ALS ice bucket challenge has hugely positive impact

By Becca Waxman
Staff Writer

The Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ice bucket challenge has led to a worldwide spread of awareness for ALS and has exceeded all expectations for fundraising. Based on the success of the ice bucket challenge, it has been a fun and effective way to raise awareness and money for a worthy cause.

The ALS association was established in 1985. The mission of the ALS association is to fight, treat and find a cure for ALS through global research and nationwide advocacy while also empowering people with Lou Gehrig’s Disease and their families to live fuller lives by providing them with compassionate care and support.

ALS is a motor neuron disease that causes nerve cells to break down and die, with no impact to your mental capacity. There is no treatment or cure which makes fundraising essential. ALS is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease named after a famous baseball player from the 1930’s.

The ALS ice bucket challenge is to dump ice water on yourself, post and tag yourself on social media and challenge others to do the same. If you do not complete the challenge within 24 hours of being nominated, or choose to not dump a bucket of ice water over your head, then you are supposed to donate money to the ALS association. This is an effective way to raise money and awareness because nominating others to do a fun challenge encourages more people to participate in it.

The ALS ice bucket challenge was started in July by a golfer, Chris Kennedy and eventually reached Pete Frates, a 29 year old former Boston College baseball player who also has ALS.
Once in Boston, the ice bucket challenge went viral, driven by professional baseball players Frates knew in college. The challenge has become a viral phenomenon. From politicians to celebrities, to business leaders, and even Mira Costa administration, nearly everyone has accepted the challenge. The ALS ice bucket challenge is a good example of where peer pressure has encouraged people top participate in the challenge. As a result they have raised a significant amount of money.

One positive way of awareness is from some of the more high profile people who have participated in the challenge include former President George Bush, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the Kennedy family, Taylor Swift, LeBron James and Bill Gates. Not only have these people accepted the challenge, but they have also donated money to the ALS association. This has motivated their followers and fans to do the same.

As a matter of fact, the Mira Costa Varsity girls volleyball team who shared the gym this summer with Sasha Vujacic and Blake Griffin, challenged Sasha and Blake to the ice bucket challenge which they accepted. Sasha and Blake’s video was posted on Blake Griffin’s instagram. This shows how easily the challenge was able to spread.

The ALS association website states that as of September 7, 2014 they have received $110.1 million in ice bucket challenge donations. The association has said it has received $13.3 million in donations since July 29, 2014, compared with $1.7 during the same time period last year. From awareness of the ice bucket challenge, it has obviously led to donations.

People claim others have completed the ice bucket challenge because of “likes” on their social media posts, although likes are another form of awareness. By liking someone’s ALS ice bucket challenge social media post, it is not giving that person attention it is praising someone for doing a positive act that helps a great cause.

Some people believe the ALS ice bucket challenge is a problem because of California’s major drought. People in who think this should participate in the challenge by donating money instead which cause no waste of water. They can also do it in a pool or over grass as a way to not waste water.

In the fight to find a cure for ALS, the ice bucket challenge has become a huge success and viral phenomenon. Those who have participated have helped raise money or awareness for the ALS association. This small yet powerful challenge has truly made a difference and has the potential to change lives, therefore people should continue to support the IBC and ALSA in the future.