You’ve likely seen the videos, someone gets a bucket of ice-water poured over their head and then challenges a friend or family member to do the same.
Celebrities have done it, former President George W. Bush and even Kermit the Frog have participated. Peoria Public Radio’s Tamie Yost reports the Peoria Riverfront Museum staff and board members have also taken the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.
The soggy participants are raising money and awareness for research and the treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. It sounds like people having fun.
But ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is always fatal. It affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord that causes the inability to control muscle movement. Because a relative few number of people are diagnosed with the disease it generally receives a small portion of national funding for research.
Bradley Beam is a member of the board of directors with the Chicago Chapter of the ALS Association. He says the videos have helped increase private donations a hundred percent over the same time last year. But he says it’s also added levity to a heavy subject.
“I’ve heard first hand from a number of patients with ALS, they think what we are doing is just crazy and funny and it really really gives them an emotional lift, so, it’s amazing that a bucket of ice water can do so much.”
For the Peoria Riverfront Museum, participating in the movement seems like a natural fit. Sam Gappmayer is the Peoria Riverfront Museum President. He says the unique nature of the challenge creates excitement and opportunity for everybody to get involved:
“The Creativity in the approach to drawing attention to ALS and the number of people who responded certainly motivated us to consider getting involved ourselves. And so, we’re grateful to be able to jump in and get a little wet and hopefully raise some money and raise some awareness of ALS.”
Gappmayer’s team agrees. Renee Kerrigan is the curator of the Planetarium at the Museum:
“It’s our Mission to educate the public about Science, and to try to get people to be more excited and understand Science and use it in their everyday lives.”
As Kerrigan is poised to dump a bucket of ice water over her head she says taking the ALS Challenge is not such a bad deal:
“Some of us are excited and some of us are just ready to cool off on this hot day”
It seems something as silly as a viral video of people dumping ice water on their heads really does make a difference.
“Let’s Do it!” ~splash~ *Scream*
All the money raised by the Riverfront Museum participants is being donated locally, to the Peoria Walk to Defeat ALS fund. The Museum has issued the challenge to the Peoria Park District, the Peoria Symphony Orchestra, and the Peoria Civic Center.
Link to: Peoria Walk to Defeat ALS and ALS Association