Almost everyone knows or has heard of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.   For those who do not know, it is when you are nominated by a friend of family member to pour a bucket full of ice and water onto yourself in the first 24-hours after you were nominated.

One such nomination was Coach McGuire, West’s Girls Cross Country Coach.

“It was the girls’ idea,” McGuire said.

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge isn’t just about pouring icy water onto yourself and suffering sub degree temperatures. It is about helping those who are sick and helping researchers find a cure. For when you pour that bucket of super icy water onto yourself you have chosen to donate to the ALS Assoc.

ALS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects the nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Some end results of ALS are becoming paralyzed or even worse – death. This deadly disease usually occurs in ages ranging from forty to seventy years old.

“The ALS Association and its 38 chapters have received an astonishing $4 million in donations compared to $1.12 million during the same time period last year,” ALS Association (alsa.org). ALS has raised $2.98 million more than they did last year, that’s huge in those afflicted with this disease.

You never know who will end up with ALS, it can affect anyone even famous celebrities. Lou Gehrig the first American baseball player who played 17 seasons with the Yankees, was also the first person to be diagnosed with ALS.

Two actors that had this disease were Michael Zaslow who played the villain role of Roger Thorpe on CBS’s Guiding Light. The other actor is David Niven who was in the Pink Panther. As well as one of the creator of Sesame Street, Jon Stone was also afflicted with this disease.

The next time you are hot and need to cool down fast. Why not consider joining the cause to help someone else in The Ice Bucket Challenge and donate to the ALS Association. Every little bit helps.