Big Hearts and Big Money

Every Labor Day weekend, we do our “Fill The Boot” campaign for “Jerry’s Kids,” AKA the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). Firefighters have been involved with MDA for fifty-one years now, and it is a labor of love. Anyone who watches the Telethon on Labor Day knows the good things that MDA does with the money that goes into the boot each year. This year, with the disaster in Louisiana, it was a sure thing that people would want to help out with that too. What we did was collect for both things simultaneously, a fifty-fifty split for the entire weekend between MDA and Red Cross.

Starting out, we were unsure of how successful we would be this weekend, not because we didn’t think people would want to give, but because of the recent fuel increase, we thought people might be a little less able to give. Able or not, they gave… and gave and gave. We were truly astounded by the total, which reached 21,162.50 by the close on Sunday afternoon. Doing the math, that means that each charity receives 10581.25.

This type of thing doesn’t get done without good people (on both ends of the boot). I would like to tell you the names of each person that gave so generously this past weekend, but they don’t stick around to tell us their names. I can tell you that the following members of the Burlington Firefighters sacrificed this Labor Day Weekend to get the job done. They are: Ernie Covino, Kevin Browne, Peter Macanespie, Dave Sullivan, Jack Price, Mike Gledhill, Mike Patterson, Jim Sorenson, Andy Connerty, Shawn Kenney, Mike Fontannay, Kevin Canty, Gerry Hanafin, “Superjake” Gerry Letendre, Mike Runyan, Gus Marino, Dave Angelo, John Skinner, Mark Saia, John Corbett, John Corbett junior, and Dave Richardson. There were also several BFD members who worked “behind the lines” counting money and doing errands that are a huge part of this effort.

The next time you see one these guys you might want to give them a pat on the back for a job well done. Also, on behalf of all the folks being helped with all this money, and from all of us to you; “Thank you” for caring so much.

Paul Sullivan

MDA Chairman

Burlington Professional Firefighters