Members of Salisbury Professional Fire Fighters, along with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, will celebrate their 60-year partnership and kick off the firefighters’ annual Fill the Boot fundraising campaign to benefit children and adults affected by muscle disease throughout the Rowan County area.

Salisbury Professional Fire Fighters will be out with boots in hand for this year’s drive on Black Friday from 7 a.m. until noon at Walmart and from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. in downtown Salisbury at Holiday Night Out, as well as on Sa

turday at Lowes from 8 a.m. until noon. 

“Throughout 2014, MDA and firefighters have been celebrating 60 years of proud partnership, joined together in the fight against life-threatening muscle disease,” said MDA Director of Business Development Lisa Cole. “Firefighters do more for MDA and the families we serve than any other group, dedicating countless hours of their time every year participating in Fill the Boot drives and at MDA Summer Camp. We’re grateful for the support of these inspiring, selfless individuals who have made a profound impact on our families’ health, well being and quality of life, and we’re excited to make this year’s Salisbury Professional Fire Fighters’ Fill the Boot campaign the most successful yet.”

Funds raised through the 2014 Salisbury Professional Fire Fighters’ Fill the Boot event will help support MDA’s programs of worldwide research, specialized health care services, and day-to-day support – which includes sending children affected by muscular dystrophy and related diseases to a weeklong, barrier-free MDA summer camp at Camp Bethelwoods in York, S.C.

The Muscular Dystrophy Association’s partnership with firefighters nationwide fuels MDA’s mission to find treatments and cures for life-threatening muscle diseases. In 2013, more than 100,000 firefighters participated in Fill the Boot events across the country and raised $26.2 million.

The Muscular Dystrophy Association is the world’s leading nonprofit health agency dedicated to saving and improving the lives of anyone with muscle disease, including muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neuromuscular diseases. It does so by funding worldwide research to find treatments and cures; by providing comprehensive health care services and support to MDA families nationwide; and by rallying communities to fight back through advocacy, fundraising and local engagement. Visit mda.org and follow the organization at facebook.com/MDAnational and @MDAnews.