 | | | Firefighter paramedic Jacob Airola collecting money in Moraga. Photo Pippa Fisher | | | | | | Continuing a long-standing commitment to the defeat of muscular dystrophy, Moraga-Orinda Fire District firefighters and paramedics took to the streets of Moraga recently to raise money in their traditional "Fill the Boot" campaign.
For over 60 years the International Association of Fire Fighters have raised more than $558 million.
The organizer of the most recent day's fundraising in Moraga, firefighter-paramedic Andrew Leach, said that they raised just over $3,800 as firefighters passed the boots around at the junction of Moraga Road and Rheem Boulevard and greeted drivers waiting at the traffic lights.
He said that that figure combined with t-shirt sales from the recent open house brings the amount raised for the Muscular Dystrophy Association to over $4,500 so far this year and expects the total to increase following the June 29 Orinda Fill the Boot day. Last year, between the two Fill the Boot days and the open house they raised over $10,000.
Leach said that he works alongside the MDA representative and coordinates the dates and locations in the district to try and get as many on and off duty personnel to participate as possible. "The more fire fighters we have out there, the more money we raise."
Money raised will sponsor kids suffering from various types of muscular dystrophy to participate in summer camps. There are two camps this year, one in the Santa Cruz Mountains and a second in Occidental. "In years past we have sent an engine company to the camp to spend a day with the kids," said Leach.
His favorite part of this effort? "Seeing all our firefighters out there working together to achieve a common goal which is to raise as much money as we can to send as many children as we can to the summer camps."
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA