#1241 #icebucketchallenge

I'm almost certain that by now you have seen at least one Ice Bucket Challenge video. It's the social media craze that is sweeping the nation this summer. :) The challenge was created to raise awareness and donations for ALS research. ALS is Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. The disease affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that controls voluntary muscle movement. As the nerve cells die, the ability to control the muscles deteriorates and eventually leads to death.

How did this Ice Bucket Challenge thing get started? ESPN did a story about a guy named Pete Frates who they say is "inspiration behind the viral ALS Ice Bucket Challenge." But then I saw this story on Slate.com that says the icy water dousing challenge started long before Pete Frates came into the picture.

In the end, I don't think it really matters how it got started. What matters is that it happened and it is happening and the ALS Association is getting unprecedented donations and maybe people are even taking a minute, like I did, to learn a little about the disease.

Of course I've heard of Lou Gehrig's Disease - I'm a baseball fan! I haven't seen the movie Pride of the Yankees about Lou Gehrig but everyone has heard the famous line, "Today (day day) I consider myself (self self) the luckiest man (man man) on the face of the Earth (Earth Earth)." Those parenthetical words are my attempt at the echo as Lou speaks into the microphone.

Anyway, I've heard of the disease,  but I never really knew what it was. I don't know anyone who is suffering from ALS, so I didn't really give it much thought until the ice bucket challenge videos came along. I have enjoyed watching the celebrity videos. I think it's pretty fun that they challenge their friends, usually other celebrities. I know that regular people take the challenge too; I've seen videos where the ice bucket challenge goes wrong and people fall down or drop the bucket on their head or other amusing or slightly terrifying things happen.

Then last night, as I am getting ready for bed, by beloved iPhone buzzes and a Facebook alert pops up that says "Kelsie tagged you in a video." Sure enough, there was my friend, throwing down the challenge to me and two others. It was all fun until it became real!

So on this chilly afternoon (early fall for Utah?), I gathered the boys and we went outside so I could complete the challenge. I filled a three gallon bucket with cold water and ice.

OK, maybe it wasn't all the way full, but there was a lot of water in there and I can assure you that it was COLD.

Then we went outside where MT manned the video and T manned the bucket. I challenged my sister Lizzie, my sister-in-law Denise and my niece Megan to take the challenge and then T happily dumped the water right on my head. BRRR!

After that, I came in and made a (modest) contribution to the ALS fund. I was surprised to learn that between July 29 and August 23 last year, ALSA (ALS Association) had raised just over $2 million. In that same time period this year, ALSA has raised $62.5 million. That's amazing. Social media is a powerful thing.

I'm happy that I got to participate in the Ice Bucket Challenge! If you'd like to see the video, here it is.

If you are interested in donating to the ALS fund, click here.