The streets of Round Rock will echo with the sound of boots hitting the pavement, not for emergency calls, but for charity. The Round Rock Fire Department (RRFD) is preparing to launch its annual Fill the Boot campaign to raise funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), starting the week of May 5. Local firefighters will be readily present, boots in hand, soliciting donations at two prominent intersections on May 5, 7, and 8, according to an announcement on the city's official website.
Commuters can expect to see the RRFD members stationed at East Palm Valley Boulevard/Mays Street and A.W. Grimes Boulevard/Gattis School Road during the early hours from 8-10 a.m. and later in the day from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Participating firefighters are part of a broader effort, with more than 1,500 Fill the Boot fundraisers taking place nationally each spring. The MDA has continued to successfully partner up with the International Association of Fire Fighters for this noble cause for over 75 years now.
The Round Rock Firefighters have shown consistent support for MDA, having raised $422,000 since 2011. These funds have been channeled to aid individuals with neuromuscular diseases in various capacities. "The funds raised by Round Rock Fire go towards many beneficial things for these individuals living with a neuromuscular disease," Kelsey Adamek, a Fire Fighter Partnerships account manager for MDA, told the official Round Rock website. "Some of these include research to help find cures, treatments to prolong the lives of these individuals, treatment care centers to be utilized by these individuals, and summer camp that is specifically adapted for children to attend who have a neuromuscular disease."
This year's campaign also includes an online option for those who wish to donate but can't manage to physically drop by the boot. Secure online donations can be made directly to the Round Rock Fire group's effort to help further support the MDA. The spirit of giving, not just during emergency rescues but also through fundraising for diseases without known cures, underscores the continued commitment of firefighters to serve and protect the well-being of their community.
