Letter: Help our firefighters Fill the Boot

To the Editor:

I am excited to announce that the Red Wing Fire Department will be holding its first Fill the Boot Campaign to raise funds for the local Muscular Dystrophy Association. On Aug. 28-30, firefighters will be volunteering their time at several intersections in town to “fill their boots” with donations from motorists. The three-day campaign will take place from 3 to 6 p.m. each day.

As a resident and mayor of Red Wing I was excited to hear about the involvement of our firefighters. My first full-time job was with St. Paul MDA as a district director covering southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin, and my better half, Susan, worked with the Minneapolis MDA families and kids who were struggling with the impact of being diagnosed.

Fill the Boot is a 58-year tradition that takes place at intersections in thousands of cities across Minnesota and the U.S. Firefighters in Minnesota raised over $256,000 in 2011 and the Red Wing Fire Department is proud to be joining their efforts this year.

All of the collected funds will stay in the community to help local children and adults fighting muscular dystrophy. The money raised by firefighters will provide help and hope by funding comprehensive health care services like wheelchairs and leg braces repair, medical care at MDA sponsored clinics, support groups, weeklong MDA summer camps and, most importantly, groundbreaking research that will one day deliver a cure for all 43 types of muscular dystrophy, including ALS.

Please plan on stopping and supporting out local firefighters.

For questions about the 2012 Red Wing Fill the Boot Campaign, contact Jack Pipkin, MDA executive director, at 952-832-5716. Thank you for your support.

Dennis Egan

Red Wing

Tags: opinion, letters