Boot Drive By Cherokee Firefighters Raises Over $5K

CANTON, GA — Firefighters with Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services collected $5,336.68 during this year’s annual boot drive for "Give Burns The Boot," a fundraising effort for the Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation, the fire department announced.

In a statement from Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services, Fire Educator Beth Elder said that among the activities made possible by Boot Drive proceeds is Camp Oo-U-La®, Georgia’s only camp held exclusively for burn-injured children.

"The camp, paid for entirely by the Georgia Burn Foundation, allows the campers one week a year in which they can live without society’s cruel comments and stares and just be kids,” Elder said.

The foundation works to help prevent fire-related injuries and deaths through education. In addition, it supports burn centers in Georgia to allow them to offer the best possible treatment for their patients.

“The Burn Foundation recognizes the hard work done on our behalf, and in an effort to thank us, started an incentive program. Ten percent of our department’s total dollar amount raised is returned to us for fire safety and burn education efforts," Elder said.

"By supporting the boot drive, the public is also supporting their local fire department and their own community,” she added.

Thanks to everyone in Cherokee County who made a donation to this year’s boot drive!

(For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here.)

Image: Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation