Contra Costa County Firefighters Raise $55,900 During 2015 Fill the Boot Campaign

Announcement, logo submitted by United Professional Firefighters of Contra Costa County Local 1230:

More than 100 members of the United Professional Firefighters of Contra Costa County Local 1230 raised $55,900 during the annual Fill the Boot campaign on June 2 and June 4 to help save and improve the lives of people fighting muscle disease in Contra Costa County. Muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other related life-threatening diseases take away people’s ability to walk, move, smile, talk and even breathe.

“For six decades, firefighters have fueled MDA’s mission to find treatments and cures for life-threatening muscle diseases, and this year’s Fill the Boot results are a perfect example of the true dedication of the United Professional Firefighters of Contra Costa County Local 1230 has toward supporting the families we serve,” said Executive Director P.J. Smith. “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 the 2015 Fill the Boot events in Contra Costa County build on decades of research progress, helping push science to its limits in the search for treatments and cures. Those who were not able to make it to the events in person are encouraged to donate online.

Dollars raised help support MDA’s life-enhancing programs such as state-of-the-art support groups and clinics, including the MDA Clinic at California Pacific Medical Center at Forbes Norris in San Francisco, Stanford’s Adult Neuromuscular Clinic and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Pediatric Neuromuscular Clinic in Palo Alto, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Pediatric Neuromuscular Clinic and UCSF Medical Center ALS Clinic in San Francisco.They also make MDA summer camp possible so kids with muscle disease can enjoy “the best week of the year” at Westminster Woods in Occidental, CA 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 firefighters 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.

Thank you to the following Community Partners:

Members and volunteers of United Professional Firefighters of Contra Costa County Local 1230, Kinders Meats and BBQ, Starbucks, Mountain Mike’s Pizza, Cinemark Theaters, Chipotle in El Cerrito, King Donuts in Concord, Somersville Towne Center in Antioch, the City of Antioch, the City of El Cerrito, the City of Hercules, the City of Moraga, the City of Orinda, the City of Pleasant Hill, the City of Walnut Creek and all donors throughout the county.

Photo via Shutterstock