Cherokee Firefighters Collect $4,300 During Annual Boot Drive

From Cherokee County Fire:

Cherokee County firefighters participated in the annual “Give Burns the Boot” drive, benefiting the Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation. Firefighters collected $4,322.38 in donations at various locations throughout Cherokee County during September and October.

According to Pennie Lamanac, a Fire and Life Safety Educator for Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services, “We had a little shift competition going on in the south end of the county. Station 1 and Station 20 A Shift vs. Station 1, Station 20 and some help from Station 7 B Shift. Station 1 and 20 A shift led by Captain F Martinez collected a total of $ 2564.86. Station 1, 7 and 20 B shift led by Captain Chad Davis collected $ 1757.52.”

The annual Boot Drive supports the Georgia Burn Foundation, which follows a threefold mission: to educate the public in burn awareness and prevention, to support medical facilities in the care of burns in Georgia, and to assist burn survivors in their recovery.

Among activities made possible by the Boot Drive proceeds is “Camp Oo-U-La,” Georgia’s only camp held exclusively for burn-injured children. The camp, which Cherokee County firefighters participate annually, allows the campers one week a year in which they can live without society’s cruel comments and stares and just be kids.

The Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation is working to help prevent fire-related injuries and deaths through education. In addition, the Foundation supports the burn centers in Georgia to allow them to offer the best possible treatment for the patients.

Photo courtesy of Cherokee County Fire