BY DELANEY SCHOENFELDT
Everywhere on social media, children and adults alike are dumping buckets of ice water on their heads. Logging into Facebook is now an experience of plunging into video after video of people skittering around, drenched in freezing water. Instagram is cluttered with nomination after nomination, accompanied with people willingly dousing themselves. Twitter is equally jammed with ice bucket challenge videos.
It all comes down to one question though: Why?
The answer is a heartbreaking one. Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
Lou Gehrig’s disease, otherwise known as ALS, gets diagnosed to roughly 5,600 people per year. After diagnosis, a person with ALS has roughly two to five years to live, according to The ALS Association. This fatal disease can strike anyone.
Millions of people worldwide have joined together over a plethora of social medias to raise awareness of this troubling sickness. The results of this campaign have only been positive. Castle View students have also joined in on the fun.
“I wanted to be a good person and I wanted to bring awareness to ALS,” said freshman Maddie Rolfson. “Other people should do the challenge because it brings awareness to the disease.”
Jackson Chase, a junior, also participated in the challenge. “You’re supposed to get really cold water and it gives you the feeling of not moving,” he said. “I donated $50. I don’t know anyone with ALS, but I know it’s a muscle and nerve disease that shuts down your whole body. It’s so sad.”
Not only are students at CVHS joining in, but teachers are taking a plunge into the action, too.
Carol Godfrey, Spanish teacher, got nominated by her nephews. “I wanted to support ALS. I also made a donation. I encourage people to do both. I like to support all those types of causes. I have to admit, though, it was freezing.”
Although most people don’t actually know anyone with ALS, CVHS Principal Jim Calhoun had a bit of a different story. In high school, he had a strong relationship with a coach that was diagnosed with ALS. “I remember I went from taking him McDonald’s and he would eat it himself to taking him McDonald’s and having to physically feed him. He couldn’t pick stuff up with his hands.”
As tears welled, Calhoun said, “I went and visited him on one Friday night and they said it was probably going to be the last time and then he died the next morning. It’s really sad to see someone so strong pass away from the disease.”
So, if you’ve been nominated, Calhoun only has one piece of advice: Do it. “If you get challenged,” he said, “step up and meet that challenge.”