Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Photograph by George Sakkestad

Los Gatan Bob Kunysz phones everyone he can think of to raise bail after being arrested during the annual MDA Lock-Up.

Lock-Up raises $2,500 in bail

By Shari Kaplan

More than a dozen members of the Los Gatos community were served with "arrest warrants" on Feb. 13 and incarcerated at an impromptu maximum security prison erected at 20 S. Santa Cruz Ave.--the premises of Willow Street Wood-Fired Pizza.

Jailbirds were Hossein Andermani of Moda Italia; Sheryl Byington Brissenden of Byington Winery; Janis Carney; Bob Kunysz of Advanced Energy Systems; Casey McVeigh of Suzanne's Muffins; Della Neighbors of EurekaBank; Anabaela and Gabriela Oliveira; Blossom Hill School Principal Sue Russ; Joanne Ryan of Frame Co.; Michael Silva; Los Gatos High School Principal Ted Simonson; Kelly Thomas of Erik's DeliCafé; and Sharon Tucker.

They were not seized by Los Gatos police, however, but by representatives of the Muscular Dystrophy Association as part of the MDA's Executive Lock-Up, an annual fundraiser supporting more than 400 Bay Area families served by the local MDA chapter, which encompasses the counties of Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito.

According to Bernadette Lehane, district director for the MDA Mission Counties Chapter, the Los Gatos Lock-Up brought in approximately $2,500.

In the weeks preceding the Lock-Up, the MDA contacted and recruited local business people to be arrested for crimes such as "having a big heart" and "being a model citizen." Criminals received packets explaining their goal to raise "bail" in the form of donations to the MDA. The packets included bulletins announcing their arrests and bail requirements to be faxed or mailed to family, friends and co-workers.

On the day of their jail stay, participants arrived in the custody of limousines, had mug shots taken, donned striped garments and hats and stood trial. The MDA supplied cellular phones at the site for prisoners to augment their bail money. In return for their time, prisoners received "rations" from Willow Street Wood-Fired Pizza.