RYAN MORGAN — Managing Editor
For the fifth year in a row, Beta Mu Sigma is hosting Jail N Bail at Southern to raise money for Special Olympics CT. In the past, the event has received numerous awards from Southern, including largest charitable donation, longest ongoing philanthropy project. Beta Mu Sigma President, Nick Gleifert, anticipates this year’s event to be bigger than ever.
What is Jail N’ Bail?
Jail N Bail is a fundraiser in support of Special Olympics Conn. It’s Beta Mu Sigma [fraternity’s] biggest philanthropy. Basically, it is a fun way to get students and the community aware and involved in helping out the Special Olympics.
I know this isn’t your first year on campus, how has the event grown in the past few years?
We started holding it in 2007. It was really big the first year, but it defiantly has gotten easier planning it over the years because we don’t have to start from scratch anymore. Eastern and Fairfield have Jail N Bail now too. University cooperation has also increased over the years.
What role does the University Police Department play?
They contact other police departments, volunteer on the day of the event, and really help out a lot with logistics. They have the ability to contact campus administration and send out campus wide emails. We can’t do that. They help present Jail N Bail to the university and our a great pathway for communication.
Where is this year’s Jail N Bail? What can students expect?
In the academic quad on Tuesday April 24, from 8 am-5pm. We’ve added on to the jail. It now has two sections and is double the size. We also repainted the bars so they will be silver like a real jail. We’ve also brought in a couple special guests, Teresa LaBarbera and Gail Simmons.
What other new changes can be expected? What will bringing in those personalities do?
We’ve been constantly reaching out to sports teams. The Red Sox and some others have sent some memorabilia we can give out as prizes. Hopefully students will recognize Teresa and Gail in the quad and will want to know what is going on. Then they’ll participate. We are trying to get others involved and want to make it yearly things. Maybe in the future we could even develop sponsorships.
What incentives are there for students who participate?
Everyone who participates will get a t-shirt. There will also be light food served that we had donated from nearby businesses. We’re also going to have a two for one special on warrants.
What is the process for filling out a warrant?
You can arrest your friends by picking up a warrant in four different places, student life, the police department, and brother of Beta and from our info tables we are setting up. The main thing is to know he location of where people will be you want to arrest so the police can arrest them on April 24. Students are encouraged to arrest their professors. Warrants are five dollars and can be paid by hootloot or cash.
What happens once arrested?
Once someone is arrested, participants are asked to see a judge who is normally a campus administrator, who will set their bail. Then the participator is thrown in jail and can raise the money by asking people walking by or calling their friends and family. Donations can be made online as well at soct.convio.net/SCSUJailnBail2012
What makes Jail N’ Bail such a great event?
It brings awareness and is an easy way for people to start to question and get involved. Southern hosts the summer Olympic games so hopefully we can inspire more volunteers. It’s a good role to support Southern.
