Help local firefighters raise money for muscular dystrophy - East Idaho News
Fill the Boot

Help local firefighters raise money for muscular dystrophy

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IDAHO FALLS — If you notice traffic backing up and firefighters out at an intersection on Friday and Saturday, don’t worry — it’s all for a good cause. 

Bonneville County Fire District No. 1 Ammon Division firefighters are staged at 17th Street and Hitt Road near Red Robin for a “Fill the Boot” campaign for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). According to the Mayo Clinic, muscular dystrophy is a group of diseases that cause progressive weakness and loss of muscle mass. 

“We are just raising money to help them with the cost of research and development of problems with this disease,” said Capt. Jason Wilson. 

The campaign has been a firefighter tradition across the U.S. since 1954. Click here to learn more. 

The Ammon firefighters started on Friday at 9 a.m. and will be out until around 5 p.m. The schedule will be the same on Saturday too. 

Wilson told EastIdahoNews.com they have a fundraising goal. 

“We always shoot for the moon but we want to try and do $45,000,” he said. 

Last year, they raised about $32,000 in two days. 

Cash and change are being accepted. There is also a Venmo account where they can take donations @BCFD-Ammon

Drivers are asked to be mindful and cautious during the campaign. 

“We encourage people to be patient with us. We try not to stand in the intersection when the lights turn green, but sometimes we do have to kind of hold them up for two seconds to get out of the way,” Wilson said. 

This is the 16th year of Fill the Boot for the Bonneville County Fire District No. 1 Ammon Division. The firefighters typically raise money in the fall, while the Idaho Falls Fire Department does it in the spring. 

Jason Wilson
Fill the Boot. | Courtesy Jason Wilson

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