The Fayetteville Fire Department and the Fayette County Department of Fire and Emergency Services are joining forces with more than 100 other fire departments across the state to participate in the 11th annual “Give Burns the Boot” drive, benefiting the Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation.

The event is scheduled to run from Thursday, June 22, through Saturday, June 24. Local cochairmen for the drive are Sgt. Ashley Strickland from Fayetteville and county Lt. Bobby Haydon.

“During this three-day period, local firefighters will be asking area residents for much needed donations,” said Burn Foundation executive director Lynn Naylor. “The Burn Foundation and local fire departments are dedicated to the safety of Georgia residents and sponsor many different programs with the funds collected from the Boot Drive.”

The Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose threefold mission is to educate the public in burn awareness and prevention, support medical facilities in the care of burns in Georgia, and assist burn survivors in their recovery.

Among activities made possible by Boot Drive proceeds is “Camp Oo-U-La,” the only camp in Georgia strictly for burn-injured children. The foundation also sponsors a special high school curriculum called “Challenge for Life,” designed to teach fire safety and burn prevention in situations that teens will come in contact with, such as electricity, cooking, baby-sitting and mechanics.

Strickland and Haydon said that everyone involved is proud to be a part of this fund-raising project, and all local residents are encouraged to support it as much as they possibly can.