Jersey Village firefighters stood at the corners of Senate and West Roads July 20 and raised more than $5,000 from morning traffic to fund research headed by the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Fire trucks and ambulances were posted at each fundraiser station with posters and banners supplied from MDA. Mike Bunn, Jersey Village Fire Department Arson Investigator said 15 fire fighters showed up with their boots in which drivers would place their donations.

Bunn and squads took donations for two-and-a-half hours from Saturday morning's drivers.

The JVFD has participated in Houston's chapter of MDA's Fill the Boot campaign for more than 20 years, and has raised a combined $36,000 for muscular dystrophy research. MDA Fundraiser Coordinator Katy Manning said the JVFD has been generous in its participation.

"They were just really big sweethearts every time I went out to see them," she said. "Sometimes working with fire departments they're business only, but Jersey Village is always warm and fuzzy and they're passionate about Fill the Boot."

Manning said fire departments across the nation have been involved with MDA since 1954. Bunn said the department's involvement with MDA is a part of their culture and has become a tradition. Bunn has worked for the JVFD for 22 years and said the Fill the Boot fundraiser is an event the department looks forward to each year.

Since 1954, fire departments across the nation have raised and donated more than $145 million for MDA research.

Donations raised from Saturday's event will go to fund support group sessions, physical, respiratory and speech therapy consolations, diagnostic work and further research.