Bootblacks joined together at the International Ms Leather contest July 28, 2002 to present the National Coalition of Sexual Freedom (NCSF) with 23 checks totalling $4345.64. Leigha Fleming from the NCSF received the checks during the awards ceremony. The money was raised from over 25 Bootblacks who participated in the national fundraiser dubbed "For The Love Of Boots"

"For The Love Of Boots" is designed to allow Bootblacks from across the country to contribute as one force to thank a charity for the hard work that they do for our community. Over the month of June the bootblacks involved in this project set aside at least one Bootblacking event to help "For The Love Of Boots".

The idea of "For The Love Of Boots" was from paksen, the International Mr BootBlack 2001, as part of his title year. Using the national network of bootblacks from The Bootblack Forum (started by David Hawks IMBB 2000 and can be reached at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BootblackForum) paksen kicked off the idea in March of 2002. The community of bootblacks and many of their supports were excited by the project and got behind paksen to bring the idea to action.

By Memorial Weekend, all of the people were in place and paksen was able to announce the project as part of his step down speech at IML.

The following bootblacks took part this year:
Bootdog (SF Gay Pride, Bay Area Rodeo)
Kenny (Salt Lake City)
Jesse P (KC Pioneers)
Vic (San Francisco)
lectropup (Oklahoma)
Gregg & Brenton (Dallas)
Boy Joey and Suzy Koenig (San Diego)
Cubby (NYC)
boy jesse (Pennsmen)
Mike Lanzini, IMrBB2002 (Folsom Street East)
jp, Kari KaVecchia (IMsLBB02 MABB02), Mike L., Groverboi, John
Farley, Marc, William Shields (IBB94) - (Folsom Street East)
jim d. (TES and Folsom Street East)
Deb P & Michael (Portland Pride)
Steve Hagen, Elegant and jim (South Eastern Leather Fest)
black & The 15 Association (Boot Camp)
Judi (Florida)
Wicky (Tempe, AZ)

During the month of June, the bootblacks got an amazing amount of support from the Leather community and would like to send out our thanks. We need to thank each person that got their boots blacked, the event coordinators of most of the major events in the country during the month of June, and each and every Leather Bar which fosters a Bootblack.