More than 20 local “jailbirds” will be seeking your help getting themselves out of lockup and nutritious foods onto hungry residents’ kitchen tables when the Open Door Food Pantry of Perquimans County holds its annual Jail-a-Thon on Friday.
Twenty-two Perquimans residents will be “arrested” by the Perquimans County Sheriff’s Office and transported to a holding site where they’ll have one hour to solicit friends, family and neighbors to raise enough “bail” money to be set free.
It’s all in good fun, of course, and the entire event helps pay for operations of the Open Door Food Pantry.
Dina Hurdle, the nonprofit’s board chair, said a number of people and organizations help make the annual Jail-a-Thon a successful fundraiser for the Open Door Food Pantry.
“We are so thankful to Sheriff (Shelby) White and his department, (Perquimans County Tourism Director) Stacey Layden, the volunteers, and the participants who are from Perquimans and surrounding counties who work hard to make this event happen,” Hurdle said. “We also thank those who so willingly post the ‘bail’ for our participants as they send donations from far and wide, knowing this is a worthy cause.”
Each participant agrees to a one-hour “lockup” during which time they solicit for donations for the food pantry. They also have the option of seeking donations in advance of their lockup time.
How participants raise donations varies. Some opt to use creative videos, email messages or Facebook posts, Hurdle said. Others go old school and telephone. Volunteers will be at the lockup site to accept donations via PayPal, check, or cash.
The list of participants who’ll be seeking donations between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Friday include Perquimans Emergency Management Coordinator Jonathan Nixon, Perquimans County Schools Superintendent Tanya Turner, Winfall Mayor Preston White and Hertford Town Councilor Connie Brothers.
The full list of participants and the time of their “arrest” — when they’ll be seeking donations — are:
• Tony Edwards, 8 a.m.
• Jonathan Nixon, 8:30 a.m.
• Jenna Caldwell, 9 a.m.
• Heather Colson, 9 a.m.
• Heather Ashley, 9:30 a.m.
• Robert Banks, 10 a.m.
• Bob Decker, 10:30 a.m.
• Ron Stites, 11 a.m.
• Ralph Hollowell, 11:30 a.m.
• Tanya Turner, noon
• Chris Garrett, 12:30 p.m.
• Eric McPherson, 1 p.m.
• Curtis Godfrey, 1:30 p.m.
• Heidi Hanreck, 1:30 p.m.
• John Wolfe Jr., 2 p.m.
• Larry Augustine, 2 p.m.
• Preston White, 2:30 p.m.
• Kellen Whitehurst, 3 p.m.
• Melanie Metzler, 3:30 p.m.
• Dayne Colson, 4 p.m.
• Connie Brothers, 4:30 p.m.
• Christy Bright, 5 p.m.
The Jail-a-thon is just another way the Open Door Food Pantry tries to raise awareness about the real problem of food insecurity in Perquimans County, Harrell said. While the event is light-hearted, the challenge of ensuring all county residents get enough nutritious food to eat is not. Food insecurity knows no age limit, but donated food can help immediately, she said.
Most Popular
Comments / 0