CHIMACUM — As the worldwide ALS Ice Bucket Challenge continues to raise money and awareness in the fight against Lou Gehrig’s disease, one local educator is attempting to add her own twist.
“You know me; I always have to do things my own way,” Chimacum High School Principal Whitney Meissner wrote on her Facebook page Monday in announcing that she, Vice Principal Dave Carthum and Athletic Director Gary Coyan will complete the ice bucket challenge Thursday.
They are accepting donations for ALS fundraising and awareness.
The person who makes the biggest donation gets to dump the bucket or buckets of ice water on the administrators.
The Ice Bucket Challenge is intended to raise funds and awareness about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
The waterworks are scheduled to take place at around noon at the school, 91 West Valley Road, and are part of the annual back-to-school celebration, Cowboy Day.
Participants in the challenge generally post videos of themselves receiving a dousing and then challenge three other people to do the same.
Those challenged are compelled to either get doused with ice water and donate $10 to the ALS Association or skip the water and make a larger donation of $100.
The terms state that those challenged must respond one way or the other within 24 hours.
As a result, the ALS Association has received $88.5 million in donations from late July through Tuesday, compared with $2.6 million in the same period last year.
Jefferson County Planning Director Stacie Hoskins, the only candidate for Jefferson County treasurer this year, suffers from multiple sclerosis and used her acceptance of the challenge to increase awareness of that ailment.
“ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, the same areas of the body affected by multiple sclerosis,” she said.
“While the causes of each disease are different, I believe that research specific to ALS helps further our knowledge of disease causes, progression and cures, and will hopefully contribute to cures for other diseases, too.”
Quilcene Fire Department Secretary Jean Morris got the challenge from her granddaughter and got drenched Tuesday.
She then challenged the fire chief and two other firefighters.
Morris said those challenged had yet to respond, although they were out on a call Wednesday afternoon.
She said the dunking provided an antidote to the hot weather.
“I did it and it was cold, but since it was at about 4:30 in the afternoon, it felt pretty good,” she said.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
