Pingree Grove firefighters ‘Fill their Boots’ For Caylee
From Staff Reports June 29, 2012 4:08PM
Pingree Grove Fire Department members with Caylee Warpehoski at Fill the Boot Kick Off & Safety Meeting. | submitted
Updated: August 2, 2012 10:27AM
Pingree Grove firefighters will be taking part next week in the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s annual “Fill the Boot” national campaign. The money raised will benefit children and adults affected by neuromuscular diseases.
Local MDA Fill the Boot ambassador, Caylee Warpehoski, 7, and her family plan to attend the boot drive and show their support for those volunteering their time to help in the fight back against muscle disease.
The fundraiser event is set for 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and Thursday. The drive will be held at the intersections of Route 20 and Plank Road as well as Routes 72 and 47.
This will be Pingree Grove’s first time participating in the Fill the Boot campaign.
Firefighter Dan Cox brought heart to the cause after his daughter Lucy, befriended Caylee in school this year.
After noticing Lucy walking with her hands on her head, he quickly asked why she was walking that way. He found out Lucy’s new friend, Caylee, has to walk like that at school. Caylee has facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSH). She walks like this to balance herself from effects of the disease.
After getting to know Caylee and her family, Cox contacted MDA to see what he can do to help those in need with the fire department’s help.
“I believe citizens will be willing to donate to these drives because they know MDA is important to so many families in the local community,” Cox said. “Firefighters are all about public service and giving back to those in need, and we see this campaign as a fundamental continuation of that.”
Funds raised assist with funding local MDA clinics, support groups and summer camp. And nationally, MDA continues to fund research to find a cure for each of the 43 forms of muscular dystrophy.
“It is programs like Fill the Boot that help MDA provide help and hope to local families,” said MDA fundraising coordinator Allison Gronski.
MDA is the nonprofit health agency dedicated to curing muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases by funding worldwide research.
In addition to funding more than 330 research teams worldwide, MDA maintains a national network of some 200 hospital-affiliated clinics; orchestrates hundreds of support groups for families affected by neuromuscular diseases; and facilitates extraordinary local summer camp opportunities for thousands of youngsters fighting progressive muscle diseases.
