By Chynna McKillion

Troy police officers locked a dozen people into a makeshift jail cell in the downtown gazebo Friday afternoon for Pike County Boys and Girls club “Jail for Bail” event.
CGI business analyst Brooke Watkins, Troy City Council member, Dejerilyn Henderson, CHHS principal Dr. Boyd English, retired Troy University professor, Dr. James Kimbrough, Troy Bank & Trust president and CEO Jeff Kervin, president board of directors Boys and Girls Club of Pike County, Dr. Lakerri Mack, Troy City Council member, Marcus Paramore, Troy mayor, Jason Reeves, Troy Tourism director Shelia Jackson, WAKA-Troy news anchor,Sarah Cantey,  CGI-Troy director, George Tarbox, and CGI consultant, Tony Teem agreed to stay locked up for four hours or until they raised $300 for the event to be released on bail.
“I think it’s a great cause, having a place for children and teens to go after school and get help with their studies.” Tarbox said.
The event is to help Pike County Boys and Girls Club raise $5,000 to help fund its summer programs. The club is funded mainly through donations, and works to provide mentor opportunities, and summer activities programs for community children.
The program also featured an anti-bail component in which people could pay money to keep the inmates in jail. This amount was subtracted from the money they had already raised.
“It is of the utmost importance to keep programs like this running,” Teem said. “We need to focus on the children in the community to make sure they have what they need to succeed.”
The suspects were to turn themselves in on the square before 2 p.m., or they were going to be apprehended and brought in by Troy Police. “It was a lot of fun talking with everyone, and we got to sit there for a great cause,” Watkins said “I’m always on board to do anything I can to help the kids of the community.”
Officials said the event raised more than $5,000.