Hie r*ulo
A firefighter takes part in last year's effort.
Firefighters to kick off boots
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONICLE
More wheelchairs. More
therapy. More campers.
That's what the Muscular
Dystrophy Association is look
ing to fund with the proceeds
from its popular fundraiser,
dubbed "Fill-the-Boot," which
will literally hit the streets this
Friday.
The national nonprofit pro
vides assistance to people suffer
ing from more than 40 different
kinds of neuromuscular diseases,
including ALS, more commonly
known as Lou Gherig's Disease.
National Chairman Jerry Lewis
is credited with heightening
awareness about the organiza
tion, through his famous 21.5
hour telethon that dates back to
1966.
"Firefighters and the MDA
have been partnered since the
1950s; we have a very special
relationship," said the MDAs
Jennifer Taylor, director of the
17-county district that encom
passes Winston-Salem and
Forsyth County. "Filling the
boot has become a large tradition
for a lot of fire departments
(nationwide)... they have raised
millions of dollars."
The MDA helps patients off
set the cost of equipment, such
as wheelchairs, leg braces and
communication devices; and
provides supplemental funding
for patients to attend support
groups and summer camps
designed for children with neu
romuscular problems. It also
lends monetary support to desig
nated facilities to further
research efforts in the field.
More than 30 members of
the Winston-Salem Fire
Department have agreed to
donate their time to the local
effort this year.
"We do this because we
enjoy it; we enjoy helping peo
ple," said Fireman Scott
Gauldin, who has volunteered
with Fill the Boot for more than
13 years. 8
Despite his longtime connec
tion to the MDA, Gauldin only
recently began visiting the sum
mer camp the fundraiser helps
support. Getting to know the
children there has been a life
changing experience for him, he
says.
"I was hesitant at first, not
knowing how to handle being
around a handicapped kid," he
confessed. "But (I learned) they
don't want you to treat them any
different than any other kid."
The Fill the Boot effort is tra
ditionally led by the Winston
Salem Professional Firefighters'
Association, but was opened to
the entire department this year.
"We're very proud to be
partnered with the Winston
Salem Fire Department,"
remarked Taylor. "It gives us the
opportunity to have more man
power ... and to raise more
money."
Members of the WSFD have
renamed their fundraising effort
"Phil the Boot," to honor the
memory of the late Philip Reed,
a retired captain and a staunch
supporter of the campaign.
Participating firefighters will
gather at Walmart at Parkway
Village Creek Shopping Center
September 19 from noon to 7
pjn. for the kickoff of the pro
gram. The retail giant has
already donated $1,000 to help
start the campaign in the black.
Monte Cockerham, a seven
year veteran of the WSFD, is
actively involved in the fundrais
ing effort and the MDA summer
camp.
"We try our best to get out
there and push raising funds,"
Cockerham said of Phil the
Boot. "The motivation behind it
is hopefully finding a cure for
this disease and the kids that it
affects. It's a worthy cause."
Festival
/torn page A I
said. "It makes reading them
more interesting."
More than 8,000 book lovers
showed up for Saturday's festi
val at Bethabara Park on
Saturday Attendees were able
HarlUt
to meet
more
than 45
authors
and illus
trators ,
watch
popular
chefs at
work and
sample
their
recipes,
and kids
had activities and an area all to
themselves.
Debbie Harllee, president of
the Boo kM arks Festival, was
pleased with the outcome of this
year's festival.
"Our mission is to bring
readers and writers together to
enjoy literary experiences.
Authors get encouraged by
readers. Fans find new favorites,
meet authors, ask questions and
gain insights," said Harllee.
"Readers find fun ways to
immerse themselves in reading.
They are not confined to a lec
ture hall. They are seated in an
outdoor tent. They are free to
enjoy the activities."
The authors ranged from the
Phttfos by Fekcia Long
Olena Crawford with her daughter and two other youngsters.
well known to the up and com
ing. Famed poet Nikki
Giovanni, a professor at Virginia
Tech, was there reading, "The
Grasshopper's Song: An
Aesop's Fable Revisited," so
was Charlotte's Omar Tyree,
whose latest is "Pecking Order."
Even Mayor Allen Joines
got in on the action, taking time
to stop by the event to read
"Thump, Quack, Moo" to
youngsters.
Olena Crawford came out to
the Festival with her daughter,
Katya, and two of Katya's
friends. The girls were in heav
en among the sea of books and
writers, Crawford said.
"They are old friends who
love to read. They also love to
write," said Crawford. "I knew
the BookMarks Festival would
give them the opportunity to see
lots of books and experience
them first-hand.
Velma Fields, a registered
nurse, came out to the festival
Author Marietta Jareaux
with some of her children's
hooks. ?
with her sister Carolyn Archie
Although Archie had been ill,
attending the book festival was
uplifting for her.
"I am really glad we came.
You would have thought that we
were kids. We (went) into the
children's storytelling tents,"
said Fields.
We enjoyed the storyteller
Orville Hicks and the author
Julia T. Ebel. His mountain sto
ries and mountain roots were
hilarious. This was my first time
coming, but I'll be back next
year for. sure."
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