ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has gained an enormous amount of awareness and support for ALS.

According to an article on alsa.org, the ALS Association has topped $100 million in donations from people all over the globe who were moved to action by this summer's Ice Bucket Challenge.  As of August 29, the Association has received $100.9 million in donations compared to $2.8 million during the same time period last year (July 29 to August 29).

Taken from the article, "At a support group this past week run by The ALS Association for people living with the disease in southwest Florida, an attendee asked how much the organization had received in donations. When Patricia Stanco, the Regional Care Manager for The ALS Association Florida Chapter told the group how much had been donated, she described what she witnessed in an email to colleagues on August 28: 'Jaws dropped. Tears formed. The group was overwhelmed and for a distinct moment, silent. I realized I was witnessing hope. It was so powerful—I will never forget it.'"

The Ice Bucket Challenge is simple.  Dump a bucket of ice water on your head within 24 hours of being nominated, or make a donation to ALS.  If you choose to dump the water, you also get to nominate others to complete the challenge.  

ALS is a disease that affects the nerves in your brain and spinal chord.  When ice water is poured on your head, it affects your nerves similar to those with ALS - hence the Ice Bucket Challenge.

One evening I was outside with the kids watering our flowers when they decided to do a little ice bucket challenging of their own… we'd been watching a lot of videos of others over the past couple days and the kids wanted in.

So it seemed like the perfect time to record our challenge:

I was so flustered by the ice cold water (I really really dislike cold water), that I forgot to mention I was completing the challenge in honor of my grandmother, Dolores Sames, who passed away from this terrible disease.

ALS is such a horrible disease.  I pray they find a cure so no one has to endure the pain of living with the disease or loving someone who is suffering through it…