Fire union donates over $8,800 for Muscular Dystrophy Association

Chelsea Weeks, Claremore Daily Progress, Okla.
·2 min read

Dec. 16—Claremore Fire Fighter Local 1077 Union donated more than $8,800 to the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

After three weekends of standing at the intersection of Will Rogers Boulevard and Route 66, the union raised $8,827.80 during the annual Fill the Boot campaign.

Claremore Fire Captain Zane James said he was surprised by the outcome of this year's campaign.

"We blew it out of the water," he said.

James said he's been involved with Fill the Boot for more than 10 years and the average amount raised was $4,000-5,000. Fill the Boot is a union-affiliated fundraiser through the International Association of Fire Fighters, he said.

Becky Prine, with Muscular Dystrophy Association, said Fill the Boot has been a long-standing national tradition for 68 years.

"Claremore has been a participant in this program for decades," Prine said.

Prine said funds raised go to support a variety of services for families that are diagnosed with a neuromuscular disease.

"We cover 43 different diseases, but our biggest service that we have our local clinics," she said. "It helps families be able to go to our clinics, and be seen by our team of professionals there, helps get some of these families into clinical trials, and medications for what they're being treated."

She said Fill the Boot also supports a summer camp, support groups and funding for research treatments and cures.

"It's just a testament to the firefighters giving their time to go out and stand and the community is just always so generous," she said. "I think this year, as people are recovering from the pandemic and just things are getting back to normal, we found across the board that the citizens and communities, like Claremore, are happy to give."

Fill the Boot started in Boston in 1954 when a child of a firefighter was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, Prine said. She said the firefighters turned to the public to see if they would be willing to help. The International Association of Fire Fighters partnered with the MDA as a sponsor.

"Our firefighters in the state of Oklahoma are incredible," Prine said. "And the communities are incredible."