ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

I knew it was only a matter of time before I’d be asked to do the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. It is all over social media and television right now so yesterday when I was “nominated” by a neighbor and family from the school where I work, I knew I had to do it.

The challenge involves dumping a bucket of ice water over your head within twenty-four hours of being told to do so and then challenging three more people to do the same. If you fail to do it, you are asked to donate $100 to the ALS Association. ALS stands for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis which is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The disease is 100% fatal.

Obviously, dumping a bucket of ice water over your head isn’t going to help those with ALS, but it is raising awareness and that is what is important. Since July 29th, the challenge has helped raise over millions of dollars which will go towards helping to find a cure.

I have been reading pros and cons about the challenge and how it is really helping. I see both sides to the story. The pros and the cons, but the challenge was actually started by the family of Pete Frates, a former college baseball player who was diagnosed with ALS two years ago.

If anything, it is making people talk about it and that is important. Not just “regular” people are doing it either. In the past few days, I have seen Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Matt Lauer, television news anchors, professional athletes, and the governor of New Jersey doused with ice water.

Recently I was told about a former student of mine from one of my very first kindergarten classes. Her sister, who is in her mid-twenties was just diagnosed with ALS. That made ALS just a little “more real” to me.

I completed the challenge and challenged two friends who I knew would continue to pass it along. I also challenged my twelve year old, who did it today and decided to challenge his favorite NY Met Travis d’Arnaud. We put it up on Twitter hoping that he’d see the challenge, take it and pass it on himself. More awareness equals more donations. I am posting my video and my son’s and we are now challenging you to try it and to pass it along. It is for such an important cause and if you can’t take the challenge, considering making a donation. Every bit helps.

 

 

 

 

Tagged: ALS, ALS Association, Bill Gates, icebucket challenge, Lou Gehrig's Disease, Mark Zuckerberg, Matt Lauer, NJ Governor, Pete Frates, Travis darnaud, Twitter