Last year around this time, I declared it was the Summer of the Rainbow Loom. In a matter of weeks, everywhere I turned, there were colorful rubber bracelets.
This year, it’s all about the #ALS ice bucket challenge.
It started with just a few posts here and there on social media but now it seems everyone’s got the ice fever. It’s reaching its peak this week for sure, but so far, I can’t resist clicking on any video that promises to show people getting doused. From my neighbor down the street to Lady Gaga, people all over the country are getting drenched in the name of charity.
Kudos to the geniuses who came up with this simple yet effective fundraising campaign. It’s worked so swimmingly, the ALS foundation has raised nearly $23 million! Last year in August, they raised about $22,000.
That’s alotta cold cash.
It’s also an amazing awareness campaign. I knew what ALS was only because it’s also called Lou Gehrig’s disease– after the famous baseball player who died from the condition– and my baseball-crazed boys knew his history.
The ALS website says: “Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed (and eventually die.)”
It’s a cruel disease for both sufferers and the people who care for them.
But now there are literally millions of people talking about ALS, and inspired by the idea of doing good. I love that celebrities have gotten in on it. Here’s a link to some of the best celebrity soaks. I highly recommend Justin Timberlake (nothin bad about him in a wet t-shirt), Jimmy Fallon and Taylor Swift, who did group dumps. But Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner had the cutest one, with their daughters cackling in the background.
It’s a social media success story.
I’ve read some negative pieces about the Challenge– claiming it’s a popularity contest, it’s taking attention away from other causes, it’s self-indulgent. I’m freezing out that soggy nonsense.
I love it!
I knew my time was coming as I watched the degrees of separation between me and the challenged get smaller and smaller in recent days. In the last 24 hours I was challenged by my friends Julie G., Holland G.,and Julie P.G.
There was no escaping my arctic assignment.
We prepared for the 30-second videos like we were on a Scorsese set. We set the ice-maker to make extra ice, made sure we had the proper spot to get the most effect, and argued over what to say.
I had a frigid friend in Aden who also got challenged today. Jacob was only too happy to do the dumping.
Aden went first. You can see his here.
My favorite part of Aden’s is watching the glee with which Jacob douses his brother. Watch it again just for the beaming older brother getting a free pass to torture his nemesis.
Then it was my turn as you can see here.
It aint pretty.
Who likes to see themselves on video, especially sopping wet??! But I’ve decided there should be no judgment when doing a good deed and spreading joy. And I’m sure watching me surprised by a waterfall to the head will amuse many.
I’ve seen scores of videos this week but can’t stop watching them. It’s 30 seconds of unscripted fun. When it’s your turn, you know what to expect but you’re still shocked.
And now I challenge MaryEllen Dawkins, Allison Levy, Shani Braffman, and Raquel Grosman. Ice, ice babies!!!
I’m sure this will all fade away in a week or two and we’ll put the ice bucket in the back of the closet….next to the rainbow loom.
But like any good trend, it’s fun while it lasts, right?
carpool candy 