Committed to the eradication of neuromuscular diseases, the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) is a longtime friend and supporter of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Fill-the-Boot drives are the primary means by which the IAFF has raised nearly $300 million for MDA since 1954.
The Long Beach firefighters, Local 372, hope to make this Fill-the-Boot drive a tremendous success for MDA. Look for the Long Beach firefighters with boots in hand at the intersections of Alamitos & Ocean, and PCH & Bellflower on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. These firefighters will be asking motorists to drop a donation into their boots. This "voluntary toll" helps MDA change the lives of thousands of families in Southern California.
"Time and again, these lifesaving heroes give so much of themselves for 'my kids,'" MDA National Chairman Jerry Lewis said. "They've made a tremendous difference in the lives of so many, and as they begin their 2009 campaigns, I hope people will see their tireless dedication and be moved and inspired to do their part."
Fill-The-Boot funds support MDA's services locally and nationally, including medical clinics staffed with specialists in muscle disease and accessible summer camp for kids. Local clinics benefiting from Fill-the-Boot funds include Ranchos Los Amigos, UCI, UCLA and USC. Local summer camps are held at The Painted Turtle.
These funds also help finance MDA's worldwide research program seeking treatments for diseases such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease). Up-to-date information about MDA services and research can be found at www.als-mda.org.
MDA is a voluntary health agency working to defeat more than 40 neuromuscular diseases through programs of worldwide research, comprehensive service, and far-reaching professional and public health education. The Association's programs are funded almost entirely by individual private contributions such as those who drive by and "Fill the Boot."
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