Ice Bucket Challenge Dumps Millions into ALS Fight
Thanks to the power of social media, a freezing-cold fundraiser and awareness campaign is now completely on fire.
The Ice Bucket Challenge encourages people to dump ice water on their heads and donate money to spread the awareness and aid in the research of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurodegenerative disease more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
To put it plainly, the challenge successfully combines the elements of a silly dare and an extremely worthy cause. In a matter of weeks, 1.7 million challengers have donated nearly $80 million to the ALS Association (link to alsa.org), a national non-profit dedicated to ALS awareness, care service and research.
The challenge has become a viral online phenomenon as supporters have used social media both to share their frigid experiences and enlist people they know to do the same. One challenger becomes three, three become nine, and so on.
Because of its immense online presence, millions of people—the general public and celebrities alike—have heeded the call either to dump ice water on their heads or open up their wallets. Many have elected to do both. As the Ice Bucket Challenge continues to spread, there is no telling how much money it will raise.
According to the ALS Association, the disease attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, resulting in a loss of voluntary muscle control and movement, and, in many cases, total paralysis. On average, people live two to five years after being diagnosed with ALS, and over 5,600 people are diagnosed every year.
Melaleuca supports the ALS Association and its mission to treat and cure ALS.
Have you taken the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge? Please send us a link to your video and we may feature it on the Melaleuca YouTube channel.
The following are just a few examples of Melaleuca employees and friends who have accepted the Ice Bucket Challenge:
Watch as Melaleuca CEO Frank VanderSloot accepts the Ice Bucket Challenge and invites others to do the same.
Melaleuca Chief of Staff Cole Clinger accepts the Ice Bucket Challenge
Melaleuca Senior Vice President of Sales Darrin Johnson accepts the challenge.