Juneau firefighters will hold out their boots this weekend with hopes that they’ll be fill with monetary donations to help people suffering from muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases that severely limit strength and mobility.
Friday marks the beginning of the Capital City Fire/Rescue department’s annual Fill the Boot fundraiser in partnership with the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA).
Firefighters will fan out across the city with boots in hand on Friday from 3-7 p.m. and Saturday from 12-4 p.m., at the Costco and Super Bear parking lots.
“For more than 60 years, firefighters have stood on the front lines with MDA in the fight to free individuals — and the families who love them — from the harm of these life-threatening muscle diseases,” said Heather Johnson, fundraising coordinator.
Fill the Boot is a nationwide campaign in which thousands of dedicated firefighters use their collective strength to help kids and adults live longer and grow stronger. Funds raised through the 2016 Juneau Fill the Boot event will empower families with life-enhancing resources and support that open new possibilities and maximize independence so they can experience the world with fewer limits.
Contributions also help fund MDA’s research and its life-enhancing state-of-the-art support groups and care centers, including one in Anchorage. They also help send Alaskan kids to MDA summer camp at no cost to their families.
The International Association of Fire Fighters support for MDA began in 1954. To date, they have raised $583 million for MDA.
