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ALPENA — These boots are made for fillin’ … for a good cause. Fill the Boot today and Friday in Alpena to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Firefighters from the City of Alpena will be stationed at the corner of 9th Avenue and Chisholm Street from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. today, asking motorists for donations.

Then on Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. is another chance to help donate, as Alpena Township Firefighters will be stationed at the Southside Fire Station at 2201 U.S.-23 South.

The annual campaign raises funds for muscular dystrophy research to accelerate treatments and cures, along with caring for and empowering children and adults afflicted with the disease.

Southside Captain Ken Piper is the MDA coordinator for the Local 1859. He hopes to see a lot of people donating to the campaign.

“They should come out and support it because it’s a good cause,” Piper said. “The MDA has made great strides in the past few years.”

He said there was a drop in MDA funding for several years when the Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon started dwindling after Lewis retired as host in 2011. Then the Fill the Boot campaign received pushback from the attorney general a few years back, but that has been resolved now, as a law was passed to allow firefighters to be campaigning in the street, Piper said.

“We’re kind of at a turning point,” he said. “The money has gone down, and the cost of research has obviously gone up, so it’s pretty important right now.”

Piper said in addition to research, the donations will enable children to go to summer camps where they can make friends and enjoy activities in a safe and comfortable environment.

“They get to spend a week kind of feeling like a normal kid for a short amount of time,” Piper said.

He said the firefighters are here to serve, and this is one way to give back.

“We’re all about community service,” Piper said. “I’ve seen firsthand what transpires from the efforts we put in. This just gives us another avenue to reach out to the community.”

Firefighter and paramedic Sam Lucas coordinates the event for the Alpena Fire Department. She said about eight people will be out volunteering today with black and yellow boots for motorists to fill with donations.

“It’s something we do every year to raise money and awareness for muscular dystrophy,” Lucas said.

She added that large signs will make the Fill the Boot campaign area visible, but she urges motorists to “drive a little bit slowly.”

“The members of the Alpena Fire Fighters L623 display an unwavering support for MDA as they raise critical funds to help our families get the strength and resources they need,” MDA Executive Director Cindy Clark said in a press release. “We are so proud to kick off the 2019 Fill the Boot campaign with these first-responders who mirror the strength and nobility of MDA families who strive to live unlimited every day.”

Funds raised through the Fill the Boot events 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 local kids to a life-changing experience in an environment without barriers at MDA Summer Camp at Sherman Lake YMCA Camp — all at no cost to their families.

The IAFF and MDA partnership

The partnership between the International Association of Fire Fighters and 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. As MDA’s largest national partner, they have raised more than $650 million for the MDA to date. Today the IAFF/MDA partnership is finding new ways to save lives by working to expand newborn screenings in the U.S. with Pompe disease or Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), so that they can be immediately eligible for lifesaving and life changing therapies.

The International Association of Fire Fighters represents more than 300,000 professional firefighters and paramedics who protect 85 percent of the nation’s population. More than 3,200 affiliates and their members protect communities in every state in the U.S. and Canada.

The MDA is committed to transforming the lives of people affected by muscular dystrophy, ALS and related neuromuscular diseases. The MDA does this through innovations in science and innovations in care. As the largest source of funding for neuromuscular disease research outside of the federal government, MDA has committed more than $1 billion since its inception to accelerate the discovery of therapies and cures. Research it has supported is directly linked to approved, life-changing therapies across multiple neuromuscular diseases. The MDA supports the largest network of multidisciplinary clinics providing best-in-class care at more than 150 of the nation’s top medical institutions, and each year thousands of children and young adults learn vital life skills and gain independence at MDA Summer Camp and through recreational programs. For more information visit mda.org.