The success of last summer's ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, which raised $115 million, has inspired ALS organizations to do the Ice Bucket Challenge again in August.
Starting Aug. 1, people are encouraged to record themselves being doused with a bucket of ice water, challenge others to do the same, upload the video to social media, and then make a donation to ALS.net.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), otherwise known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that eventually leads to death for those diagnosed with it.
Of the money raised last year, $4 million went to the ALS Therapy Development Institute, which is researching cures for ALS. The Institute is affiliated with Augie's Quest, a fundraising organization created by Augie and Lynne Nieto. Augie founded Life Fitness and was diagnosed with ALS 10 years ago. He is chairman of the board for the ALS Therapy Development Institute.
“Who would have thought that a bucket of water with some ice in it would have made all the difference in the battle to end ALS," Augie said in the announcement. "Every dollar raised by Augie’s Quest and our other ALS.net affiliates went directly to ALS research. I made sure of that as chairman, and I’ll make sure of it again. Thank you to all who took the Ice Bucket Challenge last summer and to all who will join us again in accepting the challenge to end ALS again this August and every August until a cure."
Augie’s Quest is the largest affiliate of ALS.net, which funds the world’s largest independent ALS research effort at the ALS Therapy Development Institute. Augie worked closely with the leadership of ALS.net and the Institute to determine how to rapidly invest the unexpected fundraising money.
“It took us about 45 seconds to figure out how to spend the windfall of funds from the Ice Bucket Challenge last year," said Steve Perrin, Ph.D., CEO & CSO of the ALS Therapy Development Institute. "We just had to look for a moment at our mission statement and around the board room. Every penny was spent on ALS research. It’s just a drop in the bucket though and we really need to see another wave like last year in order to ensure the innovative programs we were able to kick off can be seen through to completion.”
Augie and Lynne challenge the fitness industry to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge this year and every year until there is a cure for ALS, the announcement noted.
To download instructions about how to accept the challenge or to bring the challenge to your company, gym, friends or network, you can visit www.augiesquest.org.
Augie will receive Club Industry's Lifetime Achievement Award at this year's Club Industry Show Oct. 8 in Chicago. Lynne will be in attendance to accept the award for Augie, whose current physical state makes traveling difficult.