Over 60 volunteers got themselves “locked up” at the Hampton Inn Tuesday to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Jessica Hoagland, who helped run the event for MDA, explained how it works.

“We recruit ‘jailbirds’ four to six weeks out from the event,” she said. “They begin fundraising efforts by asking their friends and families to donate and for their businesses to be corporate donors. Some of them hold car washes or bake sales, some of them sell shamrocks to the stores. This event is a big camaraderie to celebrate the funds our jailbirds have already raised and it’s a fun way to raise some more money.”

Hoagland said this year’s goal is to raise $30,000 to fund Camp ASCCA at Jackson’s Gap, Alabama’s Special Camp for Children and Adults. The camp is a “no-barrier” camp, which allows wheelchair-bound children to participate as much as any other child could. Hoagland said the MDA also provides flu shots, wheelchair repairs and anything else that someone suffering from muscular dystrophy might need.

Muscular dystrophy is a disease that causes degeneration of the muscles. Most people with the disease eventually require a wheelchair to get around. The disease takes many different forms and progresses differently in each individual. Some mild cases can weaken the muscles slowly over a normal lifespan, but others are severely weakened by the disease and die in their late teens to early twenties

All kinds of volunteers came to be locked up, including city officials, Troy University faculty and students, local business owners and everyday citizens. Even T-Roy made an appearance.

The initial bail for the jailbirds was set at $2,400, but some of them were able to plead down based on their prior fundraising efforts.

Angela Sarris pleaded her bail down to $1,600 and was only $25 away from being a free woman at the time of her interview.

Unable to participate last year, Sarris said she knew she needed to be involved this time around. “When they called me again this year, I knew I needed to do it,“ she said. “I’m very fortunate to have three healthy children. I just wanted to give back to the ones that need our help.” Sarris said the volunteers stay for about an hour to make calls.”

George Tarbox also volunteered at the event. He was able to plead his bail down to $1,200, but had not made quite as much progress as Sarris. “At this rate, I’ll be here next year,” he joked. Tarbox said he didn’t have any personal connection to muscular dystrophy, but was glad to help the cause. “Any time you get a chance to give back to a worthwhile cause, you should,” he said.