District 12 Fire Fighters Power-Up Partnership

March 26, 2007 - The recent 2007 IAFF/MDA District 12 Training Conference offered a great springboard for the District’s upcoming Fill-the-Boot campaign. The Conference’s theme, “Powering Up the Partnership,” set the tone for various presentations and workshops. More than 120 fire fighter coordinators from Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas, as well as MDA staff and guests, enjoyed spirited camaraderie, ocean breezes and information-packed talks from peers and MDA members.

The Conference was preceded by a District 12 Challenge Rally meeting which included IAFF 12th District Vice President Larry Osborne, recently retired 12th District Vice President Dominick Barbera, North Carolina State President Dave Anders, Florida State President Bob Carver, Georgia State President Jon Dorman, and MDA District 12 Co-Chairs Leroy Nottingham and Matt Willhite, as well as MDA staff from Florida and North Carolina.

Highlights of the Conference included a warm and enthusiastic welcome for newly elected Osborne, a rousing send-off for Barbera complete with a gift collection of District 12 memorabilia, the first presentation of the District 12 Dominick F. Barbera Award of Excellence to Ft. Lauderdale, FL Local 765 fire fighter Kim Van Sant and the presentation of the District 12 Club awards. District 12 raised a total of $2,448,462 in 2006.

The 2006 trophy award winners were:

• Largest Fundraising Local: Palm Beach County, FL Local 2928 - $181,919

• Top Fundraising County: Broward County, FL - $229,458

• Highest Per Capita Local: Clermont, FL, Local 5350 – $1,147 per member.

“The District 12 MDA program was started in 1988, and has grown steadily to be the third largest district program in the country behind our District 11 and District 8 brothers and sisters,” says MDA Divisional Field Representative Pat MacNichols. “We are continuing to narrow the gap as we pursue the top spot for “Jerry’s kids.”