I have a question about the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

Count me in with the rest who have taken the challenge and donated. My donation is going to a friend of my DIL.
53 million to ALS directly. No telling how many people like me have donated to the families instead.

This group of High School kids raised $400 AND challenged other High School groups in our county. (my photo)

OP, you are wrong in your assumption. My family of 5 did the challenge (my kids had a BALL plus we looked up ALS and they learned something new) plus as a family, we donated a nice chunk of change.

DS's football team was challenged and then challenged another football team. The team "we" challenged has a player whose mom has ALS. He spoke for their team when they did it. "We're doing this for my mom." Ugh. I cried.

We had a good discussion at our house about ALS and what it does/is. I can assure you that many more people know what ALS is now vs. two months ago. Many, many more.

This was difficult for me to watch, but it explains how the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge started. Pete Frates was in his 20's when diagnosed. The average age is 55. nesn.com/2014/08/pete-frates-fight-against-als-that-inspired-viral-movement-featured-on-sportscenter-video/


My mom was officially diagnosed with ALS in October 2010. She started having symptoms in 2006. She passed away in November 2013, she was 63. In the end the only muscle movement she had was a small amount in her wrists, ankles, and neck. She lost her speech, but did not lose her hearing. It's an awful disease. I hope that these funds help aid patients with ALS, but also help find a cure (or at least a way to slow the progression of the disease).

I haven't done the challenge and I would probably just donate, but for some reason, I'm a bit annoyed by the negative comments. I don't want to spend time typing my thoughts out on this, but the assumptions that people don't know what ALS is or are not donating bugs me. I'm sure there are individuals who are clueless people looking for attention or being lemmings, but I guess I'd like to think more adults are like me. They know what ALS is or they looked it up and they are doing it in good faith because it is fun/funny and helping a cause.

Are there really a lot of adults over 30 or so that don't know what ALS is? Maybe I am just disease saavy or something.

I live in California, in a community very impacted by the worst drought on record, and I cringe every time I come across a video of local people dumping ice water over their heads.

My internal dialog goes like this, "I'm taking military showers, and I let my lawn die, so people could dump drinking water over their heads?"

Yes, ALS is a horrible disease, and is receiving unprecedented press and money, and that's a good thing.

But, even if California wasn't in the worst drought ever, I would still be ashamed of the people dumping water.

There are tons of communities in the developing "third world" nations, where potable water is not even available.  Or, miles or more walk away.

People walk for hours to collect drinking water.

And in America, people just dump it on their heads and let it fall onto the ground.

Even if not all participants are not donating to ALS, the awareness is the reason for the HUGE increase in donations as mentioned above from last year to this year. The numbers don't lie.

And yes, I'm sure it has also raised a level of awareness of ALS, despite assertions to the contrary.

Further, I believe celebrities jumped on the bandwagon as this challenge took off; they are not likely the reason for its initial fervor; the reason for the awareness of the challenge fails squarely on social media.

I posted on the other thread about this; this organization pretty much had a really low to average donation rate in the past; this has been nothing short of a miracle for this delightful non profit association. I'm sure my husband's organization wishes they had originated this first! As an executive fund raiser, my husband has a very challenging job and it's very trying to hear the negatives of fundraising in the non profit arena...so props to all who care enough to anyone who donates to any of their favorite charities.

Wow. One of our local Catholic Schools just did it and posted the video and they nominated another local Catholic school.

Maybe some are using pool water or lake water or something. You can't really tell when they dump it so you can only be sure that the ice was potable water.

Our superintendent used ice in a front loader bucket of rain water.

I understand your concern, but you can't tell for sure in videos where they got their water.

I donated because I watched a video of an ex getting absolutely dumped on and it made me smile - totally worth the donation. Then my friend challenged me and I didn't do it, but posted a photo of proof of my donation. But now my client at work has challenged us to do it Monday after work - so I'll be donating again AND dumping; have to be a good sport at work.

  Well stated, Becky.  I'm always flummoxed when told we shouldn't do something because others are suffering.  My doing less or not at all isn't going to help the suffering of others one. single. bit.

I think older people would probably know more about this disease prior to the last couple of weeks than younger people.

I haven't done the challenge, but I've enjoyed watching the challenges I've seen online. The ALS Association is a charity that my family gives to every year because of being personally affected by the disease.