Missouri City firefighters to 'fill the boot' for Jerry's Kids

Missouri City firefighters are participating in the national drive to "Fill the Boot" for Jerry's Kids with Muscular Dystrophy.

Missouri City firefighters are participating in the national drive to "Fill the Boot" for Jerry's Kids with Muscular Dystrophy.

In an annual campaign that began about 16 years ago, the firefighters spend one Saturday per shift collecting funds that benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s (MDA) services and research programs, including MDA’s outpatient clinics at Texas Children’s Hospital and The Methodist Neurological Institute in Houston.

“All three shifts of firefighters will be working to collect donations for MDA, in addition to performing their normal duties,” said Frank Luu, a firefighter who heads the campaign. “Our goal is to top the $10,000 reached last year.”

The “Fill the Boot Campaign” involves firefighters across the country, which have raised more than $200 million for MDA’s fight against neuromuscular diseases since 1954. Missouri City’s Fire & Rescue Service will collect this year at Kroger at Highway 6 and Murphy Road, and Foodarama at Texas Parkway and Cartwright Road, on Saturdays May 14, May 28 and June 11.

Donations are also being accepted at any of Missouri City’s fire stations. A Missouri City Fire & Rescue Service representative will present a check for Jerry’s Kids on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 5, during the 46th annual MDA telethon on KPRC-TV, Channel 2.

MDA is funded almost entirely by individual contributions and cooperating organizations and dedicates 77 cents of every dollar it spends directly to research, services and education.