Southwest Florida Professional Fire Fighters & Paramedics– Local 1826 raised $136,690 during the annual Fill the Boot drive from March 28-30 and April 4-6 to benefit children and adults affected by muscle disease throughout the Southwest Florida area. Lehigh Acres Fire Department and community came together to raise $27,281 on one intersection alone this year and LAFD was the top department in collections for Local 1826.
“For six decades, fire fighters have fueled MDA’s mission to find treatments and cures for life-threatening muscle diseases, and this year’s Southwest Florida Fill the Boot results are a perfect example of the true dedication Local 1826 has toward supporting the families we serve,” said MDA Executive Director, Kim Viquesney. “We’re grateful for the support of these inspiring, selfless individuals who provide life-saving help that will fund research, advocate for children and adults affected by muscle disease, and rally our community to fight back.”
Funds raised through Local 1826’s 2014 Fill the Boot event will help support MDA’s programs of worldwide research, specialized health care services, and day-to-day support – which includes sending children affected by muscular dystrophy and related muscle diseases to a weeklong, barrier-free MDA summer camp at Camp Rotary Florida in Brandon, Florida.
As the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s largest national sponsor, the 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 day. 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 date the IAFF has raised $530 million for MDA.
Very worthy cause congrats to all involved
On behalf of the Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District…”THANK YOU” to the Lehigh Acres Community for helping us supporting MDA again this year. With your generosity, we were able to break all previous collections records. LAFD employees collected $11,760.24 last year and beat that total this year collecting 232% more!!! We hope to see you all again next year as we continue to fight for a cure!!!