By Jessica Moore

Staff Writer

The Co-Directors of the New Beginnings Domestic Violence Center, Crystal Gray and Kim Young, will be putting on a Jail and Bail-style fundraiser. The event is all in good fun for those involved while raising money for an excellent cause. Its purpose is to help the center, which is operated solely on a volunteer basis, pay for its utilities, the crisis hotline, food, and the general operating budget. One hundred percent of the funds raised will go directly to the center. NewBeginnings is operated by volunteers only. There is not one paid employee in the entire organization.

To join in the fun, all a person has to do is visit the Marshall County Tribune Office, WJJM, Farrar Bail Bonding, or Crystal Gray to pick up a warrant application. Applications and fees may be turned in at one of the locations previously mentioned. If you can not make it to one of these locations to pick up an application, contact Gray and she can fax or email a copy. Jail and Bail will be taking place on Friday, Nov. 22. The registration period is Nov. 15 through 20.

An arrestee can expect to be picked up by local law enforcement and transferred to an imitation jail. In this case the imitation jail will be held at the Historic 1st Avenue Building, previously known as the Ladies Restroom. Arrestees will be booked in and dressed up like an inmate for a mock mugshot. They will then go in front of a judge who will set their bail. This is the amount each person is responsible to raise in order to be set free from imitation jail. While they are waiting, they will have snacks and time to socialize with the other inmates. They plan to have this take place throughout the day and into the afternoon so that those who can not leave work can still participate, if they choose to, once they leave work.

At this time, those at New Beginnings do need just a few more helpers. Anyone interested in helping with the fundraiser can contact Gray at (931) 215-9486.

According to Gray, one in three women are victims of domestic violence, and it seems to get worse during the holidays. Due to this increase in violence, New Beginnings has not been able to help every family that needs its service because of a lack of space. They currently have two out of the three apartments finished. The third has not been completed simply because they haven't had the funds to finish.

"I challenge the local construction companies to match me in my donation of $1,000 to New Beginnings for the completion of this apartment. They really need it. It doesn't have to just be monetary. It can be done in supplies or even labor," said Mike Farrar, who plans to be donating money to the center during the fundraiser.