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By DAVE DOMESCIK | Staff Writer

MONTEVALLO – Community members will have the chance to “lock up” local leaders for a good cause this Friday, June 27, as the Montevallo Sister City Commission hosts its annual Jail-N-Bail fundraiser to support area students traveling to Echizen, Japan.

The event will take place from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Medders Family Farm and Farmers Market, where attendees can enjoy fresh fruits, vegetables, homemade treats and canned goods— while also donating to a unique international exchange program.

All proceeds from the fundraiser will go toward offsetting travel expenses for Montevallo youth participating in the 2025 Sister City Exchange to Echizen, Japan, scheduled for July 5-14. Funds raised are 100 percent tax-deductible and go directly toward student airfare, the only cost participants are required to cover.

The Jail-N-Bail format adds a fun twist: supporters can donate to have local leaders bailed out of “jail” at the event. Donations are accepted via Venmo, PayPal, cash or check.

“We have community members of Montevallo that donate their time and efforts to our cause,” said Kelli Bennitt, a board member with the Montevallo Sister City Commission. “We’re going to be at Medders Farm for the in-person portion of it. The money goes to the students traveling to Echizen, Japan this summer.”

This year’s delegation includes seven students and two chaperones, all from Montevallo, who will stay with host families in Echizen and immerse themselves in the local culture—attending school, visiting museums and exploring the historic town.

“Montevallo is a pretty rural area, so we try to come up with different fundraisers to help support these kids and make this cost as low as possible for them,” Bennitt said. “Kids would never be able to go and have this cultural experience and see different parts of the world without the support of the community.”

The partnership between Montevallo and Echizen began in 1995 with an art exchange centered around pottery—an art form for which both communities are well known—and officially became a Sister City relationship in 2008. Since then, the bi-annual exchange has helped students experience international cultures firsthand.

“You get to experience how a society and a different culture than your own acts and behaves,” Bennitt said. “It really broadens your perspective on the world as a whole and helps you respect diversity.”

In addition to the Jail-N-Bail, the fundraiser will also feature a raffle, with tickets priced at $2 each. Winners do not have to be present to win. Tickets can be purchased at the Montevallo Sister City booth or via PayPal. Online buyers must specify the item they’re bidding on and include contact information.

Raffle prizes include an Igloo Cooler from ACE Hardware, two $50 gift cards to Montevallo dining establishments, a $50 gift card to Falcon Art Supplies, a tote/cooler bag from Blue Phrog Gallery, a pie and peanut butter from Medders Farm, a handmade quilt from SK Quilts Studio/Six Kids Quilts and Lemon Moon Teas.

The full roster of those participating in the Jail-N-Bail fundraiser features many familiar faces, including:

– Marissa Wilson (Parnell Memorial Library Director)

– Sydney Aguilar-Baugh (Youth Sports Director, city of Montevallo)

– Dr. JiJi Davis (Associate Professor and Program Coordinator of Elementary at UM)

– Brad Davis (Fire Chief, city of Montevallo)

– Courtney Bennett (Montevallo Main Street Executive Director)

– Sarah Hogan (Impact Montevallo Director)

– Kenneth Dukes (Montevallo City Council, District 3)

– Steve Gilbert (Montevallo City Clerk and Treasurer)

– Lisa Shapiro (Montevallo Mayors Assistant)

– Beth House (Montevallo High School English teacher)

– Adele Nelson (Montevallo Chamber of Commerce Executive Director)

– Karen Evans (Court Clerk and Magistrate)

– Tena Niven (Former Montevallo High School teacher and coach)

– David King (Montevallo City Council, District 1)

– Michelle Kyzer (Montevallo Assistant City Clerk & Treasurer)

– Sharon Williams (Montevallo Accounts Payable/Payroll Coordinator)

– TaKisha Motley (Montevallo Office Clerk and Magistrate)

– Kirk Hamby (Montevallo Director of Public Works)

– Jennifer Toliver (Montevallo Police Department Chief Assistant)

– Martha Ann Eisenberg (Montevallo City Council, District 5)

– Dollar Bill Lawson (Radio personality)

– Will Cholewisnki (Chubbfathers owner)

– Sonya Swords (Montevallo City Council, District 4)

– Lelia Mitchell (Montevallo City Council, District 2)

– Rusty Nix (Montevallo Mayor)

– Jeremy Littleton (Montevallo Chief of Police)

– Jon Parker (Shelby County Commission, District 3)

– Russell Bedsole (Alabama State Representative, District 49)

According to Bennitt, the broader mission of the Montevallo Sister City Commission is to open students’ eyes to the world beyond their immediate surroundings.

“What I really love about this program is that we try really hard to provide students with an opportunity that they otherwise would never get,” she said. “To learn about other communities and other ways of living is really enlightening.”