Do you want to be involved in a movement that creates awareness for a deadly disease?  Now you can.  You can participate in the  “Ice Bucket Challenge” to raise money and create awareness about Amyotropic Lateral Sclerosis  disease.

Many on the Fresno City College campus such as  Sean Henderson, director of student activities and Chris Villa, vice president for student services  joined celebrities and millions of other Americans in the Ice Bucket Challenge at Fresno City College.

The Ice Bucket Challenge is an innovative interactive fundraiser. It is great because it is fun and has gotten many people involved. When participating in the correct way it is a great way to promote awareness for a worthy cause.

One might ask what is the Ice Bucket Challenge?

The Ice Bucket Challenge is an activity that involves dumping a bucket of ice water on someone’s head to promote awareness of the disease ALS. Once the challenge is accepted, one must nominate three people or make a donation within 24 hours.   

The challenge is becoming huge on social media and has raised a lot of awareness and money for ALS. While much publicity is going on for the challenge there are still people skeptical on what the challenge actually is. 

Megan Johnson an FCC student said that she was nominated for the Ice Bucket Challenge and “did it the very next day.”

Despite being excited about partaking in the trendy social media event, Johnson did not know what ALS stood for.

ALS is referred to as “Lou Gehrigs Disease”, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells from the brain to the spinal cord.

The challenge is spreading over the news and social media. Although many people participating in the challenge are not fully aware of what it is, this does not mean that it is not important, or should be dismissed.

Another student, Roger Ellis, has participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge and has donated money. He thinks it is a great way to get people involved and spread awareness. It has actually inspired him to research the disease and find out more about it.

As of Aug. 27, the challenge has raised $934 million in donations compared to $2.7 million during the same time last year. That is over a 2,000 percent  increase in revenue.

The donations will go towards research for ALS, patients, community services and professional education.

This challenge is a phenomenal way to gain awareness and donations  for people diagnosed with ALS and in need of care. If you would like to take an ice-bucket challenge or make a  donation for ALS, please visit http://www.alsa.org/donate.