But I've decided that it is just silly. Especially because I have this blog to share my life and what should be what I want to say. And today I want to give a little rant, a lot of my opinion on dumping a bucket of ice over my head. Basically, to all the haters.
On July 14, [Chris] Kennedy recorded video of himself taking the Ice Bucket Challenge. He then called out three others, including his wife’s cousin, Jeanette Senerchia, whose husband, Anthony, is suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – more commonly known as ALS.-viaThis couple chose to make their donation to ALS at the time, then their neighborhood rallied around their organization for them, then it spread to his college and well, you know where it has gone. It seems everyone has really taken to the challenge.
It has seriously become a media firestorm around ALS, the awareness of it and the Ice Bucket Challenge. And because it has become so prominent around social media, everyone has their say and opinion. And some of them really get me going.
// What are you really doing by pouring a bucket of ice over your head? The ALS ice bucket challenge was meant to raise awareness for a disease that many people don't even know about. How many times have you heard about ALS in the past year BEFORE the ice bucket challenge went viral? My guess is not very many. Just as you wear pink for Breast Cancer Awareness or blue for Autism Awareness, ALS will now be known for ice bucket challenge. Participating isn't a fad, it isn't for popularity, it's for awareness of a disease.
// People bringing other people down. There are people that are criticizing people for accepting the ice bucket challenge because that then means they are choosing to get out of donating. When, in fact, many people are participating in the ice bucket challenge AND donating. Imagine that.
The ALS Association has since said that it has raised $15.6 million as a result of the challenge, nine times what it normally raises in the same time frame. Another ALS charity, Project ALS, told the Washington Post that its donations were 50 times normal. ALS TDI, another ALS charity, says that has raised $580,000 since the beginning of August, 10 times what it normally receives.- via Forbes
// Making the choice to donate to another charity. There are people that are posting they accepted but will donate to another charity they prefer because it means more to them. But honestly, we all have organizations that are close to our hearts. I have a few and I already donate to them every year because they are near and dear to my heart. On Mother's Day, I give to The American Cancer Society. At Christmas, I donate toys to underprivileged kids. And in March I make a donation for DVT Awareness. Even though these are organizations near and dear to my heart, there is always room for me to give to other organizations. Organizations that are raising awareness. We all have a little extra room to give a little more. Please do not make me feel guilty because I am choosing to donate to this charity because of this challenge. It's kind of the point. But feel free to do it because it makes you feel better.
// Everybody is wasting clean water. I for one poured water down my drain from my shower. If I am correct, that water gets sanitized then put back into bodies of water.That covers that. What about the water dumped outside you say? It is definitely not wasted. Going back to grade school with how water evaporates into the atmosphere, goes into the clouds. Once those clouds are full it comes back down as rain and the process keeps going and going. Essentially, water is never wasted. And if I can just say, pools. They are everywhere and I am certain you swim in that water.
// It's all just a bunch of peer pressure. People say that the don't think it's right to be peer pressured into doing something or donating to a certain cause. Just because you do not want to participate, you HAVE to donate to this very specific cause or on the other hand, succumb to the peer pressure of pouring ice water over your head. And here is what I have to say about that. Peer pressure to raise awareness for something? Peer pressure to donate to a cause I didn't know very much about before so I wouldn't have even considered it? That's the best kind of peer pressure I will give in to. Much better than the peer pressure that will probably have women wearing overalls again in the coming months.
So bottom line, just dump a bucket of ice on your head already. Or don't and give me your opinion on all of this. Because since I gave mine, I know everyone has their own. It's what makes the world go round. But I do ask, that you watch this.
