I think people get a kick out of calling their family and saying ‘I’m in jail and I need bail money,’” she said. “I’ve seen many smiles on people’s faces as they’re saying those words waiting for the reaction on the other end.”

Bernard said they are hoping to bring in $30,000 this year for their 25th year, compared to a goal of about $23,000 in past years.  Thirty-two people were taken to the jail last year.

All of the money raised will go the Canadian Cancer society to support programs in Saskatchewan and Prince Albert. 

The event goes from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at the Gateway Mall on Thursday and Bernard said people can still nominate arrests during that day.

“If you have someone you’d like to see spend a little time behind bars for a good cause, get your charges ready and call us,” she said.

For more information or to nominate someone for an arrest, call (306) 764-4808 or go to their website. 

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