East Pierce Fire and Rescue firefighters and volunteers with the Muscular Dystrophy Association once again collected money for families affected by muscular dystrophy.

Firefighter Matt Reinke organized the Fill the Boot fundraiser for the third year in a row with the help of firefighter Ben Paradis. Reinke has been participating in Fill the Boot events since he was a kid helping his dad raise money with the old Sumner Fire Department.

Last year, the fundraiser took in nearly $13,000 in donations.

This year, the fundraiser brought in almost $9,000 in donations.

Bad weather conditions on Saturday meant firefighters were unable to collect donations in Edgewood.

The money raised in these events help send kids with muscular dystrophy to a summer camp at Camp Seymour in Gig Harbor.

The camp is modified so kids as young as 6 and as old as 17 can attend and participate in activities that they normally couldn’t because of their disease.

The Muscular Dystrophy Association’s Seattle office said this year will be the camp’s biggest year with 80 kids attending.

Bridget Husk from MDA said the camp is free for all of the kids who attend.

She said the job is tough, but it is also really rewarding.

“I think it is the most awarding exhaustion, you will ever feel in your entire life,” Husk said.

“It’s very rewarding to see these kids at camp,” Reinke said.