Members of the Rhinelander Fire Department will once again be supporting the Muscular Dystrophy Association with their “Fill the Boot” campaign during Hodag Country Fest next week. Andrew Padgett reports. “Fill the Boot” is an annual fundraiser fire departments across the nation participate in to support the Muscular Dystrophy Association, also known as the MDA. Firefighter Justin Feaker outlines the campaign.
“We’re on a few intersections , and we’re collecting money for Muscular Dystrophy Association. Muscular dystrophy is an umbrella term, and there’s dozens of diseases that are included in that, and it supports families in Wisconsin who are affected by muscular dystrophy.”
Feaker says money raised from the campaign goes to fund summer camps at Green Lake for kids with muscular dystrophy, for which he was recently a counselor.
“It’s a weeklong where children under 18 can come to camp, and we focus on giving them a great week where their disabilities aren’t an issue. We do things like hockey, kickball, arts and crafts, we go swimming and go on boat rides. We let them be as independent as they can while still helping them along the way. It really is a good week them. They call it the best week of the year.”
Feaker says the Rhinelander Fire Department will be at the corner of Stevens and Dwight Streets with a boot to fill Thursday the 13th through Saturday the 15th. He says this year’s goal is $15,000.
For more information on the MDA and the “Fill the Boot” campaign, visit mda.org.
