Jail birds raise $16,000 for March of Dimes

Greg King and Mike Castonguay, both of Carson City, slipped on black-and-white striped shirts and stepped behind a jail cell made of PVC pipes. A Carson City sheriff's deputy, looking anything but stern, stood beside them.

They grinned for the camera. Then they ate their lunch.

King and Castonguay, the owners of Metal Solutions, jailed themselves Wednesday for the March of Dimes 2004 Jail & Bail. While incarcerated in the plush surroundings of B'Sghetti's restaurant, 318 N. Carson St., they made fund-raising phone calls for the organization.

"We're here for lunch," King said while waiting to check in. "And hopefully we'll get bailed out in an hour."

Together they were hoping to raise $1,000.

"If we get to $50, we'll be lucky," Castonguay said, then laughed.

He's being modest. King and Castonguay have already made phone calls to customers and vendors of their sheet metal and machining business. A few people have committed to donate to the organization.

"This is for the children and it's to really support the community," King said. "We hope people will come in and contribute to our bail throughout the day."

The money raised here will go toward studying and preventing premature births.

Shelly Young, March of Dimes Northern Nevada division director, said this is the event's fourth year in Carson City. By the end of the day, the 45 "jail birds" raised more than $16,000, which exceeded their goal.

"The money is also going for grants to nonprofits," she said.

Nevada Health Centers of Carson City received a March of Dimes grant this year to provide folic acid to women of child-bearing age. Folic acid prevents some birth defects.

Contact reporter Becky Bosshart at bbosshart@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.