Ice Bucket Challenge Getting Personal for "Bridgeporters"
By Julie Perine on August 21, 2014 via Connect-Bridgeport.com
UPDATE: As of Sat., Aug. 23, the ALS Association has received $62.5 million in donations, thanks to the viral #IceBucketChallenge:
It’s all over your Facebook News Feed, your Instagram and Twitter – and likely your own head.
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has proven to be a fundraising craze equal to no other. Today, the ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral sclerosis) Association reported that it has received $41.8 million in donations since July 29. That figure jumped $1.3 million just since yesterday.
The association credits 29-year-old Pete Frates of Beverly, Mass. for making the challenge go viral. A former Division 1 college athlete with Boston College baseball, Frates has lived with ALS since 2012. He is very active in spreading awareness of the progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. ALS is better known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. Gehrig, who played 17 seasons for the New York Yankees, died of the disease at age 38 in 1941.
Within a couple weeks of the launch of the Ice Bucket Challenge, it reached Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg, who went on to challenge Bill Gates, Microsoft co-founder. Soon involved were national political, sports and entertainment figures - from Justin Timberlake to the entire NY Jets team - and a true trickling effect followed.
The idea is someone is challenged to dump ice water on his or her head as an awareness tool for ALS. If they do it within 24 hours, they are off the hook for the suggested $100 donation. If they oblige in performing the challenge and prove it via social media, they ideally make a donation anyway and announce the name or names of those they wish to challenge.
In the last month and a half, about 740,000 new contributors have come on board with ALS through the Ice Bucket Challenge.
Voice of the Bridgeport High School Indians and the Fairmont State Falcons, Travis Jones (of MetroNews) is among locals meeting the challenge.
“It’s a fun way to not only raise awareness, but also to raise donations for the fight against ALS,” he said.
“Having watched Pete Frates’ story and having known victims of ALS, I know it's a horrible disease and I’m glad it’s finally receiving the awareness it has deserved.”
Head BHS Football Coach Josh Nicewarner is among members of the Indians coaching staff who participated as team members gladly did the drenching (pictured).
“I truly believe it is a worthy cause,” he said. “I feel a lot of people aren’t aware of ALS or only know it as ‘Lou Gehrig’s Disease. On a personal note, I have a friend who is currently suffering from ALS and wanted to participate in the challenge for him.”
Today, members of United Hospital Center’s administrative team , along with Dr. Joseph Fazalare, participated. Their version was a little different. Rather than a bucket, they used a Bobcat. The Steptoe & Johnson law firm also held a signature Ice Bucket Challenge event with partners Bob Steptoe and Gary Nickerson suiting up in tuxedos for the occasion. (More photos at the link below.) Many across the U.S. have put their own personal spin on the challenge.
President/CEO Barbara Newhouse said the ALS Association has never seen anything like it in the history of the disease.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled with the level of compassion, generosity and sense of humor that people are exhibiting as they take part in this impactful viral initiative,” she said. “…While the monetary donations are absolutely incredible, the visibility that this disease is getting as a result of the challenge is truly invaluable. People who have never before heard of ALS are now engaged in the fight to find treatments and a cure for ALS."
According to the ALS Association’s Web site, its mission includes providing care services to assist people with ALS and their families through a network of chapters working in communities across the nation and a global research program focused on the discovery of treatments and eventually a cure for the disease.
Use the hash tag #IceBucketChallenge. Donations can be made HERE. For more information, visit www.alsa.org. Access the challenge through various types of social media at these links:
- Twitter: http://www.alsa.org/fight-als/ice-bucket-challenge-twitter.html
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/icebucketchallenge
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23icebucketchallenge
- Instagram: http://www.alsa.org/fight-als/ice-bucket-challenge-instagram.html
Pictured from top: UHC Administration and Dr. Joseph Fazalare, Members of BHS Coaching/Athletic staff, Travis Jones and Steptoe & Johnson with partners Gary Nickerson and Bob Steptoe in tuxedos. See more local Ice Bucket Challenges in action at the gallery link below. Want to share your Ice Bucket Challenge story and photo? Please send a brief explanation of your challenge and where and when it happened. Please include what made your event special and/or who was honored.
This video by CBS features several celebrities participating in the Ice Bucket Challenge.
