Sentinel staff report–
Firefighters plan to hit the streets and fill their boots with donations at Sunrise Boulevard and Greenback Lane for the 24th annual “Fill the Boot for Burns” fundraiser in Citrus Heights.
Reporting over $150,000 received in donations during last year’s fundraiser, the local four-day “boot drive” is one of several-dozen similar events held across the state that together raised nearly $500,000 last year for the Sacramento-based Firefighters Burn Institute. This year’s goal is to raise over half-a-million dollars to improve burn treatment and fund burn recovery programs, including a Firefighters Kids Camp for young burn survivors and a Little Heroes Preschool Burn Camp, according to the Institute’s website.
The 2018 fundraiser will be held from Feb. 8-11, with a free safety fair on Feb. 10 in the Sunrise Mall parking lot from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. An event listing on the mall’s Facebook page says the fair is scheduled to include giveaways, prizes, and a helicopter landing.
The burn institute was founded by firefighters in 1973 after a Sacramento plane crash killed 22 people and burned many others. The organization also gave $2 million toward the new UC Davis Firefighters Burn Institute Regional Burn Center, which was named in recognition of the Institute’s contributions.
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2018 event information:
When: Thurs. – Sun., Feb. 8-11
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (typically)
Where: Sunrise Boulevard and Greenback Lane, intersection
Safety Fair:
When: Saturday Feb. 10
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Sunrise Mall parking lot (Sunrise/Greenback)
