Local ALS Family Discusses Ice Bucket Challenge

ROSSVILLE, GA (WDEF) – From football players to politicians, you can’t scroll a couple of inches without seeing an ice bucket challenge on your Facebook page.

Allen Lusk says, "I’ve got plans to do it. I’ve got some friends that are scheming."

The challenge? Dump ice water over your head and donate ten dollars to ALS or don’t and donate a hundred dollars.

Lusk adds, "A lot of people, most people do the challenge and donate and a lot of them donate more than the ten dollars."

However, others disagree.

They say a lot of people don’t pay up, make light of the situation, and waste water.

Lusk says, "It’s really brought a ton of awareness to this disease. Where as a lot of people I’ve talked to and explained to them what my father is going through, they didn’t know about it."

That’s the bottom line says Barbara Newhouse, President and CEO of the ALS association.

The challenge is meant to raise awareness, plain and simple.

It was started by ALS families in New York and Massachusetts.

Newhouse says, "They saw the ice bucket as being like that cold water that you splash over yourself in the morning to wake yourself up, and that’s how they saw it."

The extra $31.5 million dollars raised so far is just icing on the cake, says, Newhouse.

Newhouse adds, "We are going to be very strategic and thoughtful to determine the best use of these dollars in the most sustainable way."

So far there is no cure for the debilitating disease, and no one knows what causes it.

But those directly affected by it hope this viral campaign will continue to bring a better understanding of what they’re going through.

If you would like to donate to ALS, log on to ALSA.org.