BATH — These boots are made for filling. With cash.

City firefighters occupied the intersection of Centre and Washington streets for three hours Saturday, holding boots to collect donations from motorists. Their goal was to raise $1,500 toward fighting muscular dystrophy and other muscle diseases.

They ended up with about $2,200.

The “Fill the Boot” fundraising drive is part of a six-decade-long collaboration between members of the International Association of Fire Fighters and the Muscular Dystrophy Association, according to mda.org.

Kevin Hinds was among the firefighters who stood on the center line of Centre Street. His enthusiasm was infectious: drivers slowed to a stop when the traffic light turned red, and appeared all too happy to support the cause.

The case was the same last year, when the firefighters nearly doubled their $1,000 goal.

Fill The Boot from Sun Media on Vimeo.

“People were wonderful,” Hinds said Monday. “I’ve been very thankful to the community; special thanks goes out to them. They’re the ones who are giving out of their pocket, and we very much appreciate it, because it’s all going 100 percent to MDA for Maine.”

He said MDA is “thrilled” by the support.

“They’re excited to have us working at it, and we’re excited that we’re partnering with them,” Hinds said.

Alex Lear can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 113 or alear@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @learics.

Kevin Hinds was one of the firefighters fundraising for the Muscular Dystrophy Association Saturday, Aug. 29, in downtown Bath. Police Cpl. Michelle Small was among the many donors.

The Bath firefighters’ “Fill the Boot” fundraiser for the Muscular Dystrophy association raised about $2,200 Aug. 29, exceeding a $1,500 goal.

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