The legacy of the Ice Bucket Challenge

Two years ago I posted my concerns about the Ice Bucket Challenge. At the time, I questioned people's motives and recommended people focus on the giving, not the ice. Well it turns out my crankiness missed the point. The Ice Bucket Challenge did raise tens of millions of dollars for ALS and that money led to a breakthrough with regards to genes connected to ALS.

Hopefully that discovering leads to meaningful improvement in treating the disease. Hopefully it leads to a cure for Pete Frates -- the man who helped make the Ice Bucket Challenge a viral sensation.

I still think I was right to question people's motives, but I clearly should have focused on the upside. Congrats to all those who gave and I hope they are proud of the breakthrough.

Peter Frates' story on ESPN

ESPN finally told the story of Peter Frates -- the guy who made the Ice Bucket Challenge go viral. It was produced by my friend and BC grad Drew Gallagher. Watch it and remember that this is what the Challenge is all about.

#IceBucketChallenge wave grows and why I waited

Steve Addazio finally took the #IceBucketChallenge. He's just the latest high-profile member of the BC Community to take part in the viral sensation. BC didn't start the Challenge, but it caught on among Eagles and has raised plenty of awareness and some money in honor of Pete Frates' battle with ALS.

A.J. challenged me a few days ago. I ignored it mostly because I was travelling and there wasn't a good time or location to pull it off. But I also waited because something didn't feel right. I don't know Pete Frates and I haven't given a penny to his struggle. I knew Dick Kelley well and even from afar, was pained to see how he dealt with ALS. I don't considering dumping ice on myself much of a challenge compared to what anyone with ALS faces. And I know I am not the only one who feels this way. Alex Carpenter tweeted it better than I could:

Instead of just participating in the #IceBucketChallenge let's make sure we are donating to help benefit Pete Frates and #StrikeOutALS!!
— Alex Carpenter (@carpy05) August 7, 2014

I try to avoid telling people what to do with their time or money, but my suggestion is don't let the #icebucketchallenge just be about social media. Give. I don't care if it is to Frates or something ALS related. Give to BC. Give to a local school. Give to a church or hospital. There are thousands of worthy charities out there. Find one that means something to you or your family or your friends. That is how Frates started this. He took the viral challenge and made it his own. Good for him. Now remember that his example is not the ice. It is the money and time. Give what you can. It is what this is all about.

To show that I am not a total party pooper, I did finally take the challenge once I was back in Georgia. I am not challenging anyone specifically. Do whatever you can or want to do, but make sure it is about more than ice. Plenty of good organizations could use your time and money.