By Patty Lane, The ALS Association TN Chapter
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The “Ice Bucket Challenge” is an awareness campaign for ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The idea is to challenge friends, family and co-workers to pour a bucket of ice water over their head or make a donation to the ALS Association within 24 hours- or do both!
To make a donation go to www.alstn.org and click on the donation button, or mail donations to the ALS TN Chapter, P.O. Box 40244, Nashville TN 37204, or call the office at 615-331-5556.
“We are so excited about all the awareness this is generating- we need more people involved to help fund research and services to people with ALS!” said Cheri Sanders, Executive Director of the ALS Association TN Chapter.
In order to make a challenge, post a video of yourself pouring a bucket of ice water over your head on social media and challenge your friends to do the same. Explain that you are hoping to raise awareness of ALS and raise funds to support research and the local chapter services. Then challenge three of your friends to send a donation or make their own “Ice Bucket Challenge” to their friends.
The “Ice Bucket Challenge” was started by former Boston College baseball captain, Pete Frakes, 29, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2012. The videos went viral in Massachusetts and then took off across the nation. Celebrities like Jimmy Fallon, Justin Timberlake, and Kathy Lee Gifford have participated in the challenge. In the last two weeks the national ALSA office has received over $3.6 million compared to $28,000 during the same time last year.
“This is a great fundraising tool for those who will participate in our statewide Walks to Defeat ALS this fall,” Sanders said. “The Walkers are already collecting donations for their walk teams and this can help build the momentum. The Walks are our main source of funding for our services to local people with ALS and research.”
If you’d like to learn more about ALS or join us at a Walk to Defeat ALS please go to www.alstn.org.