The third edition of Rotary Jailbreak returns this week, featuring fake crimes, fake celebrity criminals, and a fake prison around Steinbach.
The escapees will be held in the Clear Spring Center jail on Wednesday, May 22nd, monitored by bailiffs and sentenced by a prominent judge.
Ken Dyke, operations manager for South East Helping Hands, is one of the escapees. He is being “charged” with possession of stolen property, primarily food, hidden in food banks.
“It's difficult to raise money, so we charities can help each other,” Dyke said.
Although this is Dyke's first time escaping from prison, he remembers doing a similar fundraiser for the Lions Club many years ago.
Other celebrity offenders include Fire Chief Cal Toews, former RCMP Staff Sgt. Harold Laninga, the real-life Santa Tom Doerksen, Crispin Onton, Carmel Wiebe, Art Enns, Erma Friesen, Devin Bartel, Brian Gunter, Farrell Lempel, Peter Tonge, Wendy Hyer, Scott・Penner.
This year's donation will go toward family recreation and education and will be split 50-50 between ROC Eastman and the Steinbach Family Resource Center. Last year, $45,000 was raised, and organizers hope to at least match that amount this year.
JoAnn Dalton, executive director of the Rotary Club and executive director of the Steinbach Family Resource Center, hopes more celebrity offenders will raise more money for families in the Southeast. he said.
“Family and friends can go inside and watch their loved one 'locked up,'” Dalton said. “If people want to keep criminals in prison longer they can donate to that end.”
She said people who approach her as escapees often have their own suggestions for what their crime should be. All crimes are individualized and based on what is known about the offender.
“The escapees wear striped clothes, so it's a lot of fun for everyone involved,” Dalton said.
A list of make-belief crimes and the real people behind them can be found on the South Eastman Rotary Club website.
Visit https://south-eastman-rotary.square.site/ to donate.
