North Myrtle Beach Fire Fighters Rally Behind 60-Year Tradition with MDA, Raise $4,695 During 2015 Fill the Boot Campaign

On August 8-9 members of the North Myrtle Beach Fire Department raised $4,695 for the Muscular Distrophy Association (MDA) during its annual Fill the Boot campaign, which seeks to help save and improve the lives of people fighting muscle disease in the North Myrtle Beach area. Muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and other related life-threatening diseases take away a person’s ability to walk, move, smile, talk, and even breathe.

The MDA is the world’s leading nonprofit health agency dedicated to saving and improving the lives of anyone with muscle disease, including muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neuromuscular diseases. It does so by funding worldwide research to find treatments and cures; by providing comprehensive health care services and support to MDA families nationwide; and by rallying communities to fight back through advocacy, fundraising and local engagement. Visit www.mda.org   and follow us at www.facebook.com/MDAnational  and @MDAnews. Learn more about MDA's mission by watching this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWOTeyMteV0

“For six decades, fire fighters have fueled MDA's mission to find treatments and cures for life-threatening muscle diseases, and this year’s Fill the Boot results are a perfect example of the true dedication the North Myrtle Beach Fire Department has toward supporting the families we serve,” said MDA Fundraising Coordinator Katie Murphy.  “We’re grateful for the support of these inspiring, selfless individuals who provide life-saving help that will fund research, advocate for children and adults affected by muscle disease, and rally our community to fight back.”

Funds raised through the Fill the Boot event build on decades of research progress, helping push science to its limits in the search for treatments and cures. Dollars raised also help support MDA’s life-enhancing programs which include state-of-the-art support groups and clinics.  They also make MDA summer camp possible so kids with muscle disease can enjoy “the best week of the year” at Camp Hanes in King, NC and nearly 80 other locations nationwide.

As the Muscular Dystrophy Association's largest national sponsor, the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) fuels MDA's mission to find treatments and cures for life-threatening muscle diseases. In addition to Fill the Boot events, contributions from charity baseball games and other local events hosted/sponsored by the IAFF help support MDA's efforts to raise awareness and provide professional and public education about neuromuscular diseases.

IAFF support for 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. The IAFF raised $100,000 for MDA in 1955, and $1 million in 1970, and fire fighters continue to raise the bar in their fundraising efforts. In 2013, more than 100,000 fire fighters participated in Fill the Boot events across the country and raised $26.2 million. To date the IAFF has raised $558 million for MDA.

About the IAFF

The International Association of Fire Fighters represents more than 300,000 professional fire fighters 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 United States and in Canada.