Murphy Fire Fighters Fill the Boot for MDA

Murphy fire fighters will hit the streets Thursday, June 23 through Saturday, June 25 to collect donations for the Muscular Dystrophy Association through the Fill the Boot campaign.


Fire fighters will be boot-handling at the intersections of Murphy and Betsy and Highway 544 and Hawthorn. In 2009, the Murphy fire fighters raised $5,600, and their goal this year is to raise over $6,000.


MDA is the nonprofit health agency dedicated to curing muscular dystrophy, ALS and related disease by funding worldwide research. The Association also provides comprehensive health care and support services, advocacy, and education. In Texas and Oklahoma, Fill the Boot contributions go to MDA's four camps, over 20 support groups and clinics, and more than $1 million in research grants to state hospitals and universities, including Southwestern Medical Center. Up-to-date information about MDA services and research can be found at www.MDA.org.


For more information, please contact Cristy Thieleman at 972-480-0011 or Kelsey McGonigle at 972-480-0070.

Paris Fire Fighters Raise Money for MDA

The Paris Fire Department will battle muscle disease by raising money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association through the Fill the Boot campaign June 30 through July 2. In 2010, Texas fire fighters raised over $4 million for MDA, and the Paris Fire Department wants to help increase the amount contributed for 2011.


The campaign will consist of Paris fire fighters removing their boots and collecting donations for the Muscular Dystrophy Association for three days at Wal-Mart and Towne Center. Members of the fire department will also be passing their boots around at the Paris Firework Show on July 2.


"Fire fighters make a difference that has impacted families served by MDA throughout the years," said MDA Chairman & CEO Gerald Weinberg. "They are truly inspiring, selfless individuals."


MDA is the nonprofit health agency dedicated to curing muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases by funding worldwide research. Fill the Boot  funds support MDA's services locally and nationally, including medical clinics like Texoma Neurology Associates in Sherman and MDA Summer Camps like our North Texas camp in Meridian. Up-to-date information about MDA services and research can be found at www.MDA.org.


For more information, please contact Courtney Marshal at 972-480-0011 or Kelsey McGonigle at 972-480-0070.

Anna Fire Fighters Fill the Boot for MDA for the First Time Ever

ANNA, Texas – JUNE 13, 2011 – The Anna Fire Department will team up with the Muscular Dystrophy Association every day between June 18 and July 9 for MDA's Fill the Boot campaign.

For the first time ever in Anna, fire fighters will fill their boots with donations from Anna residents at the intersection of FM 455 and Highway 5 every weekday morning and throughout the day on weekends. Though this is the first year Anna has participated in Fill the Boot, the fire department hopes that collecting every day will significantly increase funds for MDA.

"Fire fighters make a difference that has impacted families served by MDA throughout the years," said MDA Chairman and CEO Gerald Weinberg. "They are truly inspiring, selfless individuals."

Fill the Boot funds support MDA's services locally and nationally, including medical clinics staffed with specialists in neuromuscular disease and special summer camps for kids. Up-to-date information about MDA services and research can be found at www.mda.org.

MDA is the nonprofit health agency dedicated to curing muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases by funding worldwide research. The Association also provides comprehensive health care and support services, advocacy, and education. The first nonprofit organization to be awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Medical Association "for significant and lasting contributions to the health and welfare of humanity," MDA's programs are funded almost entirely by individual private contributors. MDA maintains a network of 200 hospital-affiliated clinics to serve families living with any of the 43 neuromuscular diseases. An MDA clinic is located at Texoma Neurology Associates in Sherman.

For more information, please contact Jacquelin Way at 972-480-0011 or Kelsey McGonigle at 972-480-0070.

Fate Firefighters Fill the Boot to Fight Muscle Disease

Fate Fire Rescue will be raising money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association through the Fill the Boot campaign this Saturday, June 4, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the intersections of FM 551 and Fate Main and SH 66 and FM 549.

Fate Fire Rescue’s slogan is “Our community, Our citizens, Our department,” so it comes as no surprise that the volunteers who make up the majority this fire rescue team have a lot of pride in their hometown. Fate residents will have the opportunity to pay homage to their hometown heroes by helping the firefighters fill their boots with donations to MDA.

For more information, please contact MDA representatives Tatiana Higdon at 972-480-0011 or Kelsey McGonigle at 972-480-0070.

Motorcycle Enthusiasts Donate to MDA to Vote for Favorite Biker Band

Harley-Davidson of North Texas is hosting its fourth annual Battle of the Biker Bands this Saturday, June 4, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. An estimated 2000 motorcycle enthusiasts will be coming out to see five bands playing throughout the day.

The event is free and open to the public, but in order to vote for your favorite band, you must donate $1 to MDA for every ticket used to vote. The band that receives the most tickets wins the battle! If you purchase tickets in advance, you will receive a 2011 commemorative Harley-Davidson MDA pin, ten voter tickets, a raffle ticket to win up to ten prizes, and you will not have to wait in line for beverages. Advance tickets are $10 each or $15 for a pair. One hundred percent of the proceeds from this event go to MDA.

Along with great music, guests can enjoy free burgers, free beer, free Hooters wings served by Hooters girls, guitars from Guitar Center to play on site, and the chance to ride a Harley with no experience required.

For more information, please contact Stephanie Sunker of Harley-Davidson of North Texas at 972-245-1492.

Duncanville Fire Department Gives Muscle Disease The Boot

The Duncanville Fire Department is launching its annual Fill the Boot campaign to collect money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Firefighters will be at the intersections of I-67 and Cockrell Hill, Wheatland and Cedar Ridge, and Camp Wisdom and Cedar Ridge in the early mornings and early evenings of June 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, and 11.

Last year, the department raised nearly $3,000 for MDA, and they are hoping to exceed that amount this year. Funds raised from Fill the Boot go to providing the very best in patient care and services for those affected by neuromuscular diseases.

For more information, please contact MDA representatives Katie Shields at 972-480-0011 or Kelsey McGonigle at 972-480-0070.

Leah's 7th Annual Backyard Carnival

Thirteen-year-old Leah Prager will host her annual Backyard Carnival this Sunday, June 5, from 2 to 5 p.m. at 6632 Crestland Avenue in Dallas. The money raised at her carnival will be donated to the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the Jewish Family Services Dallas Food Pantry.

Admission to the carnival is a donation. From there, guests can enjoy game booths, food stations, a bounce house, a silent auction, a neighborhood train, karaoke, a fire truck from Dallas Fire-Rescue, clowns from Merry Maker Clowns and a magician.

Leah's last carnival netted nearly $19,000, and this year, Leah is expecting to reach $100,000 contributed for the seven events. Additionally, Leah's bat mitzvah is the day before her carnival, so this year's event promises to be extra special.

Leah got the idea for her carnival from her mother, Erica Prager, who put on carnivals of her own as a child growing up in Longview. Backyard carnivals were signature events for MDA in the 1960s and 70s, and since then, the carnival concept has been updated to teach children that "It's Cool to Care."

For additional information, please contact MDA representatives Kelsey McGonigle or Anita Stevenson at 972-480-0070.

Frisco Firefighters Kick Off 2011 Fill The Boot Campaign For MDA

Frisco, Texas - June 1, 2011 - The Frisco Firefighters Association will team up with the Muscular Dystrophy Association on June 2, 3 and 4 to launch their annual Fill the Boot fundraising campaign for people with neuromuscular diseases.

Firefighters will be filling their boots with donations at the intersections of Legacy and Lebanon, Preston and Warren, Preston and Gaylord, Gaylord and Mall Road F, and Teel and Main starting on Thursday, June 2. Last year, the firefighters raised over $27,000, and they are hoping to exceed that number this year.

“For more than five decades, fire fighters across the country have done an unbelievable job helping MDA by volunteering their time and energy in helping raise funds,’’ said MDA Chairman & CEO Gerald C. Weinberg. “They are our true heroes.”

Fill the Boot funds support MDA’s services locally and nationally, including medical clinics staffed with specialists in neuromuscular disease and special summer camps for kids. Up-to-date information about MDA services and research can be found at www.mda.org.

MDA is the nonprofit health agency dedicated to curing muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases by funding worldwide research. The Association also provides comprehensive health care and support services, advocacy, and education. The first nonprofit organization to be awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Medical Association “for significant and lasting contributions to the health and welfare of humanity,” MDA’s programs are funded almost entirely by individual private contributors. MDA maintains a network of 200 hospital-affiliated clinics to serve families living with any of 43 different neuromuscular diseases.

For more information, please contact Jacquelin Way at 972-480-0011 or Kelsey McGonigle at 972-480-0070.

MDA Is Locking Up Mesquite

BJ’s Brewhouse has partnered with the Muscular Dystrophy Association to produce MDA’s Lock-Up in Mesquite for the second year in a row, and we are thrilled to have them on board.  This exciting event will take place on Wednesday, April 6th, and participants can choose to be picked up at their place of business for an hour anytime between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. 

Business and community leaders are invited to be “locked-up” and raise bail money to support MDA’s extensive programs and services.  A jailbird’s bail helps fund research programs, provide clinic services and send children to MDA Summer Camp.  It is up to their big-hearted buddies to bail them out!  They contact their friends, family, neighbors, business associates or anyone who wants to help Jerry’s Kids.  They can also utilize the MDA Online Donation site at http://www.joinmda.org/mesquite2011.

Jailbirds are asked to spend time at BJ’s Brewhouse networking with other local business and community leaders, while enjoying the wonderful food & drinks from BJ’s.  “Hard time” isn’t really too hard considering the fun to be had in our “jail cell.”  Last year’s event was a great success, raising over $25,000.  This could not have been possible without the commitment and generosity of business leaders in the Mesquite community.  Those lock-up participants provide help and hope for those living with neuromuscular disease in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.

If you or your company would like to get involved in the MDA Mesquite Lock-Up, contact Katie Shields at 972-480-0011 or kshields@mdausa.org.

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Make A Muscle, Make A Difference.

This year’s MDA Muscle Walk is just under two months away and we want you involved! Fundraising isn’t always easy, but we’ve worked really hard to make it convenient and enjoyable for you to make a difference using our online tools.

But, first things first – get started today by joining us! Just visit https://www.joinmda.org/dfwmusclewalk2011 and call 972-480-0011 or email 4281.office@mdausa.org to register. We can also send you some brochures about this year’s walk that you can pass around to your family. We moved the walk from late January to March 5th so that more of our families could join us at Cowboys Stadium!

Once you’ve signed up, you’ll be able to hit the ground running with immediate access to your online Walk Hub where you’ll find all the tools under the sun to make fundraising a snap. In your Walk Hub, you’ll find these tools, among many others:

• Personal fundraising Web page to customize with a photo and the story of why you’re walking in the Muscle Walk
• E-mail messages that you can easily send to your friends and family asking them to support you with a donation
• Facebook application to fundraising right from your Facebook profile page! If you’re a Facebook user, make sure to add the MDA Muscle Walk Boundless Fundraising™ application from your Walk Hub!

We’ve made it that easy for you to fundraise and, more importantly, to Make a Muscle and Make a Difference. But if you need any assistance, please let us know, we’d be more than happy to get you and your team set up online. Or if you would rather not use our online system, we can send you a letter and email that could be sent to your friends and family to let them know about the walk.

 

With your support, MDA helps provide all Americans affected by neuromuscular disease with access to expert and knowledgeable medical care at approximately 200 MDA clinics nationwide. Thanks to you, we all make a difference in the lives of those living with muscle-damaging diseases.

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Camp is Cool!

When is Camp?
June 18—24, 2011
(It is an overnight summer camp)

Where is Camp?
Camp John Marc in Meridian, Texas

What is Camp?
MDA camp is a magical place offering a wide range of activities specially designed for young people who have limited mobility or use wheelchairs. Although structured, camp programs are conducted in a relaxed atmosphere that gives campers an unmatched opportunity to develop lifelong friendships, share interests and build self-confidence. MDA Summer Camp includes fishing, boating, horse back riding, arts & crafts, blow darts, camp fires, dances and so much more!

What is a Volunteer Counselors Role at Camp?
At MDA camp, volunteer counselors work one-on-one with campers around the clock providing the care, close supervision and attention that children with muscular dystrophy need. Counselors push wheelchairs, meet the daily needs of each child and become a youngster’s friend for a week — all while being supported by a strong team of long time counselors and MDA Camp Directors!

What is the Process to Become an MDA Summer Camp Counselor?
We interview all prospective counselors and have each complete an application, physical, background check, child abuse prevention training, and full counselor training! (One training day will take place prior to camp, typically the first Saturday in June — with 1.5 days training at camp before campers arrive)

Camp is a week full of lasting memories that are life changing.  Not just for the kids, but also for the counselors.  Want to build your own life-long memories?  Call Mindy or Jen at 972-480-0011 for more information or to add your name to the list!

ALS Lab Tour

MDA is hosting a tour of the ALS research lab of Dr. Jeffrey Elliott on Tuesday, January 11, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in the Pickens Biomedical Building on The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School campus.  Dr. Elliott, a professor of neurology, is director of the MDA/ALS Center of Dallas.  In addition to his laboratory research, Dr. Elliott also sees patients in a multi-disciplinary clinic funded by MDA.

Dr. Elliott looks forward to showing guests the latest breakthroughs which he believes will lead to a better understanding of ALS and how to treat it effectively.  He has likened this period in ALS research to the 1920s in diabetes research when the hormone insulin was discovered to play a key role in the disease process.

Donations from the North Texas area have been vital in building the ALS research lab and allowing Dr. Elliott’s team to carry on the most novel and productive research effort.  Funding is used to support skilled scientists with expertise in critical aspects of molecular and cellular neuroscience as well as excellent technical staff.

For more information about MDA, ALS, or making a donation contact us at 972-480-0011 or 4281.office@mdausa.org.

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Hello!

Welcome to the new blog for the Dallas area office of the Muscular Dystrophy Association.  Stay tuned for research updates, stories from our families, and upcoming event information.

Thanks for stopping by!