Parkersburg firefighters raise more than $4K for Muscular Dystrophy Association

PARKERSBURG -- Local firefighters were able to raise over $4,000 recently to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Around 10-12 members of the Parkersburg Firefighters IAFF Local 91 gathered at the intersections of Pike, Broadway and Blizzard in south Parkersburg on Sept. 7 where they used their boots to gather donations from passing motorists, said Seth Foutty, secretary/treasurer.

"We all had a boot in hand, as is the tradition, and taking donations on behalf of the MDA," Foutty said. "We were getting change, dollar bills and lots of them from people stopping (at the traffic lights)."

This particular local "Fill the Boot Campaign" raised $4,106 in four hours, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., he said.

The local chapter had not done a boot drive in a couple of years, but officials wanted to get it back up and going again.

"We are going to continue to bring that back as an annual thing," Foutty said. "Every September a lot of fire departments and the IAFF participate in this drive.

"We were glad to be able to do it this year and to be able to do it every year."

It is a tradition for many fire departments and firefighters to be able to get out and be able to do this.

"It is important for me being in Parkersburg to be able to raise funds here and support this cause," Foutty said. "It is good when the community can come together to be able to help these people out."

Many people gave change and whatever they had available in their cars.

"It was a really good turnout," Foutty said. "It was way more than what we were expecting.

"We wanted to thank the community for participating and donating all the money. I was really impressed and proud of our community."

Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com