Teaneck—This summer’s social media craze is a fundraiser for ALS research. Surpris­ing but true. As more and more celebrities and everyday folks set their phones to video and record themselves accepting the “Ice Buck­et Challenge,” the coffers of the ALS Associa­tion are filling up. As of last weekend, the foun­dation, which also supports afflicted families, had raised $13.3 million dollars this month, up from $1.7 million during the same month last year. ALS is a degenerative disease that afflicts approximately 30,000 Americans, including members of the JLBC community.

Locally, the Teaneck town council, includ­ing newly elected councilman Jason Castle, the Teaneck Volunteer Ambulance Corps, and in particular its president Izzy Infield and cap­tain Andy Rudin, have gotten in on the action, along with hundreds of families in the commu­nity—most of them with photographic proof online. Each dunkee challenges three more people to get dunked with ice water within in 24 hours, or donate $100 to the ALS Asso­ciation, or both. As JLBC went to print, close to 57,000,000 entries came up on Google when searching for “Ice Bucket Challenge.” According to the New York Times, the phenomenon has spawned more than 1.2 million videos on Fa­cebook. Obama was challenged and decided to donate money instead of getting dunked.

The challenge began last winter, but the current social media storm began about three weeks ago. Peter Frates, a 29-year-old former Boston College baseball player who has ALS is credited with popularizing the challenge. Celebrities, moguls, sport stars and politicians such as Oprah Winfrey, Jimmy Fallon, LeBron James, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Governor Chris Christie, Senator Cory Booker, New Jersey Senate President Steve Sweeney and countless others have cheerfully doused themselves in ice water for the sake of the charity.

Dassi Zeidel, whose father Irving ‘Itch’ Zeidel has ALS (see JLBC #34), says the Ice Bucket Challenge is a surreal event for her­self and her family. “My Facebook feed is inundated with videos. I think it’s wonder­ful in the sense that it has raised so much money for ALS, but I have concerns as well,” she said.

The concern stems from the fact that the Ice Bucket Challenge is a new fad that every­one on social media seems to need to do. “Peo­ple love to be in on the newest cool thing and to see themselves in photos and videos. I’ve seen some posts where people are dump­ing buckets on their heads for “some charity” not knowing why they are doing it, just going along with the newest trend,” she added.

For families living with the disease, however, the ALS Challenge goes deeper. It is about supporting ALS family mem­bers and helping them stay hopeful and positive. Zeidel hopes that ALS could be­come a top fundraiser much like can­cer and heart disease, because funds and awareness are keys to finding a cure. “However, we in the community are real­istic and realize that a cure is a long time away and not something we are likely to see soon,” she said.

For more information about ALS, visit http://www.alsa.org/donate.

By Elizabeth Kratz