Firefighters

for Fayetteville and Fayette County will join forces the weekend of Aug.

27-29 to help raise money for three organizations through a boot drive.

The drive will

feature firefighters at select locations seeking donations from the public

which will benefit the South Metro Service Center of the American Red

Cross, the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the Georgia Firefighters

Burn Foundation.

Fayette County

Schools will also be participating in the fundraiser, said Capt. Pete

Nelms of the Fayette County Department of Fire and Emergency Services.

The Red Cross

recently experienced a $1.75 million shortfall since one of its major

supporters, the United Way, has cut back its support, said Ruben Brown

of the American Red Cross. Recent victims of the flooding in Fayetteville

were assisted by the American Red Cross, which has also responded to assist

several families in Fayetteville who have lost their homes to fire recently,

said Fire Chief Alan Jones.

"It's

great to be able to have someone who can help," Jones said of the

Red Cross's efforts.

The Red Cross

spent $10,000 on disaster relief in Fayette County last year alone, with

labor provided by volunteers to the program.

The Muscular

Dystrophy Association helps children like Trevor, 14, and his brother

Brandon, 10, both of Peachtree City, who suffer from the disease. The

MDA conducts research on the disease and provides a wide variety of medical

services such as diagnostic procedures, genetic tests, various therapies

and support groups.

The MDA also

conducts widespread professional and public health education as part of

its services. MDA depends solely on private donations since it does not

receive any government grants.

A recent fundraiser

in Fayette County for MDA netted over $40,000, with money still coming

in, said Meryl Mineo, MDA program coordinator.

The Georgia

Firefighters Burn Foundation operates a camp for children who have suffered

burns and also donates funds to hospitals which operate as burn centers

which treat young patients.

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