CANCER SOCIETY TO HOLD ANNUAL JAIL & BAIL EVENT ON THURSDAY

If you work for one of Cape Girardeau's leading "crime families," don't be surprised if your boss or supervisor is arrested on Thursday. And plan to help your office post bail.

To crack down on the spread of cancer and to fund further research, the American Cancer Society will be "arresting" business leaders around the Cape Girardeau and Jackson areas for its annual Jail & Bail phone-a-thon event Thursday.

Jail & Bail jails will be built by Carpenters Local 1770 at West Park Mall here and Delmonico's Restaurant in Jackson. The prisoners, apprehended at their place of work by volunteers, will go before the Jail & Bail judges to have their bond set.

Several local attorneys have donated part of their workday to pose as judges for the event.

"We're shooting for $2,500 per prisoner," said Jay Wolz, American Cancer Society information officer. "But, if they don't get that much, we'll let them go eventually."

The prisoners, dressed in "jail blues," will be required to post bonds by calling family, friends and co-workers to solicit pledges to the American Cancer Society.

Prisoners will be given bread and water by the Pasta House Co. for sustenance while serving time.

"For a $25 pledge people can also arrange a `surprise' arrest," said Janet Esicar, chairman of the Jail & Bail campaign. "That is, they can arrange to have someone else arrested by one of our Jail & Bail officers."

"Crime Families" for this year's Jail & Bail event represent Boatmen's Bank of Cape Girardeau and Jackson, Mercantile Bank of Cape Girardeau, Carpenters Local 1770, St. Francis Medical Center, the Cape County recorder's office, Dr. Shanon Kirchhoff, Johnson Communications, Capital Bank of Jackson, Coldwell Banker/Blanchard & Associates Realty Inc., in Jackson, Wills Insurance Service of Jackson and Thomasson, Dickerson, Gilbert and Cook in Cape Girardeau.

About 60 volunteers dressed in Jail & Bail T-shirts will participate in this year's pledge drive. Last year the American Cancer Society collected nearly $20,000 "bond money" from the event. Wolz hopes to raise at least that much this year.

Those interested in arranging a surprise arrest can do so today by calling 334-9197 or on Thursday by calling the Mall Jail at 335-2500 or the Jackson Jail at 243-0812 or 243-8157.

"It's all in good fun and it's all for a good cause," Wolz said.