Kings County firefighters raise funds for Muscular Dystrophy Association in Lemoore

The local county firefighters stood on corners and crowded the intersections holding up their firefighter boots for friendly drivers to donate – which many did. The firemen brought three trucks along for the day, including a ladder truck that proudly displayed a very large American flag flying over Lemoore Avenue.

“This is one of many annual “Fill the Boots” events for MDA,” said Kings County Captain Josh Cunningham, “and we’re out here collecting money to help fight muscular dystrophy. The firefighters have been doing this since 1953, and the Kings County Firefighters’ Association has been really involved in it the last few years.”

Cunningham said his hearty band of firefighters will be on the scene from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. “We also do Memorial Day weekend,” he said. “We’ll do the Friday on Memorial Day weekend and the Saturday, but we go to Kettleman City for that.”

Last week local firefighters raised $23,000 for MDA in Hanford. Cunningham, an 18-year veteran of the Kings County Fire Department, hopes to raise upwards of $15,000 over the three days – including Memorial Day weekend.

Beatriz Richard, an administrative assistant with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, was on hand for the Lemoore fundraiser Saturday and was pleased with the turnout. “Lemoore is helping us with this fundraiser. What they do is collect money here in the streets, and what we use this money for is to send kids to camp, pay for clinic visits, and do a lot of research. MDA pays a lot of money for research because we want to find a cure.”

Richard said the MDA works with firefighters in man counties to raise money.