Contact: Kathy Bellew, State Director of Communications, (816) 561-0175, kbellew@marchofdimes.com

MARCH OF DIMES BOOKS CITIZENS TO SAVE EMPORIA BABIES

Locals to be Arrested and Jailed on August 24

Emporia, Kan., June — Emporia business and community leaders and other good sports are about to be booked and jailed.  They will be placed under arrest during the March of Dimes 2005 Jail & Bail. The prisoners have the opportunity to raise “bail” money in order to secure their release.  The funds they raise benefit March of Dimes and its efforts to save the lives of America’s babies. The Emporia area Jail & Bail will be held at Montana Mike’s Steakhouse at 3010 Eagle Crest Drive.

During Jail & Bail, Emporia personalities are subjects of a mock arrest. Temporary jail space will be set up at Montana Mike’s and a judge will impose one-hour sentences between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Those captured will get fingerprinted, have mug shots taken and be issued a striped inmate shirt. While in jail, prisoners must raise bail in the form of contributions to the March of Dimes from family, friends and co-workers.

Volunteers are needed to be put behind bars and also to help the day of the event. For more information about Jail & Bail, contact the March of Dimes at (785) 228-0084.

The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies and in 2003 launched an eight-year campaign to address the increasing rate of premature birth. For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site at www.marchofdimes.com, its Spanish Web site at www.nacersano.org, or call 1-888-MODIMES.

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