Firefighters collecting money

ONEIDA>> On Saturday, July 30, the Oneida Fire Department will attempt to tackle one of its greatest adversaries: muscular dystrophy.

Beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday, firefighters will collect donations for the Muscular Dystrophy Association at Oneida Plaza Drive outside Walmart. Throughout the day, they will be joined by local families affected by the disease who work with and support the firefighters in their fundraising efforts until the event’s conclusion at 3 p.m.

“We’re pleased to support local families and the MDAas a whole,” said Oneida City Fire Marshal Timothy Cowan.

This the tenth year unionmembers have participated in the fundraising event; this year’s goal for “Fill the Boot” is $5,000, Cowan said. Last year, the department raised $4,000 to contribute to the MDA.

The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), of which the OFD is a member, is the largest national sponsor of the MDA.

According to the IAFF website, “More than 280,000 members of the IAFF in the United States and Canada are pledged to saving lives, both as fire fighters and paramedics and as the strongest campaigners for the worldwide research efforts of MDA to eradicate 40 neuromuscular diseases. The contributions of the fire fighters also go towards MDA’s summer camps for children, professional and public health educa-

tion, and other programs.”

The relationship between the union and the MDA was formed in 1954 when a California department was moved by the story of a local, young child who had muscular dystrophy. The department devel- oped a plan to raise money for the child by filling a boot with donations from community members to support the struggle against the disease.

Decades later, local firefighters across the country fill the boot to carry on the tradition of raising money and awareness of muscular dystrophy.

“Locals throughout the country fill the boot,” Cowan said. “We’re happy as a local to be able to do that for the MDA.”

All the money raised by the OFD goes directly to the MDA, and Cowan said donations can be made throughout the year in addition to the “Fill the Boot.” Those interested in making donations can contact the fire marshal’s desk.

Since 1954, IAFF members have donated nearly $ 275 million to the MDA. Read other stories involving charities: www. OneidaDispatch.com/ topic/Charity Read other stories involving fire: www. OneidaDispatch.com/ topic/Fire

DISPATCH STAFF PHOTO Oneida Firefighters collect donations for the Muscular Dystrophy Association outside Walmart in 2015.