WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE, Ohio — Washington C.H. firefighters and members of a group called Team X-Man will stand along East Market Street this weekend collecting donations for people living with muscular dystrophy.
The fire department will host a drive-thru “Fill the Boot” fundraiser from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at the fire station, 225 E. Market St., the department said in a Facebook post. Motorists are invited to drive through, roll down a window and drop in a donation of any amount, with proceeds benefiting the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s research, care and support programs for families facing muscle disease.
The boot-collection tradition dates to 1952, when a group of Boston firefighters with what is now IAFF Local 718 were approached by families whose children had muscular dystrophy and began going door-to-door with their boots, raising $5,000 in their first campaign, according to MDA. Two years later, on Aug. 19, 1954, the International Association of Fire Fighters formally adopted MDA as its national charity, giving rise to the “Fill the Boot” drives now held by fire departments nationwide, often around Labor Day weekend.
IAFF affiliates have raised more than $700 million for MDA since the boot drives began, funds MDA says have helped lead to more than 20 new FDA-approved treatments for neuromuscular diseases, according to the association.
Washington C.H. firefighters said in their announcement that “every dollar helps fund research, care, and support for families facing muscle disease” and encouraged residents to stop by Sunday.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Washington C.H. Fire Department.
