Notorious Sharbot Lake criminals finally get their due from Leos

May 10, 2017

Oso Hall in Sharbot Lake often functions as Provincial Court but last Saturday, it became a slightly different ‘Court’ as the Sharbot Lake Leos Club held its first ever Jail ’n’ Bail to raise funds for the Food Bank.

President Annika Putnam, who also served as ‘judge,’ said the idea came from a brainstorming session where club members tossed out fundraising ideas.

“This one seemed the most feasible,” she said. “We thought it was unique.

“The Mayor (Francis Smith) was the first one we thought of to arrest.

Lion Leslie Smith-Merrigan said the ideas were all from the Leos but “sometimes you gotta shake up the town.

“(But) we try to let them make the rules.”

So, beginning around 10am, prominent local ‘criminals’ started being ‘arrested’ and sentenced to an hour behind bars phoning friends, family and anybody else they could think of to pledge funds and get them out of jail.

At the end of the day, they’d raised about $5,600 for the Food Bank.

They had a lot of help, such as OPP Aux. Const. Nicole Greenstreet and Ilya Medovikov who apprehended the criminals, Brian Robertson of North Frontenac Little Theatre who assembled the ‘jail,’

John Richter who made a special maple and cherry wood gavel and block just for the occasion, as well as numerous parents and Lions Club members who donated to the Leos’ bake sale table and canteen (proceeds of which will go towards funding Leo activities).

Bailiffs were Abby Beattie, Braidey Merrigan, Zack Kaillam, Christian Armstrong and Riley Merrigan.

Smith-Merrigan said anyone 12-18 who’d like to join the Leos can do so by contacting her, and Leo or Lions Club member.

The following is a list of the criminals apprehended and the crimes they commited:

• James MacDonald: Orderly conduct and Driving while under the influence of education
• Tom Corneil: Felony planking, Attempted retirement and Possession of shorts and attempting to wear them year-round
• Wayne Robinson: Generosity in the first degree
• Marcel Giroux: Excessive volunteering and Stalking and contributing to every needy cause
• Connie McLellan: Grand selflessness with excessive positivity
• Robert Moore: Possession of caffeine with intent to sell and Distribution of Community Spirit
• Bill MacDonald: Aiding and abetting aggravated salting of township roads and Attempted assault on an innocent pine tree
• Francis Smith: Attempting honest politics and Break & entering into office
• Dave and Dawn Hansen: Disturbing the peace with the Lions roar and Possession and trafficking of pins worldwide.