Fill the Boots ends with final donation

Published 10:31 pm Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Nick Stevens, an owner at Golden Ranch B-B-Q, presents a $750 check to Angie Jordin, executive director of the Southeast Alabama Muscular Dystrophy Association. Standing beside them is Candice Irwin, secretary for the Selma Fire Department, and Fire Chief Mike Stokes.

Nick Stevens, an owner at Golden Ranch B-B-Q, presents a $750 check to Angie Jordin, executive director of the Southeast Alabama Muscular Dystrophy Association. Standing beside them is Candice Irwin, secretary for the Selma Fire Department, and Fire Chief Mike Stokes.

The Selma Fire Department’s Fill the Boot campaign, which supports the Muscular Dystrophy Association, came to an end over the weekend and was topped off by money raised by Golden Ranch B-B-Q.

For the second year in a row, the restaurant held a month long fundraiser to help the fire department increase the amount of money raised for the organization.

Muscular Dystrophy is a hereditary condition that causes weakness and loss of muscle mass.

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Candice Irwin, the secretary for the Selma Fire Department, said the Fill the Boot campaign is something the firemen take seriously.

“It’s very important to all the guys,” Irwin said. “They enjoy getting out and being able to communicate with the community and the community … likes to see the firefighters out and about. It gives them an opportunity to interact with them in public.”

Irwin said the department hopes to continue to work alongside Golden Ranch in years to come.

“We’re glad for their partnership and we hope to make it an annual event,” Irwin said.

Nick Stevens, an owner at Golden Ranch B-B-Q, said his staff enjoyed the fundraiser and giving back to the community.

“This is our second year, and we want to do it every year if they want us to do it every year,” Stevens said. “We enjoyed doing it. The customers enjoyed giving.”

The staff had a contest amongst themselves to see who could raise the most money for MDA, and the winner was Angie Stabler who raised $116.

“Last year, we raised $750. We tried to beat that this year, but we couldn’t beat it,” Stevens said. “We matched it though with another $750.”

Stevens said the restaurant hopes to continue the fundraiser in the future.

“It’s not just the MDA, it’s the community. Anytime anybody approaches me wanting to raise money for a charitable community organization, whether it’s MDA or anybody, we want to help,” Stevens said.

“We’ve known Candice for years, and everybody at the fire department supports us, so we like to do things when we’re asked to.”

Irwin said she believed this was one of the most successful years to date and they are currently waiting on the final count of money raised.