TALLAHASSEE — Santa Rosa Professional Fire Fighters Association Local 4836 members raised over $445 during their first Fill the Boot campaign on Sept. 24.
The money will help kids and adults with muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases that severely limit strength and mobility live longer and grow stronger.
“For more than six decades, firefighters have fueled (the Muscular Dystrophy Association)'s mission to find treatments and cures for muscle-debilitating diseases, and this year’s Santa Rosa County Fill the Boot results are a perfect example of their dedication,” Senior Fundraising Coordinator Crystal Ralys said. “We are extremely grateful to have the support of these truly selfless heroes, as well as the entire Santa Rosa County community. It is with their generosity that we will be able to empower MDA families with life-enhancing resources and support that open possibilities and maximize independence so they can experience the world without any limits.”
MDA’s Fill the Boot campaign is a tradition in which thousands of firefighters in hometowns across America hit the streets or storefronts asking pedestrians, motorists, customers and other passersby to donate to MDA, using their collective strength to help find treatments and cures for life-threatening neuromuscular diseases.
Funds raised help MDA’s efforts to fund research and life-enhancing programs such as support groups and Care Centers, including the MDA Care Center at Shands in Gainesville and Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Santa Rosa firefighters aid Muscular Dystrophy research