Special to the Reporter

Mercer Island firefighters from the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) Local 1762 will be raising money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) from 7-11 a.m. on Sept. 8 at the corner of Southeast 40th Street and Island Crest Way.

In 1952, a father of a child with muscular dystrophy asked the firefighters in Boston to help raise money for the medical bills associated with his child’s disease. The firefighters agreed to help, and they raised $5,000 in a door-to-door campaign asking people to contribute to this cause by putting money in a firefighter’s boot. That is how “fill the boot” was born.

In 1954, the IAFF established the MDA as its charity of choice. IAFF is the single largest sponsor of the MDA, and to date, the association has raised well over $500 million with more than 300,000 participants each year throughout the United States and Canada.

In 2007, Mercer Island firefighters fully embraced this tradition along with Island residents. On that year’s donation day, a city council member delivered a $100 check before they were even set up.

“Your generosity and support each year has been overwhelming, and we want to thank you for making this such a successful event each year,” reads a press release. “We understand that our collecting for MDA can slow traffic at times, and we try to work hard at not causing any delays. We will always keep in mind that people have places to go and are very busy. As firefighters, we are also always mindful of safety and do a yearly review of the event and make sure we stay safe.”

People who would like to get a head start on adding to this year’s total can follow the QR code and make their donation.

QR code for donations.