Locals were "arrested" Wednesday and hauled off to "jail" at The Greystone Restaurant, Pottsville, to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association Lockup event.
Martin Brans, executive director of the MDA, Allentown, said there were more than 100 participants and 20 volunteers from the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of Schuylkill County and Tall Cedars of Lebanon.
Participants were picked up in a limousine and taken to the Greystone to be processed. They donned a prison uniform and posed for a photo "behind bars" in a jail cell.
The processing complete, they headed downstairs to start making phone calls to raise their bail.
"The money that we will raise today will stay local to provide programs and services for the families that we serve here in the Schuylkill County area," Brans said. "The money that we will raise helps send children to camp."
Brans said the children are sent to a camp near Lansdale, Montgomery County, which is the closest available camp that can help accommodate the needs of MDA children, including wheelchair accessibility.
"Even during these tough times, it takes only a few people to make a big difference for the people that we serve here at MDA," he said. "We really appreciate everybody's support."
Brans said that the Greystone not only donated space for the event, but also provided all of the food and drinks for the participants.
Among the participants were Francis Portland and Pastor Bradley Schutt from First United Methodist Church, Pottsville.
Portland, a retired music teacher, said he agreed to help when he was called and asked to participate.
"I had an affiliation with the kids and the church, also teaching a lot of kids in the church," Portland said. "It's a good cause, too."
Schutt, who is the pastor of First United Methodist Church, said he has only been in the area for about a year and thought it was also a chance to give back.
"I've been trying to get more involved and do things for the community," Schutt said. "It was a great opportunity."
Mal Bartram, a volunteer from RSVP, who got to be the judge when participants were getting their photos taken, said the event was "wonderful."
Bartram said that many volunteers Wednesday were retired senior citizens from Schuylkill County, who always come through for different events.
"It's been very, very good," Bartram said. "Every time we show up, we know what's expected of us. Whatever is happening in the county, there's usually always RSVP volunteers that come and help."
After the event was completed, Brans said they raised a total of about $74,000.