COSTA MESA : Volunteers ‘Jailed’ to Bail Out Charity

Jerry Kobrin has been in and out of “jail” for the last six years. And he’s proud of it.

Kobrin has raised more money than any other volunteer during the American Cancer Society’s “Jail and Bail” fund-raiser held annually by the group’s Orange County chapter. The event took place Wednesday, and Kobrin said he was hoping to add $4,000 to the $50,000 he has raised so far.

Kobrin, a columnist for the Newport Beach-Costa Mesa Pilot, was one of about 100 business and civic leaders who willingly went to “jail” in Fashion Island’s Atrium Court to raise money for cancer prevention and research.

Officials were optimistic about reaching their $50,000 goal, despite the soft economy. To make sure, black-robed volunteers set bails as high as $5,000 for such crimes as Kobrin’s, “puffing a poisonous pipe in public print.”

Judy Manto was charged with “running with the ‘in’ crowd” at Carmelo’s, a restaurant owned by the Manto family. Clad in a black and white striped vest and matching hat, Manto predicted she would be in “jail” most of the day trying to raise her $5,000 bail.

“My friends are all nice and cheap,” Manto said.

Last year the group raised about $90,000 over two days, despite difficulty finding volunteer arrestees.