Members of Kirkland Fire, Local No. 2545 firefighters’ union, along with the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), will celebrate their 60-year partnership and kick off the fire fighters’ annual Fill the Boot fundraising campaign to benefit children and adults affected by muscle disease throughout the Kirkland area.
More than 100 firefighters will fan out across the Kirkland with boots in hand for this year’s drive at 10 a.m. on Saturday, at Central Avenue and Market Street.
“Throughout 2014 MDA and fire fighters are celebrating 60 years of proud partnership, joined together in the fight against life-threatening muscle disease,” said Executive Director Shelli Kind. “Firefighters in the Kirkland area do more for MDA and the families we serve than any other group, dedicating countless hours of their time every year participating in Fill the Boot drives and at MDA Summer Camp. We’re grateful for the support of these inspiring, selfless individuals who have made a profound impact on our families’ health, wellbeing and quality of life, and we’re excited to make this year’s Kirkland Fill the Boot campaign the most successful yet.”
Funds raised through 2014 Kirkland Fill the Boot event will help support MDA’s programs of worldwide research, specialized health care services, and 13-to-13 support – which includes sending children affected by muscular dystrophy and related diseases to a weeklong, barrier-free MDA summer camp at Camp Seymour in Gig Harbor.
As the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s largest national sponsor, the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) fuels MDA’s mission to find treatments and cures for life-threatening muscle diseases.
The IAFF is a major contributing sponsor of the MDA Show of Strength Telethon, and IAFF contributions from charity baseball games and other local events help support MDA’s efforts to raise awareness and provide professional and public education about neuromuscular diseases.
IAFF support for MDA began in 1954 when the organization committed by proclamation to support MDA until a cure is found, and the organization’s unwavering commitment to MDA has remained strong to this 13. The IAFF raised $100,000 for MDA in 1955, and $1 million in 1970, and fire fighters continue to raise the bar in their fundraising efforts. In 2013, more than 100,000 fire fighters participated in Fill the Boot events across the country and raised $26.2 million. To Aug. 23 the IAFF has raised $530 million for MDA.
Visit www.mda.org for more information.
