MDA IAFF Message

Friday, May 18, 2018, Local 51 and the El Paso Fire Department, will Kick Off their annual Fill the Boot fundraising campaign to help the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA).

Contributions help MDA’s efforts to fund groundbreaking research and life-enhancing programs such as state-of-the-art support groups and Care Centers. They also help send more than 35 local kids to “the best week of the year” at MDA summer camp at no cost to their families at Manzano Mountain Retreat in Torreon, New Mexico. 

Last year, more than 100,000 firefighters raised money for MDA and the families we serve living with devastating diseases to help bring them strength, independence, and life through research, care, and support. That money totaled more than $24 million through more than 1,600 Fill the Boot events and has helped lead to some major breakthroughs in research, including three drugs approved by the FDA for treating our diseases in the past year alone.

It’s a Lifesaving Tradition Since 1954, IAFF has supported MDA with unwavering drive and relentless passion. Because of your support, three new drugs for neuromuscular diseases have been recently approved, and more are expected in the next five years than in the past five decades. These treatments are life-changing for MDA families where walking, talking and even breathing can be difficult. This could not have been done without IAFF firefighters like you.

We’re proud to have the IAFF as our largest national partner and are thankful for the thousands of firefighters who have participated in Fill the Boot drives across America, as well as those who have volunteered countless hours at MDA Summer Camps.

And until a cure is found, we’ll be filling those boots together.

The Kickoff has held every year at Station 11s @ 13:00 314 S. Leon St downtown El Paso, near the Southwest University Park. Hope to see you’re there.

Thank you for your support,

 L51 EB