CLEVELAND BUSINESS COMMUNITY GETS LOCKED UP IN THE WILD WILD WEST

CLEVELAND, OHIO, August 9, 2006 – The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) will be putting many of Cleveland’s business community leaders behind bars at Shooters on the Water Restaurant, on August 23 and 24. As members of the area’s “Most Wanted”, these jailbirds are going to be “Locked Up” to benefit the Northeast Ohio chapter of MDA. They have all been charged with having a big heart and are heavily armed with kindness! Their sentence is to serve an hour of time at MDA’s maximum appreciation jail site to help raise bail.

The MDA is expecting over 400 of Cleveland’s finest executive criminals to be brought in, and put behind bars at Shooters Downtown. Fun and friendly warrants are have been issued, so be on the look out for any of these jailbirds!

MDA’s jailbirds’ are each encouraged to raise bail in order to be released for good behavior. This bail amount will send local children to MDA’s Summer Camp for children who have neuromuscular diseases.

“Jerry’s Kids” look forward to Summer Camp all year. They experience activities such as, horseback riding, swimming, singing campfire songs and the joy of being at camp! MDA runs this week long residential camp at Camp Cheerful in Strongsville, OH for children living with any one of 43 different neuromuscular diseases, from throughout Northeast Ohio.

MDA is providing jailbirds the opportunity to register online to help them raise their bail. By contacting Shelly Knudsen at sknudsen@mdausa.org, jailbirds can learn how to customize their own web page with a photo and then e-mail a link to friends, family and co-workers who will be able to make a secure donation on-line. This is a quick, hassle free way to raise bail.

Upon arrival, jailbirds will be “booked” including having a “mug shot” taken, which they will be able to take home as a souvenir to show around the office. Our executive criminals will be served the finest “bread and water” in Cleveland, provided by Shooters. Incentives for bail raisers include key chains, t-shirts, hanging out at camp, and invitations to appear on the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon seen locally on WBNX-TV Home of the New CW Network, where jailbirds have the opportunity to spotlight their company or another donor company on a local segment of the Telethon. The top bail buster will receive 2 tickets for the Goodtime III, 2 tickets to Hilarities and a night at the Holiday Inn Select Downtown.

The Cleveland Outlaws will step into the dusty streets of the Wild Wild West where western decoration and theme will transform Shooters Restaurant into an old western saloon.

Proceeds from the Lock Up will not only fund MDA’s Summer Camp, but benefit families in the Greater Cleveland area in many ways. MDA provides assistance with the purchases of wheelchairs, leg braces and communication devices for patients and offers local support groups.

MDA also funds medical clinics at Metro Health and St. Elizabeth in Youngstown.

MDA is a voluntary health agency providing hope and help for individuals affected by more than 40 neuromuscular diseases. The Association funds a comprehensive program of services, professional and public health education, and worldwide research. MDA receives no government or United Way funding. Programs are funded entirely by private, individual contributions.

For more information about the Cleveland Lock Up, please contact Shelly Knudsen at (440) 816-0916 or sknudsen@mdausa.org, or Claudine from Shooters at (216) 861-9600.
-MDA-