Water!
Unless you are living under a rock, by now you know about the ice bucket challenge set forth by the ALS Association (ALSA). But since I am often a rock dweller myself, I will bring you up to date. Cool people are chilling their brains to raise awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the lethal neurodegenerative disorder also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The original idea was that when the gauntlet was thrown down in the ice bucket challenge, the person being challenged either needed to give $100 to ALSA or dump ice water on his or her head. Most people seem to be opting to both donate and get soaked, posting the videos on social media. My teen opted to accept the ice bucket challenge, give $20.00 to ALSA and challenge three friends.
My news feeds on Facebook and Twitter have been filled with friends, celebrities and political figures joining together to dump ice water over their heads to support ALS research. In my opinion, the ice bucket challenge has been a welcome distraction from the awful and sad events of world and local news. Americans have had some summer FUN for a good cause. BUT, of-course, there are always the wet blankets.
FUN? We, the American people, are allowed to have fun? Guiltless fun? What about the less fortunate, downtrodden people trudging for water, or people doing without water? Shouldn’t we be wringing our hands at the water waste?
No. This challenge isn’t about those people or those countries. This challenge is about WE, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE laughing, having FUN, and giving the gift of a donation to a cause that matters to us.
HOW COULD YOU let your kid waste 17 gallons of water while people in other countries don’t have enough enough water to drink and the West Coast is in the middle of a drought.
Chill. I realize, and I bet so do most other Americans, that water is not plentiful in other parts of the world, and even in some places in America you can only water your lawn once a week. So shall we send those that are without our buckets of ice water? This guilt trip is as old as the return address labels some charities still send you to guilt you into sending them a $5.00 donation. And what about all those half-empty PLASTIC water bottles, glasses of unfinished water, beautiful green lawns and swimming pools…shall we send them those too? HUH? That doesn’t make any sense at all, does it?
What about the other charities? ALSA is stealing our contributions!
Really? If this is true, the Super Bowl and World Series should end in a tie and everyone should go home a winner. ALSA is playing the giving game better this time around, and if I were running a fundraising campaign I wouldn’t be whining—I’d be watching. While I couldn’t re-create this campaign, I do know it’s not the last good idea out there.
Some people feel pressured, pushed and shamed into accepting the challenge—even bullied by the ice bucket challenge
Come on—not really, right? Water-bullied??
Fine. I’m sorry for my insensitivity. OK, I can help with an appropriate response: “Thank so much for honoring me by choosing me as your ice water dueling partner. It sounds like so much fun, but I’m really not into dumping ice water on my head. Let me think about a donation while I laugh at your video.”If your friends push it beyond that point, throw some ice cubes at them. Better yet, stop being a leaky faucet and go ahead and accept the duel; just add your own twist…ice-cold Stoli vodka over ice down the hatch, perhaps? (I’m sorry I called you a leaky faucet. Really.)
My conscious is clean (as far as water goes). I offer my full support to the ice bucket duelers! My message to the wet blanket crowd is that you don’t have to be doused with a bucket of ice water to be a good sport, support ALS, laugh a little and have some fun with the rest of us wet heads. Wait—wet heads? We’ll catch our death of cold and then you’ll be sorry. Right?
Odd Loves Company,
Cole dueled with Lily. I love my son, but sometimes I wish I had a girl. This clever girl.
* OK, fine. I did match Cole’s ALS donation by donating to this water charity because it showed me something new and heartfelt. I’m not a monster, you know.
That almost qualified for rant Tuesday. But not quite. You have a big heart and it is always in the right place. Lily is very cute and dare I say it? Cool. 🙂
I rewrote it a few times. 😀
Lily is definitely cool!
Woo Hoo KB well said!
My husband is taking the challenge and I’ve threatened divorce if he challenges me but I’ll help him.
Both Cole and Lily did a great job. What style those two have.
OHHHH so nice of you to help you dh. Did you offer to fill or pour the bucket? 😀
I’ll pass your compliment along to our teen waterdunkers.
Love when people say what I am thinking only better. I have some Holier than thou friends and it gets so old after awhile. The best part is seeing people having fun and joining together and the timing could not be more perfect.
Thanks for a great post.
Thanks Kim. Holy rollers do get old. I think one of the things that made this campaign so successful is the timing was right for some fun and having it while donating to a good cause was ice in the water. Or something like that!
I feel much better. Not 100% but better. Thanks for the well wishes on El Morno.
Well written. I share your feelings. Not everything has to be pc. In fact that is what I find most refreshing about this campaign.
A few of the office people want to have a group dunk. I’ve offered to take the picture, write a check, and hold towels. I can’t get wet. I’ll melt. It’s accepted. No bullying.
Lily will make a good CEO someday. Cole took the challenge like a man.
Glad you decided to stick around. We’d miss you so.
So glad to hear that you were not water bullied. I believe you would melt!
I don’t like the challenge for exactly one of the reasons you stated. It’s distracting us from paying attention to the things that matter. Celebrities are drawing attention to themselves instead of world events that deserve that attention.
It is wasteful and shows a blatant disregard for the lack of basic living essentials people in other countries face every day. Do those kids even know about those circumstances.
You write well to bad you’re on the wrong side.
Vive la difference! However, I’ll take exception to your suggestion that “those kids” aren’t well aware of the difficulties other people face. They just help to fund finding a cure for ALS.
Right or wrong everytime I watch a challenge I laugh and because of that I was motivated to make a small donation to ALS.
Cole and Lily are a dynamic duo and I suspect very thoughtful and giving children.
Irreverence is good for soul once in awhile.
Me too!! I’ve laughed every time I’ve watched one of the videos. Priceless.
How nice that you made a donation to ALS in the spirit of laughter.
My son was challenged and his teen son got such a kick out of pouring water over his dads head. They haven’t had the easiest relationship this past year and it was a joy watching them laugh together.
The ice bucket challenge won’t last forever. People will move on. But it has been a welcome distraction for many of us. I laughed watching Cole and Lily’s interpretation of the challenge.
How wonderful everyone was about to cool off and have some fun. Sometimes a distraction is just what we all need.
Yep, Cole and Lily dueled differently but both walked away winners.
Wow so clever, Lily! Girls Rule! ( though we love our boys tons!)
We do love our boys but there is just something about those girls! As you know firsthand.
Kb, has anyone ever told you you have a way with words? Well written piece here. Love the way you’ve punched holes in the wet blankets’ arguments, in your customary nice way, of course!
Lily and Cole are just too cute — that girl’s going places, just wait and see.
While I’m definitely NOT going to dump a bucket of ice water over my head, donating to a worthwhile cause is another matter entirely. And you’re so right — if I was doing PR for some other cause, I’d certainly be sitting up and taking notice how it’s done!
Thanks Debbie. And I have to agree about the kids. They are such players.
You’re a good sport and that is as valuable as dumping ice water over your head.
I can see both sides but when I was challenged I didn’t back down. The side effect was that after the dunking I laughed longer and harder than I have in a very long time. Felt great. I’m usually the stick in the mud so the video went “viral” among my friends and that was fun too.
Without trying to turn this into the profound experience (it was not) I’m glad I did it and happily wrote a check to ALS.
Good for you for going for it!Woo Hoo.
The ice water challenge is a fun and distracting idea. Do we have to dwell on the starving, water deprived, horrible beheading and war 24/7? Are we not allowed to have a laugh and donate to a worthy cause just because we want to? We could all sit down, be sad, and think of all the awful things in this world we can’t do anything about. Or maybe we could remember all the good things in our lives and pour a glass of ice water over our heads.
TTFN
MJ
EXACTLY! ♥
I have been a day or 2 late for quite a while now. Oh well…
These bitch & moan people like hearing themselves talk & believe their causes, if they have any, are the only ones that matter. Don’t like it? Simple. Don’t read or watch! Keep the icy water flowing!
I agree. Just chill out. Holier than tho gets old.
I share your thoughts Katybeth.. you put them down better than I could have!
Thank you. I think it had something to do with defending my kids honor 😀