Help Firefighters ‘Fill the Boot’ and Help the MDA

Cheyenne Firefighters of IAFF Local 279 and the Federated Firefighters of Wyoming will be hosting a media kick-off to this year’s MDA Fill-the-Boot campaign.

Each year, firefighters across the United States rally over the Labor Day weekend to collect donations for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The partnership of the International Association of Firefighters and MDA celebrated 60 years last year, and continues the tradition once again.

The donations during the Fill-the-Boot weekend support the children and adults affected by muscular disease, and their families in the state in which it is collected. These help afford expensive and highly specialized medical equipment, household modifications to accommodate the equipment, research that has developed medicinal therapy to improve many of the 43 known neuro-muscular diseases, and most importantly to the children affected, summer camp! Summer camp is a week long trip to Empire, CO (the regional camp) where activities are made possible by means of specialized equipment, camp counselors, and firefighters from across the IAFF’s 9th District.

To kick-off this year’s event, remarks from Governor Matt Mead, Representative Ken Esquibel, Cheyenne Fire and Rescue Division Chief of Prevention Byron Mathews, IAFF Local 279 President Kevin Reddy, Fill-the-Boot Coordinator for the Cheyenne Firefighters Derek Pollnow, and local families affected by muscular dystrophy diseases, can be heard at the Wyoming State Capitol at 10:30am, on September 1, 2015.

Heather Miller of the MDA Rocky Mountains region said “Throughout 2015, MDA and fire fighters are celebrating 61 years of proud partnership, joined together in the fight against life-threatening muscle disease.” She continued, recalling her experience as the area director which the Federated Firefighters of Wyoming operate, “Fire fighters do more for MDA and the families we serve than any other group. In Wyoming, they spend countless hours every year participating in Fill the Boot. We're grateful for the support of these inspiring, selfless individuals who have made a profound impact on our families’ health, wellbeing and quality of life.”

WHO: Federated Firefighters of Wyoming and the Muscular Dystrophy Association
WHAT: Kick-off for the 2015 IAFF/MDA Fill-the-Boot
WHERE: Wyoming State Capitol, Cheyenne WY
WHEN: Tuesday, September 1, 2015 at 10:30am
WHY: To raise awareness of the 61 year campaign and partnership of firefighters and MDA