Prince George, B.C. – Jail and Bail is underway!

 

In the parking lot behind Gold’s Gym on Victoria Street, local residents have agreed to be “arrested” and “jailed” until they can collect enough “bail”(donations).

 

It’s a fundraiser for the Cops for Cancer Tour de North, and will be underway throughout much of the day.

 

People from throughout the community are being picked up by  police and delivered to the "jail" which has been set up behind Gold’s Gym.  They then have to  call their family friends and co-workers to  pledge  money to help "bail them  out".

 

 

This kind of event in other communities has raised tens of thousands of dollars for the Cops for Cancer. Although  similar Jail and Bail events have been held in Prince George in the past, this is the first time the Tour de North Cops for Cancer has staged such an event.

 

The jail  is pretty impressive looking,  a creation  donated by Neil Marsh at  Accurate Gauge Limited.  It was powder coated by RCJ Powder Coating,  and will eventually have graphics on it, supplied by All Mobile Graphics.

 

Organizer Sherry Pattie, a civilian employee at the P.G. RCMP detachment,  expects  about a dozen  people to be "jailed" today and says anyone can  come to the site tomake a donation by cash, cheque or credit card to help any one of the  jail birds.

 

The Cops for Cancer tour de North is one of 4 team bike rides set for this month in B.C.

 

Tour de North will travel from Dawson Creek to Williams Lake starting on the 13^th, arriving in Prince George on the 17^th, and wrapping up in Williams Lake on the 19^th,  but collecting donations along the way.

 

The dollars raised through this event will go towards paediatric cancer research and to Camp Goodtimes,  a place for children with cancer and their families to go in the summer to have a break from their cancer journey.

 

Since 1997, Cops for Cancer in BC has raised more than $29 million.