Cell phone pressed to her ear, Tricia Campbell launched into her spiel. She’d been arrested and needed money urgently: If the person on the other end didn’t donate to Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce, she was going to be stuck riding the trolley all day. “Orange is not my color,” she said.  

“The tourists are gawking at me like I’m some sort of fool,” Peter Panagore moaned into his own receiver, before pausing, and reporting to the rest of the trolley, "She said, “‘Good.’”  

On July 16, the Chamber’s historic trolley got a prison-style makeover, complete with a faux jail in the back, as it drove around “arresting” locals who had been nominated to raise “bail" money as part of a fundraiser for the trolley's upkeep. Some of the charges included “Hoarding whoopie pies without a permit” or “Exceeding the legal limit of storytelling.”  

The prisoners were intermingled with confused (and amused) tourists. Some got into the spirit of things, cheerfully directing the newest prisoners to the jail cell or donating money to various bail funds. At the time of writing, $15,218 was raised with checks expected to trickle in over the next week, according to Chamber Executive Director Lisa Walby. In light of the event’s success, she expects it to become an annual tradition.   

“It was hilarious, and I felt a little bit of an intensity to be making some phone calls,” said Joanna Breen, laughing. "I got on thinking it was all fun and games, until I realized I'm going to be on here forever until I make bail.” 

After about two hours, Breen posted her $500 bail. “I don't (know who nominated me), but I really want to know, because I'm coming for them," she joked.

Tricia Campbell also described the experience as “an absolute blast.” With her bail originally set at $1,000, she raised about $1,550. “I do all I can to go above and beyond for my community whenever I can, because I love (it), and I love that trolley.”