Wednesday, the Muscular Dystrophy Association held its annual lock-up fundraiser at the Dixie Grill and Steer Room by placing many of the Live Oak’s business and community leaders behind bars.

More than 100 business people took part in the fundraiser to help raise bail money, or rather funds, toward MDA group sessions, wheelchair and leg brace repairs, clinic visits, trips to summer camp and research for cures toward the 43 types of muscular dystrophy, said Amberly Head, MDA event assistant.

“We lock up people who you don’t usually see behind bars, like the mayor, members of law enforcement, attorneys and pastors, to help raise money toward the organization,” she said

For anyone who visited the Dixie Grill restaurant for lunch Wednesday, it was a sight to see local leaders briefly in black and white stripes. Most who took part were transported to the restaurant under arrest, booked, fingerprinted and placed behind bars for a souvenir mugshot. The price of bail was set at $3200 for each inmate, which they quickly got on the phones to raise, said Erika Hatch, MDA fundraising coordinator.

“Some we release on good behavior, if they are unable to raise the entire $3,200,” she said.

Mindy Janousek, a prosecutor with the State Attorney’s Office. was one of those placed behind bars. She was already well on her way to raising bail prior to arrival.

“I knew I was coming here, so I sent out e-mails and took a walk downtown to several businesses before they came to arrest me,” she said laughingly. “Not only did I meet a lot of wonderful people, but I raised nearly $2,765 before coming in.”

She quickly reached $3,205 Wednesday and rang a bell to be released, which garnered applause from her fellow inmates.

“This was great,” she said of the event. “It’s been lots of fun.”

Hatch, the event coordinator, was all aglow Wednesday as community leaders kept arriving to voluntarily turn themselves in and help raise funds. The lock-up was no easily-forgettable encounter for inmates.

“Unlike a real jail experience, we give our inmates prizes such as coupons for a free oil change and massage, a chance at our grand prize of two tickets to Wild Adventures and books and other prizes,” Hatch said.

Penelope Viera, a resident of Live Oak and an MDA member who suffers from primary lateral sclerosis (PLS), was ecstatic at the outpouring of support Wednesday.

In 1985, she was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis after doctors realized signals from her brain weren’t properly controlling her leg movements.

“I was falling quite a lot, and after nine days of testing at Shands UF in Gainesville, I was diagnosed,” she said. “I went from using a cane, to a walker, crutches, a wheelchair and crutches, to finally just a wheelchair,” she said.

Much later she was diagnosed with PLS, which affects her upper motor skills.

Fundraisers like the one Wednesday have been instrumental in providing her with a mechanical lift wheelchair that helps her maintain her independence, she said.

“Events like this also help toward research that my doctors use to stay on top of my symptoms and that helps them work together as a team,” Viera said.

The goal of the lock-up event was to raise $34,000. Around 3 p.m., all business and community leaders were released safely back to their loved ones and respective offices, but not before raising over $35,000 toward the cause.

“The event went really well,” said Head. “There was a lot of support, more than expected, and everyone just stepped up to really help out.”