Firefighters and lifeguards who fanned out around San Diego Tuesday for the annual Fill the Boot campaign to raise funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association in San Diego collected a record amount of money.
Angel Chanchea-Moser, executive director of the San Diego MDA chapter, said the take was estimated to be around $52,000, though counting wasn't completed.
Firefighters held out boots at major intersections in hopes of topping $30,000 raised locally in the event last year. Lifeguards held out fins in beach areas.
The MDA is one of the major charities supported by firefighter agencies, along with the Burn Institute.
Along with the $30,000 raised in last year's Fill the Boot event, firefighters brought in an additional $60,000 from a golf tournament, chili cookoff and individual donations. Alan Arrollado, president of the San Diego city firefighters union, said he hopes the total take from all firefighter MDA fundraising events this year will top $100,000.
More than $224,000 has been raised over the previous six years in San Diego, according to Chanchea-Moser.
She said the funds are used to fund a clinic at Rady Children's Hospital, pay for equipment needed by muscular dystrophy patients, pay for local research programs and send 70 young patients to Camp Cuyamaca each summer.
