Some think it’s fun, others think it’s nonsense, but the bottom line is that the Ice Bucket Challenge is working.
So far the internet trend has raised $13.3 million for the ALS association since July 29, far exceeding the $1.7 million donated to the organization in the same period last year. The ALSA also reported 260,000 new donors during the period.
The challenge is simple. People film themselves getting buckets of ice thrown over them, then challenge others to do the same within 24 hours or donate to the ALSA. Most people who do the chilly challenge also donate.
The challenge has been used before to raise money for other charities, but it recently acquired its current association with ALS through an initial challenge video posted by Pete Frates, a former college baseball player who is now paralyzed and unable to speak because of the disease.
ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurological disease which leads to muscle weakness and eventual total paralysis. Most sufferers succumb to the disease within five years of diagnosis. There is currently no cure or effective treatment for ALS.
Since Frates’ video, the cold clips have become a hot trend, with celebrities such as Bill Gates, Lady Gaga, LeBron James, Taylor Swift, Justin Timberlake, Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Britney Spears, Mark Zuckerberg, Oprah Winfrey, James Franco, Ben Affleck, and many more braving the bucket.
My personal favorite clip came from Tom Hiddleston, who sent his fangirls swooning yet again by wearing a thin white T-shirt and getting his bucket of icy water straight to the chest.
Have you taken the Ice Bucket Challenge, PopWrappers? If not, maybe it’s time to get wet!
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