AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) – The Amarillo Professional Firefighters Association announced it will participate in the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s “Fill the Boot” campaign from Thursday-Saturday to raise awareness as well as funds to put toward effective treatments and therapies for the condition.

The Amarillo Firefighters Local 542 will be posted at various intersections around the city from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day of the event, said the association, to collect donations for the MDA campaign.

“Last year the citizens of Amarillo helped the Amarillo Firefighters raise enough money to be the 8th largest contributor in Texas and Oklahoma,” said the association, “We want to make this year the biggest yet for MDA in Amarillo and outraise what we did last year.”

As noted on its official website, firefighters in the US have participated in the Fill the Boot program since 1954 amid a partnership between the MDA and the International Association of Fire Fighters. The funds raised through the campaign work to fund MDA’s mission to empower people living with neuromuscular disease to live longer, more independent lives.

“Amarillo Firefighters provide high-quality fire and rescue services to the community that we serve,” noted the association, “Raising funds to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association is an opportunity for the Amarillo Firefighters to support others in need.”