Sequim Gazette staff

Like a good old-fashioned, crime-stopping spree – only without the handcuffs or hangings.

Sequim High School’s FFA leaders completed their second Celebrity Round-Up recently – the club’s largest fundraiser of the year – and brought in nearly $2,000 for future activities.

FFA members seek out "celebrities" – parents, dentists, real estate agents, lawyers, business owners and the like – and put them in "jail." To get out, prisoners must post bail of $200.

This year club members transported them to jail via horse-drawn buck wagon with the assistance of Jim Bower.

Once they arrived, they were "processed" and put in jail. FFA members served them a barbecue/smoked pork and chicken dinner, cooked by John McIntyre and the high school cafeteria staff. After dinner, judges Shawn Langston and Mark Willis (SHS administrators) sentenced each of the celebrities one at a time.

Participating celebrities/prisoners included Amanda and Trish Bekkevar, Denise Kettel, Deanna McIntyre, Alan Millet, LZ Reiddel, Ed Sumpter, Tera Tosland, Jessica Weiker and George Winn. Fred and Loretta Grant and Eileen Short could not attend but supported the event by paying their "fines."

Though the school year is just a couple of months old, the FFA club has been busy, hosting a Welcome Back Barbecue; attending the National FFA convention in Indianapolis, Ind.; and hosting a trap shoot in addition to the Celebrity Round-Up.