By Alan Sorensen
Fifth Avenue traffic will be slowed some from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 28, for the Havre Fire Departments annual MDA Fill the Boot campaign.
Well have the snorkel (truck) parked by the street and have Fifth Avenue partially blocked, Capt. Mike Anderson of the Havre Fire Department said. This will be a voluntary toll.
Proceeds from the Firefighters Local 601 efforts will be sent on to the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon televised nationwide on Labor Day weekend.
The citizens of Havre have always donated generously to MDA, Anderson said. Last year, we raised over $3,200 to help Jerrys kids.
Firefighters from all over the United States and Canada take timeout of their schedules to help raise money for Jerrys kids. This will be the 45th year that firefighters have filled their boots for the kids. Last year, Montana firefighters raised more than $66,000 and the International Association of Friefighters across North America raised $13 million for MDA.
MDA supports 230 clinics and helps fund summer camps around the country, including the Montana/Wyoming summer camp held at Kiwanis Camp in Beaver Creek Park. Most of the money collected during the Havre Fill the Boot drive was donated back to help make Camp Kiwanis more handicapped accessible.
Al Forsman, president of Local 601, said there are still many projects pending at the camp. Anyone interested in helping make improvements to the camp is encouraged to call Forsman at the fire department at 2675-6511.
Proceeds from the campaign also are used to provide wheelchairs and braces, fund family support groups, and encourage worldwide research to combat the 40 neuromuscular diseases covered by Muscular Dystrophy Association.
