July 12, 2021 at 2:17 p.m.
Fill the Boot campaign returns along with Hodag
Fill the Boot campaign returns along with Hodag
Because the Hodag Country Fest wasn't held last year, the RFD didn't have the built-in traffic flow to hold their annual fund-raising event, and thus it was canceled, too.
One year later, the firefighters are happy to resume the cause.
Acting deputy chief Brett Buchmann said people driving through the intersection are glad to see the firefighters back out there.
"The Hodagers are all glad to see us back," Buchmann said while handling collection duties Thursday.
Buchmann said this year's Fill the Boot campaign came together quickly, despite not having the usual pre-publicity.
"Even getting it to the City Council (for approval) was kind of last minute, but everything got approved and we're doing our thing like every year," he said.
While some fire departments aren't holding Fill the Boot campaigns this year, Buchmann said Rhinelander firefighters wanted to continue the tradition.
"We decided as a fire department that we wanted to do it and keep it going," he said, noting that it was "a little odd" not having the Fill the Boot last year.
"Because we had been doing it for 15 years straight," Buchmann said. He added that the ones who were really hurt were the kids who could not attend MDA summer camp last year.
A portion of the money raised through the campaign goes to help support that program.
Unlike the Hodag and the Fill the Boot, the summer camp will once again be virtual only this summer due to lingering concerns about COVID-19.
At one point, someone drove up to firefighter/paramedic Jacob Smiley and poured a large plastic bag of change into his boot.
"I've seen many large bills," Smiley said.
Buchmann said that at one time most of the donations came in the form of coins, but agreed with Smiley about the move to bills.
"When we first started, these boots were full of change," he said. "But the past couple years it's been 5s, 10s and 20s. A lot more people probably know about the fundraising and stuff that we do, so they're obviously more prone to giving a little more money."
"And not a lot of people carry change any more."
Jamie Taylor may be reached via email at [email protected].
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