Volunteers raised more than $9,000 for the March of Dimes Minnesota chapter during a "Jail and Bail" fundraiser Monday at Pizza Ranch in Willmar.
The volunteers had to do time in a mock jail while they raised pledge money from family, friends and co-workers. The top money-raiser was Dan Woltjer, an information technology manager at Databank Information Service, who raised $1,000. Money also was raised online.
While they were in the clink, the volunteers learned about the medical and human costs of premature birth, low birthweight, birth defects and infant mortality.
To date, the March of Dimes has invested nearly $2 million in active research grants at the University of Minnesota and Mayo Clinic to study the causes of and treatment for birth defects, prematurity and low birthweight.
