NMB firefighters raise nearly $5,000 in Fill the Boot campaign

Members of the North Myrtle Beach Fire Department raised $4,695 during the annual Fill the Boot campaign on Aug. 8-9 to help save and improve the lives of people fighting muscle disease in the North Myrtle Beach area. Muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other related life-threatening diseases take away people’s ability to walk, move, smile, talk and even breathe.

“For six decades, fire fighters have fueled MDA’s mission to find treatments and cures for life-threatening muscle diseases, and this year’s North Myrtle Beach Fill the Boot results are a perfect example of the true dedication North Myrtle Beach Fire Department has toward supporting the families we serve,” said fundraising coordinator Katie Murphy. “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 2015 North Myrtle Beach Fill the Boot events build on decades of research progress, helping push science to its limits in the search for treatments and cures.

Dollars raised also help support MDA’s life-enhancing programs such as state-of-the-art support groups and clinics. They also make MDA summer camp possible so kids with muscle disease can enjoy “the best week of the year” at Camp Hanes in King, NC and nearly 80 other locations nationwide.

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. In addition to Fill the Boot events, contributions from charity baseball games and other local events hosted/sponsored by the IAFF 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 $558 million for MDA.

This story was originally published September 5, 2015 at 10:31 AM with the headline "NMB firefighters raise nearly $5,000 in Fill the Boot campaign."