Students raised money and awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) last week, by taking part in the Ice Bucket Challenge and a glow run on campus.
Close to 75 students attended the event, supporting those affected by ALS, raising $100 in the past week.
Students began the race at PepsiCo Recreation Center and ran one mile to the Augustana football field and track, collecting playing cards at various stops along the way in an attempt to build a winning poker hand by the time they reached the finish line. The fastest male and female runners were first-years Nick Niles and Cate Strahl.
For some of the runners, like junior Jane DeClerck, whose aunt passed away from ALS, the race held a more personal meaning, while others, such as first-year Ty Tanker, said, “it’s always great to help.”
The winners of the poker hand challenge were first-year Gabe Tucker and senior Astin Moravek.
Each of the four runners received a $50 gift card to their choice of Buffalo Wild Wings or Hy-Vee. Although only four students received prizes, Recreation Director Don Umland said “everybody that participated was a winner.”
After the run, students were invited to participate in the Ice Bucket Challenge, standing in large tubs of ice water, which was also dumped on their heads.
Umland spoke briefly about how the Ice Bucket Challenge originated and encouraged students to learn more about Pete Frates, a Former Boston College baseball player and ALS patient, who started the recent national increase of awareness for ALS.
Frates’s struggle with ALS has raised “$18 billion since Pete started to do the [Ice Bucket Challenge] videos,” said Umland. In 2012 Frates was awarded the Stephen Heywood Patients Today award for his activity in fundraising and advocacy. During the last month (July 29-August 29) the total amount raised amounted to $100.9 million. In addition to this staggering figure, the sheer number of participants has helped drastically raise awareness for ALS.
There will be a donation box at PepsiCo Recreation Center this week for those who would like to donate money towards ALS research. The donations will be sent to Pete Frates.
Umland said “everybody came out better for the experience,” and challenged students to do more, asking them, “how can you give?”