WINONA LAKE – Winona Lake firefighters and the Muscular Dystrophy Association will kick off the annual Fill the Boot campaign Saturday to help people fighting muscle disease in the Winona Lake area. Muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other related life-threatening diseases take away people’s ability to walk, move, smile, talk and even breathe, according to information from the Fort Wayne MDA. Members of the Winona Lake Fire Department will fan out across the city with boots in hand for this year’s drive Saturday. “For more than six decades firefighters have stood on the front lines for MDA, striving to make a difference in the lives of those affected by muscle disease,” said Fundraising Coordinator Valerie Churchill. “Fire fighters in the Winona Lake area do more for MDA and the families we serve than any other group, dedicating countless hours of their time every year participating in Fill the Boot drives and at MDA Summer Camp. We're grateful for the support of these inspiring, selfless individuals who have made a profound impact on our families’ health, wellbeing and quality of life, and we're excited to make this year’s Winona Lake’s Fill the Boot campaign the most successful yet.” Funds raised through Winona Lake’s Fill the Boot event build on decades of research progress, helping push science to its limits in the search for treatments and cures, the MDA says. Dollars raised also help support MDA’s life-enhancing programs such as state-of-the-art support groups and clinics, including the MDA Clinic at Lutheran Hospital and in Elkhart. They also make MDA summer camp possible so kids with muscle disease can enjoy “the best week of the year” at Camp Potawatomi in Wolcottville and nearly 80 other locations nationwide. To learn more about MDA visit mda.org
